Website design By BotEap.comCreatine is the sports nutritional supplement most used by rugby players. Why is it so popular? Well, in simple terms, it is popular because it works. You can see results quickly, and unlike some more “hyped” supplements, it’s relatively inexpensive to buy.

Website design By BotEap.comCreatine can help rugby players in several ways:

Website design By BotEap.comIncreased muscle strength and power – face stronger, push harder, etc.

Website design By BotEap.comEnhanced endurance and recovery – perform at higher levels in the field

Website design By BotEap.comImproved anaerobic capacity – run faster and steadily during a game

Website design By BotEap.comImproved brain function – focus and make better decisions faster on the field

Website design By BotEap.comAdditionally, there is the most obvious benefit of increased muscle size, giving you a more dominant appearance on the field and helping to prevent impact injuries.

Website design By BotEap.comCreatine is a compound that participates in the production of energy in the body, in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Produced in the liver, approximately 95% of the body’s creatine ends up stored in skeletal muscles, and the remaining 5% is found in the brain, heart, and testes. Once used, creatine turns into a waste product called creatinine and is excreted in the urine.

Website design By BotEap.comCreatine is found in small amounts in red meat and fish. However, much of it is destroyed by cooking. It is also produced naturally in the body from L-arginine, L-glycine, and L-methionine, amino acids found primarily in animal proteins. Insulin is necessary for creatine to enter the muscles, so consuming carbohydrates with creatine can increase the amount of creatine available to the muscles. Creatine is not a steroid and therefore does not have any of the side effects known to be found with those medications. Our body produces one gram each day from protein. We also eat about one gram of creatine each day from meats like beef, chicken, or fish. If you are a vegetarian, taking creatine supplements is even more important for increased muscle growth and strength development.

Website design By BotEap.comAs a rugby player, when we take in extra creatine, it can store more energy. If you take creatine before a game or training session you will have more energy both at the beginning and throughout the game. When lifting weights, creatine allows you to train harder, allowing you to lift more weights and with higher levels of resistance. This, in turn, allows you to gain strength and lean muscle size, which, as a rugby player, has obvious benefits for your performance levels “on the court”.

Website design By BotEap.comWith regular creatine monohydrate powder, many people suggest “loading” 15-20 grams per day for a week. The dose can then be reduced to a maintenance dose of 5 grams per day. The idea is to make sure people get more than enough creatine to make sure it makes a difference in athletic performance. Personally, I don’t subscribe to this theory, and that’s it, it’s a theory. These high doses do not translate into higher levels of creatine in your muscle and may explain some of the side effects of creatine monohydrate powder.

Website design By BotEap.comDespite so many positive results, some rugby players report stomach aches, diarrhea, increased urination (which is obviously undesirable in the middle of a game), and muscle cramps. When high doses of powder enter the stomach, they draw water out of the body and cause cramps in the intestine. I personally prefer to take creatine in tablet or capsule form. It is more convenient and appears to be a more effective and efficient way of taking it. Check your tablet dosage levels and remember that creatine versions such as Ethyl Ester and Kre-Alkalyn require lower dosage levels. On training days, I would recommend taking half the dose 45 minutes before training and the other half 30 minutes after training, using the same protocol that applies to match days as well. On non-training days, take the full dose as a single dose with a meal.

Website design By BotEap.comThe results seen from creatine supplements can vary. If a player doesn’t eat a lot of meat or fish protein, they may have lower creatine levels and see dramatic improvement with supplementation. Also, stomach acid destroys creatine, so the amount a person absorbs can be a lot or a little, depending on the person’s stomach acid level. This last reason is one of the reasons Ethyl Ester and Kre-Alkalyn are often preferred.

Website design By BotEap.comCreatine is safe for long-term use. Many natural bodybuilders have taken the product consistently for many years, many in extremely high doses, all without proven toxicity or long-term injury. No controlled scientific studies have shown serious side effects or toxicity. In ancient times, man, as a species, was a large carnivore that consumed high concentrations of creatine in meat for long periods of time, with no known ill effects. The creatine in your body gradually changes to a substance called creatinine, a waste product that is excreted by the kidneys. High levels of dust can raise creatinine, but this does not harm the kidneys. Creatinine is not known to be toxic. I always recommend that anyone taking creatine increase their fluid intake, which again helps prevent any problems associated with the kidneys.

Website design By BotEap.comIn summary, creatine supplementation can improve the performance and physical strength levels of rugby players both during training and during a game without negative side effects if taken correctly.