WHAT IS CREATINE?
In this post we’ll shed some light on the debate between creatine monohydrate VS phosphocreatine. But let’s start with the basics -what is creatine?
Creatine is one of the safest, most efficient and science-backed supplements in the market. It has powerful benefits for both athletic performance and health.
One of the biggest benefits of creatine is that it can increase muscle performance and growth. Studies have shown that it can help improve strength, power, and muscle mass. It’s also been shown to help with recovery after exercise, reducing muscle soreness and fatigue.
Another benefit of creatine is that it can help improve brain function. It may also increase mental alertness and concentration, as well as improve memory. It’s also likely to help protect the brain from damage caused by oxidative stress.
Phosphocreatine and creatine monohydrate are related compounds, but they are not the same thing.
Recent studies suggested that, when mixing creatine monohydrate with phosphocreatine, its active form, the benefits can improve. But what is phosphocreatine, and why is it so special?
what is phosphocreatine?
Simply put, phosphocreatine is the active form of creatine, and is technically a form of creatine that’s bound to a phosphate group.
Phosphocreatine, also known as creatine phosphate, is a naturally occuring substance that is found predominantly in the skeletal muscles of vertebrates.
It can also be obtained through the diet, because it is found naturally in many foods -particularly animal proteins such as meat and fish.
For example, half a kilo of raw meat contains approximately 2.3 g of creatine, which will be stored in the muscles after consumption and converted into phosphocreatine when needed.
why is phosphocreatine useful?
Phosphocreatine is important because it helps produce a chemical in muscles known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is often referred to as the «molecular currency for energy» because of its foundational role in muscle contractions.
Muscles use phosphocreatine during the first few seconds of an intense muscle contraction, such as during powerlifting or sprinting.
Unlike aerobic contractions, which utilize oxygen to produce energy, phosphocreatine triggers energy without oxygen. As such, it is considered to be anaerobic.
Anaerobic contractions occur when you are performing a high-intensity exercise at 80% to 90% of your maximum heart rate. At this level, your oxygen needs will exceed your oxygen supply, and your body will turn to alternative sources of energy, like phosphocreatine, to fuel explosive contractions.
what is creatine monohydrate?
Creatine monohydrate is simply creatine with one molecule of water attached to it -hence the name monohydrate. It is usually around 88-90 percent creatine by weight.
When your body is trying to create the compound that powers quick muscle contractions (that is, ATP) it does so by «borrowing» a phosphate molecule from phosphocreatine and combining it with another compound, ADP. Only after a muscle has largely used up its store of phosphocreatine does it start to produce ATP from other sources, like glucose or fats.
The more phosphocreatine you have in your body the more work you can accomplish before fatigue sets in.
As you see, creatine monohydrate is directly related to phosphocreatine, as it must be transformed into it in order to perform.
So, in a way, you can think of creatine monohydrate as a precursor to phosphocreatine, which plays a crucial role in energy metabolism during exercise.
The purpose of taking creatine monohydrate as a supplement is to increase the body’s stores of creatine, which can then be used to synthesize phosphocreatine and support athletic performance.
creatine monohydrate vs phosphocreatine
Adding phosphocreatine to the creatine formula has several benefits:
- Stability: Creatine Monohydrate is not stable in liquids, it degrades pretty rapidly into creatinine -inactive form-, so it should be mixed close to the time of ingestion. Phosphocreatine is less likely to break down and become ineffective.
- Efficiency: Phosphocreatine helps increase the rate in which the body can supply ATP. This increases the muscle capacity to work and improves the energy efficiency of the muscle.
- Speed: Phosphocreatine is the active form of creatine, and it starts working from the first dose. That means that no loading phase is required.
- Absorption: Phosphocreatine has better absorption than creatine monohydrate. This is because phosphocreatine is a more soluble form of creatine, which means that it can be more easily absorbed by the body.
conclusion
In conclusion, if we compare creatine monohydrate and phosphocreatine we’ll can conclude that adding phosphocreatine to the creatine formula takes your supplementation to the next level.
So if you’re looking for a powerful and safe supplement to try, a creatine containing phosphocreatine is definitely worth considering.
It’s a more stable, bioavailable, quick and efficient form of creatine than creatine monohydrate, and it can offer a wide range of benefits for your body and mind.
Clonapure® is the perfect combination of Creatine Monohydrate + Phosphocreatine + Phosphate to keep the phosphagen system running for a longer time. It is also the best option in terms of value for money and it’s completely safe, because it is manufactured in a GMP site. That means that every batch with the Clonapure® seal of trust has endured continuous tests (HPLC) through the manufacturing process to verify its purity and quality.
You can get Clonapure® on Vitobest if you live in Andorra, Belgium, Spain, France, Ireland or Portugal.
And if you’re curious about the subject, you can also read more about how to take creatine or its facts and myths by clicking on our articles.
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