Fitness enthusiasts and bodybuilders take numerous supplements and use protein powders. Sometimes there is confusion regarding the safety or effectiveness of combining two ingredients. One such combination about which there is some confusion is protein and creatine. Can you take protein and creatine together?
What are the Functions of Proteins and Creatine?
Protein is a macronutrient like a carbohydrate and fat needed by the body ina substantial amount. It is a fundamental nutrient that the body needs for functioning.
Protein supplements like Dymatize whey protein are a form of food that fill in gaps in your macro count. Whey, for instance, is one of the leading milk proteins and a by-product of cheese production. As such, there is no right or wrong time to consumeproteins. Have protein for breakfast, post-workout for muscle recovery or before bed at night for protein synthesis while you sleep. Proteins help build muscle mass and aids in muscle recovery after a workout.
Creatine is a naturally produced organic compound found in your muscle cells. It is not a macronutrient. During high-intensity short bursts of activities, your body uses a compound named phosphocreatine to produce energy quickly. It allows you to make more energy to fuel your muscles during high-intensity workouts or lift weights. There are tried and tested protocols for supplementing creatine. If you are a casual user, working out for general fitness take 3 to 5 g of creatine per day. Those with serious muscle-building goals may want to hit their saturation point quickly. Such people load creatine for the first week by taking 25 to 30 grams per day. They then gradually come down to 3 to 5 grams of maintenance dose. Creatine is used for high-intensity situations to provide high energy. Creatine thus improves exercise performance and helps build and strengthen muscle mass.
What is the Similarity Between Protein and Creatine?
Both creatine and protein boost muscle growth. However, the mode of accomplishing the muscle gains vary. Creatine helps by increasing your capacity to workout more intensely. At the same time, proteins like whey protein encourage muscle protein synthesis.
What is the Verdict on Taking Protein and Creatine Together?
Are there any benefits of combining protein and creatine?
Some views promote that creatine and protein together offer more benefits than when either is taken individually.
However, several studies have countered this theory. The results suggest that there are no additionalbenefits to combing protein and creatine.
Are there any adverse effects of taking creatine and protein together?
There are no harmful effects when creatine and protein are combined. It is safe to take them together.
Why will People Want to Combine Them if There are no benefits?
- Combining them depends upon your individual goals. If you want to stay fit while exercising, Dymatize whey protein will suffice. However, if you are serious about muscle building, then you may want to supplement creatine additionally.
- It may be convenient to mix creatine and protein when you are taking numerous supplements. It is not difficult to combine as creatine easily dissolves in your protein mix.
Takeaways: While there are no additional benefits to combining protein and creatine, mixing them has no adverse effects. Therefore, it is a matter of choice to mix both and enjoy their unique benefits for your convenience.