One of the safest and most well-studied supplements in the history of sports nutrition is creatine. It is frequently used to increase physical strength and sports performance.
But is taking creatine supplements while intermittent fasting safe?
After all, many other useful vitamins are not quite as health-friendly.
Let’s see what the evidence indicates.
How Does Creatine Work and What Is It Used For?
Creatine is produced by your body’s liver and kidneys from the protein in your food. The muscle cells contain creatine, which aids in supplying energy during strenuous activity.
Even though your body produces it, around half of your creatine comes from diet, particularly high-protein meals like meat, poultry, fish, and dairy. A creatine pill can help your body store more creatine, giving your muscles extra energy to use during exercise.
If you like to work out during fasting, creatine might be a useful addition to your supplement regimen over other items, such as whey protein. Although protein raises levels of creatine, it has calories and might cause an increase in insulin.
Many athletes and fitness enthusiasts utilize the famous supplement creatine to improve performance and stimulate muscle growth. It is a naturally occurring substance that may be obtained in a supplemental form by producing it synthetically. It is present in trace levels in foods like meat and fish.
The main purpose of creatine is to increase the bodily reserves of phosphocreatine. This chemical is involved in the generation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main fuel for muscular contractions. Supplemental creatine can enhance short-duration, high-intensity exercises like weightlifting, running, and leaping by boosting the availability of phosphocreatine.
How Does Creatine Work During Intermittent Fasting?
Creatine during a fast will not break your fast because it is an amino acid that is not proteinogenic. In other words, it will not cause the body’s insulin levels to increase. On the other hand, Creatine is an amino acid that the body naturally makes and is not proteinogenic. You should not be afraid that creatine will make your fast come to an end.
What are the Benefits of Taking Creatine While Intermittent Fasting?
- Improves Brain Health: It enhances phosphocreatine levels to improve brain health. An increase in phosphocreatine levels may help shield against neurological disorders.
- Leads to Better Gut Health & Repair: Creatine aids in the cellular production of ATP, which is necessary to ensure that the integrity of the intestinal lining is maintained and that intestinal inflammation or “leaky gut” is prevented.
- Increases Muscle Mass: Enhances recuperation, reduces discomfort, and builds muscle mass: When consumed when fasting, it may act as an anti-catabolic agent.
Is Creatine Safe to Consume While Fasting?
There are clear advantages to using creatine supplements, but can you do so without breaking your fast?
According to studies, you can.
A supplement must produce an insulin response to break a fast. This will raise blood sugar levels, stop autophagy, and remove you from the fasted state.
However, because creatine is simply one non-proteogenic amino acid and does not include sugar or artificial sweeteners, it does not promote insulin release or affect a fasting condition.
Similarly, an additional study indicates that supplementing with creatine can enhance glucose tolerance without impacting insulin sensitivity in healthy individuals engaging in aerobic exercises.
Having stated that, we are referring to taking creatine supplements while fasting that is additive-free and pure. The issue is that many creatine pills are flavored and sweetened or combined with other workout supplements that trigger an insulin reaction. So, be a little careful as taking them will break your fast.
How to Take Creatine On a Fast?
By taking creatine before, during, or after exercise, you may take advantage of its beneficial usage while fasting. FAST was first created for athletes who prefer exercising while fasting or for anyone who appreciates doing so.
Creatine can also be given with transporters in the form of electrolytes such as sodium, chloride, magnesium, and calcium for people who adopt a fasting lifestyle, low-carb, or ketogenic diet. This makes a carb or insulin response not necessary for absorption.
Creatine Benefits During the Fasting Window
- Anti-aging
- Boosts heart health
- Detoxifies old/dead cells
- Naturally balances the hormones
- Improves microbiota and gut health
The Recommended Dosage
It is frequently advised to start with a loading dose of 20 grams of creatine for 5-7 days while taking it for the first time. This is done to boost the creatine stored in your muscles quickly.
This boost enables you to use more of your reserves for enhanced performance throughout your subsequent session. After the first loading period, also known as the maintenance phase, you can lower the quantity of creatine to 3-5 grams each meal.
Conclusion
Ingesting pure creatine will not help you quit your exercise or diet quickly. Pure creatine is not food, but from a theological standpoint, it is. You could consider it to be medication instead.
Creatine supplements could break your fast, that is, if they contain a lot of calories to jump-start your metabolism. Nevertheless, always consult a dietitian or a health professional before incorporating creatine supplements into your intermittent fasting diet plan.
