Creatine: Are You Deficient?

How creatine works | How much creatine do you need | Who needs creatine | Benefits | What is NoordCode Creatine Pro | Timing and dosage | Side effects | Conclusion


Creatine is one of the most researched and safest supplements in the world. While it has been popular among athletes for years, creatine is now gaining traction among health enthusiasts of all ages, both men and women. Everyone can benefit from creatine. NoordCode Creatine goes beyond the standard creatine monohydrate you might already know. In this blog, you'll learn all about how creatine works, its benefits, the unique properties of NoordCode Creatine Pro, and why our addition of AstraGin® makes the difference.

Creatine and Energy Production
Creatine is a natural molecule essential for the energy production of your cells. It acts as the assistant to mitochondria, the energy factories of our body. Mitochondria produce ATP, our primary energy source. Creatine distributes ATP in the cell, especially in areas with high energy demands like muscles, brain, and eyes. By optimizing creatine, you improve the overall energy efficiency of your cells.

Creatine and Muscle Strength
Most of the creatine goes to your muscles, where it is converted into phosphocreatine, a form of creatine that helps in producing ATP. This is the energy your cells use during exertion. Thus, creatine ensures a constant energy supply during intense workouts. Phosphocreatine acts as an energy reserve in your cells. During heavy exertion, it quickly donates a phosphate group to convert ADP (a chemical compound from which ATP is formed) back into ATP. This process happens without delay, allowing your muscles to keep going without tiring.

In short, creatine makes your cells work more efficiently and keeps your muscles stronger for longer. This makes you feel more energetic and able to perform better during intense activities.

Creatine and Methylation
Creatine also plays an important role in methylation. Methyl groups are small chemical structures essential for, among other things, the production of creatine, proteins, and the regulation of your DNA. Your body produces creatine by taking a methyl group from the amino acid methionine. This same process also produces homocysteine, which can be converted into useful substances like cysteine (found in Pure Whey) and glutathione (your body's own antioxidant), or back into methionine. By taking creatine as a supplement, your body needs to produce less on its own. This ensures that more methyl groups remain available for other important processes, such as regulating your DNA. People with a genetic mutation (MTHFR gene) who have difficulty with homocysteine metabolism can particularly benefit from creatine supplementation. In short, creatine not only improves your energy management but also supports other important body functions by freeing up methyl groups.

How Much Creatine Do You Need? 

Historically, our ancestors probably ate 450-900 grams of meat per day. This provided them with enough creatine. Nowadays, we don't always get enough creatine from our diet. Our body produces about 1 gram of creatine per day, but you need 3-5 grams to optimize your creatine stores. Although creatine is found in foods like red meat and fish, the amounts are often not sufficient to achieve the desired effects. The preparation and type of meat and fish also affect the amount of creatine. 450 grams refers to "rare" and red meat or fish per day, including salmon. For "well-done" and white meat (poultry) or fish, you need 900 grams per day. Does this not sound appealing, or do you simply not want to eat so much meat? A supplement can help fill this gap and improve your muscle performance and overall health.

Who Needs Creatine the Most? 

Creatine is essentially important for anyone not getting enough from their diet. It's especially important for those engaged in intense physical activities due to its effect on muscles. More on that below. Additionally, vegetarians and vegans can benefit from creatine supplementation, as their diet often contains low amounts of creatine. It is also crucial for older adults, as it helps maintain muscle mass and prevent sarcopenia (muscle loss due to aging).

Benefits of Creatine

Creatine contributes to increased physical performance during short, intensive efforts, such as weight training and sprinting. It's often used by athletes to promote muscle growth, increase strength, and improve recovery. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), creatine is proven effective and safe when used in recommended doses. While a lot of research in America looks into the various benefits of creatine, in Europe we stick to these approved health claims.

What is NoordCode Creatine Pro? 

NoordCode Creatine Pro combines the benefits of Creapure® and AstraGin® for superior absorption and effectiveness. Below, we explain why we specifically chose these two ingredients.

What is Creapure®? 

Creapure® is a brand of creatine monohydrate produced in Germany under strict quality controls. It is known for its exceptional purity and consistency. Creapure® contains minimal amounts of impurities such as dicyandiamide (DCD) and dihydrotriazine (DHT), making it a reliable choice for anyone looking to optimize their sports performance.

Differences Between Creapure® and Creatine Monohydrate 

If you want to use creatine, it's important to understand the difference between Creapure® and a generic creatine monohydrate, which you might know from many sports shelves.

As mentioned earlier, Creapure® is produced under strict European standards, whereas generic creatine monohydrate is often made in China, where quality controls are less stringent. Creapure® is manufactured in a GMP-certified facility (a quality standard for drug manufacturing), ensuring consistently high quality. Generic creatine monohydrate varies in quality depending on the production process and location, with a higher chance of impurities.

Lastly, Creapure® is listed on the Cologne List®, guaranteeing a low risk of doping and high purity. Generic creatine monohydrate may not offer the same level of certification or quality assurance.

At NoordCode, we consciously choose Creapure® for its proven purity, reliability, and traceability. This aligns with our philosophy of using European ingredients wherever possible.

What is AstraGin®? 

AstraGin® is a patented extract of the Chinese herbs Panax notoginseng and Astragalus membranaceus, added to our formula to support the absorption of nutrients, such as creatine. This extract increases absorption efficiency, allowing you to get more out of your supplements. 

The addition of AstraGin® ensures the complete absorption of creatine monohydrate. This support is most effective when combined with food and other supplements, such as NoordCode Pure Whey. This makes NoordCode Creatine Pro the perfect foundation for your sports supplement stack.

The chart below shows the effect of AstraGin® on nutrient absorption after 24 hours.

NZVT Certification 

The complete formula of NoordCode Creatine is NZVT-certified (Dutch Safeguard System for Nutritional Supplements in Elite Sports). This means it meets the highest standards of purity and doping-free. This certificate guarantees that our creatine is thoroughly tested and safe for use by top athletes. NZVT certification is an important indicator of quality and reliability, reassuring our users that they receive a product of the highest standard.

No Additives 

NoordCode Creatine contains only active ingredients, without unnecessary additives. As you expect from us, we strive for purity and effectiveness. Creatine does not dissolve well in water naturally, and that's exactly how it should be. We don't add emulsifiers because we aim for pure ingredients without unnecessary additions. This means that when mixing, you might notice the creatine dissolves less well, but this doesn't affect its effectiveness.

Timing and Dosage

Dosage

As mentioned earlier, our body needs 3-5 grams of creatine per day to function optimally. The exact dosage, however, varies based on individual needs and body weight. Larger individuals need more creatine, while smaller individuals can get by with less.

Timing

According to Dr. Darren Candow, the leading professor researching creatine, the timing of creatine intake makes little difference to its effectiveness. It can be taken both before and after training. A 2001 study by Dr. Candow showed that creatine combined with whey protein promoted muscle strength and mass more than when creatine or whey protein was taken separately. Therefore, combine NoordCode Creatine Pro with Pure Whey for the ideal pre- or post-workout shake. You can also add Pure Collagen to it.

However, one ingredient that might counteract creatine is caffeine. Therefore, take creatine separately from coffee.

Side Effects 

A common concern among many is water retention when using creatine. Research, however, has largely debunked this concern.

The water retained by creatine is mostly within the muscle cells, not under the skin. This leads to an increase in muscle mass without looking bloated. Multiple studies show that weight gain from creatine is mainly due to increased muscle mass, not excess water weight. In the initial phase of creatine use, there might be some water weight gain, but this stabilizes over time. The long-term benefits, such as improved muscle strength and performance, far outweigh these temporary effects.

Want to avoid water retention? Start with a lower dose of creatine and gradually increase it. This helps your body adjust and minimizes any temporary water retention. Anecdotally, taking smaller doses of 1-2 g creatine throughout the day also helps.

Additionally, ensure sufficient hydration throughout the day to regulate the water balance. Creatine absorption can be improved by taking it with 2 grams of salt or NoordCode Electrolytes, provided you don't have salt-sensitive high blood pressure. The advantage of NoordCode Electrolytes is that, in addition to unrefined sea salt, it also contains potassium and magnesium. These minerals, like salt, help alleviate bloating.

Conclusion 

Essentially, anyone not consuming enough meat and fish benefits from a creatine supplement. Especially vegetarians, vegans, and older adults can significantly benefit, as creatine helps maintain muscle mass. NoordCode Creatine Pro is tested for doping and offers a combination of Creapure® and AstraGin® for improved absorption and maximum results. NoordCode focuses on reliable ingredients, preferably of European origin, ensuring you the highest quality standards and purity.