Another year cycle is completed, and summer season arrives to stay for a few months. Summer is normally associated with taking time off work, taking up relaxing activities we barely have time during the year for, and slowing down some of the most stressful aspects of our daily lives. However, working out and sports practicing are not necessarily included in these categories.Thus, there is no real reason to give up physical training during the scorching months of summer.
In today’s blog we will check the many reasons why you can keep on counting on creatine during summer and all the positive effects it can bring to your workouts during the hottest season of the year.
Enter YOUR SUMMER WITH CREATINE!
A SWIFT LOOK AT CREATINE
Creatine is a natural substance that plays a vital role in enhancing muscle performance. By quickly regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), it provides the energy our cells need to function effectively.
Essentially, creatine supplies our muscles with on-demand energy whenever it’s needed. The more creatine we have stored, the more energy we can tap into during physical activity. Ultimately, this will always lead to improved workout quality.
HYDRATION WHEN MOST NEEDED
Dehydration is a critical factor to keep in mind when exercising during summer, so it is essential to maintain your standard hydration levels and increase them accordingly. Creatine supplementation, however, does not require you to drastically increase your water intake.
Creatine works by drawing water into your muscles, which can sometimes lead to side effects like muscle cramps or mild stomach discomfort. The lack of sufficient liquid intake can increase these symptoms, so it is crucial to stick to your hydration routine. Try aiming for around 2-3 liters a day for optimal levels!
PROTECTION AGAINST HEAT
Research indicates that supplementing with creatine can indeed serve as an effective hydration strategy for athletes engaged in intense training, particularly in conditions which increase the risk of suffering heat strokes. It does so by helping the body retain water, which is vital for regulating temperature during strenuous activities, extreme heat and very humid conditions.
Contrary to some misinformed theories, creatine intake does not lead to water retention. According to science, no increase of any kind in total body water can be observed after supplementation with creatine relative to muscle mass over longer periods of time.
a whole summer diet
We have already seen that creatine is a natural compound our body produces. However, it is not the only natural way we can get our dose of creatine. Several easily accessible foods contain medium and high doses of this substance, and they come in all shapes and forms across the board.
Even if much of it is lost when cooked, red meat is the most common natural creatine source. Ranging from 2,5 to 5 grams per raw kilogram, steak and ground beef are an excellent option. Chicken and turkey are also a good source of natural creatine, at around 2 to 2,5 grams of creatine per raw kilogram – similar to that of parmesan cheese, by the way.
Other remarkable sources of creatine include rabbit meat, beef cattle cheek and heart, pork, black pudding, or dried cured ham. Moreover, herring has the highest levels of creatine in all seafood, with a range of 6,5 to 10 grams per raw kilogram. If it’s not your thing, you can try salmon, tuna and cod, with their 2 to 4 grams of creatine per raw kilogram.
Trace amounts of creatine can also be found in nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts), specific whole grains (quinoa, brown rice, barley), legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas), and vegetables like broccoli, spinach.
These are just a few examples of natural creatine sources available for everyone. With such a wide range of creatine-rich foods, can you imagine the amount of summer-friendly recipes that you can prepare to keep your body both fresh and healthy? Just think about it – from salmon salad to chicken souvlaki, or a parmesan cheese quiche, the options are endless!
summer-friendly sports
As a natural way of protecting our health, it is never recommended to workout in hot and humid environment. This is not to say, however, that we should give up doing exercise from June to September. Not only do we risk slowing down or losing the progress accumulated during the year – we may also fall prey of the sloth and procrastination inevitably brought about by high temperatures.
A good solution to this is to practice sports that both help our body develop and keep it cool. As we have explored in other articles, our sport of choice for summer season is swimming. Not only is it the go-to example of a summer-friendly sport for obvious reasons – creatine has also been tested to be a valuable supplement for swimmers. Let’s see a few examples.
A specific study involved swimmers performing a maximum effort 50-yard sprint, followed by another round of 8×50 sprints. Another instance tested the swimmers’ speed with 6x50m interval sets and recorded their best times over a 30-second period. In both cases, those who used creatine demonstrated quicker results compared to those who did not. Furthermore, research on 16 female swimmers found that after 21 days of consuming 20g of creatine daily, their swimming efficiency improved in comparison with the rest.
our conclusions
This is it for your summer with creatine! Through our article we have consistently demonstrated the value of creatine supplementation to make your summer workouts a bit easier. It has proven to be of great benefit regarding hydration during the hotter months of the year, as well as having positive effects regarding protection against heat.
As we have seen, creatine can be of great help when trying to make a delicious summer-friendly meal due to the amount of protein-rich products that suit the season. Last but not least, creatine could be greatly beneficial if you wish to practice swimming as a replacement for doing exercise outdoors.
Creatine is a popular nutritional supplement featured in numerous formulas. We highly recommend choosing one that includes both creatine monohydrate and phosphocreatine, which is the essential active ingredient in creatine. For more detailed insights, be sure to check out this article.
Clonapure® offers a unique formulation that supplies your muscles with immediate energy, enhancing your performance and accelerating recovery times. Manufactured in a GMP-certified facility, Clonapure® guarantees purity and quality through extensive HPLC testing. Ready to experience the benefits of Clonapure®? It’s your turn!
