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The one fitness supplement worth taking to burn fat and build muscle, according to science
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| The one fitness supplement worth taking to burn fat and build muscle, according to science |
- There's even more proof that creatine may be the best-value workout supplement you can buy.
- Studies suggest it can help you develop muscle, burn fat, increase performance, and even protect your brain.
- While creatine is very cheap and regarded safe, no supplement can replace overall health behaviors.
If you're going to buy one supplement for better gains, efficient fat loss, and improved overall health, growing evidence points to creatine as the best bang for your buck.
Long a staple of the sports world and bodybuilding community alike, creatine is a combo of amino acids that provides energy to muscles. Our bodies naturally create some creatine, and we can also acquire a bit of creatine in some foods such as meat and fish.
It's also one of the most investigated fitness supplements, and study after study reveals it can deliver a boost to performance, more strength and muscle increases, and even a healthier brain.
The '90s saw the rise in popularity of creatine as a supplement, driven by Olympians who used it exclusively for competitive athletics.
However, demand has skyrocketed in recent years, and gym enthusiasts were prepared to pay twice as much during shortages following the pandemic's peak because it is such a staple.
And it's not just consumers; scientists agree. This summer, even more science emerged backing up the benefits of creatine for building muscle and burning fat, and side effects are minimal.
With all the evidence stacking up, and creatine's relatively low price point, experts consistently recommend it as a go-to supplement in the gym. Here's why you may want to try it (if you haven't already).
More repetitions with creatine fuel higher increases.
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| The one fitness supplement worth taking to burn fat and build muscle, according to science |
A recent study on creatine published in The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research on July 23 provides some new information about its modest benefits for fat loss and muscle growth.
Based on available data, University of New South Wales researchers found that creatine users gain an additional 2.4 pounds of lean muscle and shed over 1.5 pounds more fat than non-users.
The conclusion that creatine is associated with advantages that, if minor, can be substantial is supported by a wealth of prior research.
It works by providing extra fuel to muscle tissue, powering more work in the gym for better gains or faster fat burning, and is also stored in the brain to protect cognitive health, recent research has found.
In contrast, other top fitness supplements have more mixed evidence when it comes to building muscle and burning fat. They may be useful, but in specific contexts:
- Pre-workouts are incredibly well-liked. Scientists caution that the ingredients in them differ greatly. Proprietary blends often don't disclose what you're actually getting and rely mostly on caffeine for any benefits.
- BCAAs are amino acids that help your muscle tissue recover and build back stronger. There's mixed evidence that supplementing them helps, since you probably get enough amino acids through food already.
- Protein shakes and powders are mostly a convenient source of nutrition you could otherwise get through food — a dietician previously told Business Insider there's nothing extra in them that boosts your gains.
Certain supplements are not as well-researched, dependable, and may carry greater hazards, especially when purchased online from websites that cater to the black market.
Caffeine is the only substance that can rival creatine in terms of comprehensive study and wide-ranging benefits. You are better off taking a coffee than a concentrated supplement because caffeine can enhance workouts and is generally safe in modest levels, but in big amounts, it can have major adverse effects.
Which kind of creatine is better for fat reduction and muscle growth?
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| The one fitness supplement worth taking to burn fat and build muscle, according to science |
The creatine available on the market varies. The most studied type is creatine monohydrate, which sports nutritionists believe to be safe and dependable due to a substantial body of research supporting it. While mild side effects like upset stomach are possible, they are usually transient and associated with greater dosages.
Your wallet is also safe with it. When purchased pure rather than combined with other ingredients to create complex pre- or post-workout blends, creatine monohydrate is typically the least expensive type, even in the event of previous shortages.
Still, despite all the potential benefits of creatine, it's not a panacea. No supplement, no matter how well-researched, can match the benefits of healthy lifestyle factors such as nutrition, sleep, and consistent exercise. Trainers recommend starting with high-value habits such as these first before trying supplements.
Once you're nailing your gym routine and diet, creatine may be just the thing to give your routine an extra edge.
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| The one fitness supplement worth taking to burn fat and build muscle, according to science |
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