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When losing weight, we mainly look for dietary supplements to help "burn fat." Well-chosen fat burners can sometimes noticeably accelerate weight loss, but this is not the only category of supplements to look out for during reduction. A less popular, but also useful choice, are supplements known primarily for their anabolic effects. Creatine for reduction, for example, is a popular choice. Why?

• Is creatine good for reduction?
• How can creatine help with fat reduction?
• Creatine as a great way to protect muscle during weight loss
• Creatine for reduction in practice - dosage and side effects

Is creatine good for reduction?

Creatine is a substance that has no direct effect on fat burning. Without a doubt, it cannot be called a fat burner. Does this disqualify it? Absolutely not. However, it is necessary to know why it is supplemented and in what aspects it can help and even bring very cool results.

How can creatine help with fat reduction?

How does creatine work in general? Getting into the cells, it gets phosphorylated to phosphocreatine and participates in energy distribution processes. By contributing to a better supply of energy to muscle cells, it provides them with a better working environment. More energized muscle cells are able to perform stronger workouts, if only we use their potential. The point is that creatine alone won't make you lose fat, but by entering into synergy with strength training, it can already produce a very pleasant effect.

Using creatine, for example, you can do more repetitions in gym exercises, lift heavier weights, do faster sprints or more sprints during a training session, or cycle uphill more intensely. Each of these factors results in greater use of energy, which the body can draw from stores in subcutaneous fat.

Creatine gives you more training opportunities → harder workouts use more energy → caloric deficit worsens → spare fat is consumed faster

Thus, creatine does not necessarily replace fat burners, but it can perfectly complement them. Doesn't that sound good?

Creatine as a great way to protect muscle during weight loss

Creatine is generally regarded as an anabolic, that is, it promotes muscle mass gain. During weight loss, however, we can treat it as an anti-catabolic. While maintaining a caloric deficit, building muscle mass is not possible, but with creatine you can partially protect your muscles from breakdown.

A caloric deficit, especially a deep and prolonged one, increases the risk of losing muscle mass. When we lose weight, of course, we try to make sure that as much of it as possible is lost from subcutaneous fat. Usually, however, some muscle loss does occur. Creatine is a great, safe way to counteract this. Maintaining muscle mass is not only a way to have a better figure (weight loss effects are more visible), but also to maintain the metabolic benefits of greater muscle mass.

Creatine for reduction in practice - dosage and side effects

Creatine does not have an ad hoc effect - muscles must first become saturated with it. This can be done either in 5-7 days doing a loading phase (4-6 servings a day of 5 g), or in about 4 weeks using target doses right away (usually about 5 g).

Creatine is considered very safe even when used for many years at fairly high doses. Side effects are extremely rare, and usually involve gastrointestinal discomfort, although these occur only in anecdotal reports.

Sources:

• Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. Published 2017 Jun 13. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z