7th December 2023

Creatine vs Pre-Workout - Which is a Better Option?

In this era, everyone is gradually getting aware of being fit, and its impact on life and health. 

It has become a trend to go to the gym and get a strengthened body. 

But for the completion of the workout, it requires vigorous exercises and sometimes it even leads to severe muscle injuries.

To recover from that we need to strong muscles and keep up the body’s capacity to maintain stamina and endurance. 

That's why we need an extra side Supplement to get that sort of body. 

In this new blog, we will be discussing supplements like Creatine and Pre-workout which enable the body to achieve the above-mentioned goals. 

Let us begin by comparing and contrasting them.

Creatine Vs Pre-Workout

Often, it has been a matter of conflict about which is better: Creatine or Pre-workout. 

When both the products were examined carefully, it was found that both products are equally important for an individual who goes to the gym. 

It is because the intake of both supplements enhances the performance of the body as one gives muscle strength while the other gives endurance and energy.

The two can be taken together adding to their benefits. When a body undergoes intense activity, it uses more energy.

This energy is fat which is stored in the form of ATP. Creatine makes ATP. So adding Creatine to Pre-workout is beneficial. 

Both of these offer added nutrition supplementing the body.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally found compound made up of three Amino Acids namely, Arginine, Methionine, and Glycine. 

It is mostly located in the body's muscles as well as the brain. Also, the liver, pancreas, and kidney make one gram of Creatine per day in the body.

The basic source of Creatine is seafood and red meat. It is also called Nitrogenous Organic Acid as it supplies energy to the cells throughout our body. 

Creatine is found in various forms like Creatine Phosphate, Creatine Monohydrate, Creatine HCI, and others. 

Now, let us look into the various purposes that Creatine serves for our bodies.

Benefits of Creatine

Creatines is one of the most used and researched supplements in the market. 

Health experts say that consuming creatine daily can provide numerous benefits:

1. Restore ATP level

Creatine and Phosphocreatine are important to restore ATP levels in the body. 

This is done especially in tissues that have high metabolic rates like the retina and brain.

 Phosphocreatine majorly helps maintain a high energy concentration of ATP during extreme exercises.

2. Increase Lean Muscle Mass

Creatine helps in water lifting and pulls out more water into the muscles.

Due to this, the muscles appear to be bigger and fuller, increasing the volume. 

When there is an increase in Osmotic pressure, it will lead to an increase in Creatine content. Eventually, it will result in Muscle Cell Swelling.

3. Increase Endurance

Intake of Creatine supplements in turn increases the Phosphocreatine level in the muscles. 

When there's more Phosphocreatine level that will improve the exercise performance and Endurance. Creatine also raises the muscle’s Glycogen store by 18%.

4. Improves Muscle Recovery

The creatine supplement increases satellite cells in your muscles. 

The satellite cells in your body help in the healing of micro-tears of the muscles. 

So, at first, the creatine helps prevent muscle damage. Eventually, it leads to faster recovery.

So, these are 3 benefits that one can get from using creatine. We suggest you use ultimate CRN-5 by crazy nutrition to creatine as is made with a mixture of 5 powerful creatine powders. 

According to Ultimate CRN-5 results reviews it is made with numerous natural ingredients proven to be beneficial. 

But, remember that to avail of the benefits of a creatine product you should take it in the right dosage at the right time.

When To Take Creatine?

The benefits only work when taken in the right amount at the right time.

Initially, one must begin by taking 20 to 25 grams per day in several doses. After a few days, you can switch to a dose of 3 to 5 grams per day. 

It is recommended to Consume it either post-workout or before the workout but not in isolation.

What is Pre-workout?

Pre-workouts are supplements designed to increase athletic performance while doing extreme exercises. 

It has a combination of Stimulants, Vasodilators also called nitric oxide, Nootropics, Amino Acids, and Bioavailability agents. 

It gives energy and endurance to the muscles. It has Bioavailability agents that help in proper absorption of all ingredients in the body.

Benefits of Pre-workout

Almost every going guy relies on pre-workout supplements to get the most out of their workout session. 

It benefits the body in numerous ways to enhance performance:

1. Increases Mental Focus

One of the major ingredients is Caffeine which is said to increase alertness and attention.

So caffeine is used to increase mental focus. It also has an ingredient called L-Theanine which can increase mental function and increase thinking ability. 

Amino acids and Nootropics also help improve mental focus and acuity.

2. Anti- Fatigue

Pre-workouts stimulate the body's Central Nervous System and reduce fatigue. 

It has the presence of SUP that delays fatigue during difficult exercises.

Tyrosine and Beta-Alanine decrease fatigue by instilling the production of Carnosine.

3. Increase Exercise Performance

Betaine Anhydrous helps in the increase of Carnitine Production which in turn helps increase muscle performance.

Arginine also leads to improvement in aerobic and anaerobic performance. Caffeine boosts the energy level adding on to the performance of muscles.

4. Improves Muscle Recovery

Branched-chain amino acids increase lean body mass. It also stimulates the growth of muscles. 

When a body performs vigorous exercise, it is BCAA that provides the muscle with better recovery.

Generally, all the pre-workouts are considered safe if taken according to Preferred guidelines.

When to Take Pre-workout?

Because of the harm from excessive consumption and its side effects, it is advised to follow the guidelines mentioned on the product itself for the right amount and quantity consumed by the body. 

Also, the general time for consuming is obviously before the workout. But the key thing is about the time interval. 

Taking the Pre-workout 30 to 60 minutes before the exercise is recommended.

Conclusion

While this has been a matter of constant debate about which one should person choose between Creatine and Pre-workout. 

However, many researchers have found that both these supplements offer various muscle-building benefits and when taken together, they add to their significance. 

Creatine offers muscle mass and strength while Pre-workout offers energy boost and endurance. 

Most importantly, it is seen that they have their respective side effects too.

But these side-effects can be dealt with by taking proper nutrition and the right exercise regime that can act as a supplement for these two products.

Yet you should always look into the instructions mentioned on the product for the right requisite results.