How does creatine work?
So, to understand how to take protein, creatine and BCAA, you need to gain knowledge about what each supplement is individually.
In bodybuilding, creatine is included in the diet to increase strength and endurance. However, an additional bonus will be an increase in muscle hardness and volume. Creatine retains water inside muscle fibers, which leads to an increase in their size.
Contrary to what many people think, creatine does not retain water in fat cells and does not make you look “flooded” or puffy. When taking this supplement, the athlete’s body becomes rigid, but without a bright relief. Don't forget that the main purpose of taking a supplement is to give you more strength.
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Compatibility of BCAAs and creatine
Sports science has long paid attention to the similar effects of creatine and BCAA on muscle fibers.
A number of studies have been conducted, on the basis of which a muscle growth model has been developed. Model, because no one still knows the exact mechanism that would make it 100% clear why muscles grow.
According to this model, only four substances play a key role in starting the process of hypertrophy, that is, growth.
These include:
- testosterone
- lactic acid
- creatine
- amino acids
In simplified form it looks like this:
- Performing strength training exercises stimulates the release of testosterone into the blood
- When pumping a specific muscle group, testosterone enters it
- In order for muscle synthesis to start, it is necessary to “acidify” the muscle to a certain level. That is, provoke the accumulation of lactic acid
As a rule, the required level of lactic acid in the muscle is determined by the presence of a specific “burning sensation”. But this doesn't always work. It is important not to overdo it here, otherwise growth may, on the contrary, be blocked.
The release of testosterone and moderate acidification of the muscle is the trigger that gives the command to begin growth.
Muscle synthesis starts within a couple of hours after the end of strength training. But the growth itself occurs during the period of rest from power loads. And here creatine and amino acids come first.
Creatine provides energy for this energy-consuming process for the body, and amino acids act as building materials for muscles. And it is valine, leucine and isoleucine that play a key role here.
Even their slight deficiency blocks hypertrophy. And despite the fact that testosterone, together with lactic acid, gave the command to start, the last word always belongs to creatine and amino acids.
Knowing this fact suggests that the simultaneous use of the two mentioned additives is still advisable. And then we will talk about how to take creatine and BCAA together.
How do BCAAs work?
Unlike creatine, BCAA amino acids are not taken to develop strength, but to restore, grow and protect muscle mass from destruction. Essential amino acids occupy approximately 40% of muscle components. More specifically, this is:
- L-Leucine – an amino acid that prevents post-workout catabolism;
- L-Isoleucine – promotes hemoglobin synthesis and stabilizes blood sugar levels;
- L-Valine – accelerates metabolism and replenishes energy reserves.
From here we can safely conclude that BCAA is one of the main muscle builders.
By slowing down the production of cortisol as a result of consuming amino acids, the process of post-workout loss of lean muscle is blocked.
So, in this combination of sports nutrition, BCAA are responsible for the restoration, growth and protection of muscle mass.
It would be quite appropriate to ask: is it possible to take creatine with BCAA? The answer is clear - definitely! These two supplements will go well together and complement each other.
- Creatine – increases endurance and strength, allows you to increase weight;
- BCAA - protect muscles during intense training and restore after.
But still something is missing. Taking essential amino acids is essential, but your body also needs the full spectrum of these nutrients that protein can provide!
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How does protein work?
Now it’s clear whether creatine can be mixed with BCAA, but can protein be added to them?
Protein can easily compensate for the lack of protein for the body, which is ideally obtained from regular food. It serves for the high-quality formation of bone, muscle and cartilage tissue, which, in turn, is very important for the growth of high-quality mass and training.
Protein in the body is broken down into amino acids, which are then sent to specific needs (the same creatine, which is energy for muscles, arginine, which improves nitrogen synthesis, etc., is synthesized from them).
Many people believe that there is no point in drinking BCAA with protein, since the latter already contains essential amino acids. But the fact is that for high-quality results you will need to take 30 g of BCAA per day, and the daily intake of protein powder cannot give you that much. BUT, if your budget is enough for either protein or BCAA, then you should choose the latter.
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Protein to the rescue
The result in bodybuilding directly depends on the volume of incoming protein. Undoubtedly, vitamins, carbohydrates, microelements and even fats are all important. But protein is the main building material. At the same time, you need to not just take it, but clearly calculate the dosage, focus on the assigned tasks and take into account the time of administration. In general, a whole science is emerging. But there is nothing complicated here.
Let's start with the dosage. How much protein should be supplied to the body? For an ordinary person, about 1-1.3 grams per kilo of weight is enough. For an athlete, this volume is not enough - he needs twice as much - about 2 grams per kilo. This calculation is universal and suitable for most cases. That is, if your weight is 100 kilograms, then it is advisable to take at least 200 grams of protein per day. This is the norm. But! You shouldn’t drink protein at once - it simply won’t have time to be absorbed.
The ideal option is to take no more than 30 grams at one time. In this case, the protein will be digested well and quickly reach its destination. Everything that enters the body will go towards building muscle mass. Some athletes also add creatine to their diet to boost protein. This combination is very effective. Creatine provides energy, and protein builds long-awaited muscles. The only thing worth considering is the dosage regimen (it is compiled individually).
Let's give one of the possible options. You start drinking creatine four times a day, five grams, and wash down the powder with sweet juice. After a week, the dosage is reduced to five grams per day. One of the techniques is mandatory after training. Drink protein in the dosage indicated above. Moreover, it must be taken both before and after visiting the gym.
Do you set a goal - to lose excess weight (in simple words - to lose weight)? – Then the supplement can be taken before, during and after exercise, adding small portions between meals. At the same time, creatine can be left in the diet - it will provide the necessary energy supply and help eliminate excess fat.
What should be the dosage of bcaa? It doesn't matter whether you are losing weight or gaining weight. The one-time norm is 5-7 grams. The number of doses is 1-3 times a day.
How to combine creatine and BCAA together?
In order to get the expected result, you need to know how to take creatine and BCAA correctly. By the way, such a “partnership” will be effective not only when gaining muscle mass, but also when cutting.
We know for sure whether it is possible to mix BCAA and creatine, we just need to find out how best to do it. In fact, there is nothing abstruse here, given the entire component composition of these two supplements, we can conclude that they can be taken even in one dose. And it is best to do this with sweet juice, since sweet juice contains sugar, which is a transport system for them.
The process of absorption of creatine and BCAA in joint action occurs within half an hour. You can take these supplements by simply throwing one serving into a shaker before your workout.
We have decided on the combination of supplements, now we need to figure out how to drink BCAA and creatine accompanied by protein.
What to choose: BCAA or creatine?
Both dietary supplements are generally recognized means for improving the strength performance of athletes and accelerating the growth of muscle mass.
Their effectiveness has been confirmed not only by numerous studies, but also by decades of practical application. However, many novice athletes still face a choice: creatine or BCAA?
Amino acids can be called a more universal dietary supplement. They are used both to build muscle tissue and to replenish energy. Creatine is needed only to increase energy reserves and muscle endurance.
If an athlete does not have a goal to build muscle mass, but wants to increase his endurance and energy reserves, then creatine is more suitable for him. This dietary supplement is ideal for athletes, fighters and wrestlers. If the athlete’s primary goal is not to improve endurance and strength, but to increase muscle mass, then it is better for him to choose BCAA.
What should those who want to improve not only their appearance, but also their physical fitness do? Can I take BCAA and creatine at the same time?
Compatibility of BCAA and Creatine
Since amino acids and nitrogenous acid are absorbed and affect the body differently, they can be taken together. BCAA and creatine do not interfere with each other's work. Moreover, taking them together can cause a synergistic effect: the increase in endurance and energy from creatine will improve the effectiveness of the workout itself, and BCAA will restore muscle tissue faster after its completion. In this case, amino acids will not be spent on energy production, but will be used for their main purpose: as constituent elements in the construction of protein.
Important! We must not forget that dietary supplements are a supplement to food, and not a replacement for it! Do not overuse sports nutrition at low to moderate levels of physical activity.
How to take protein, creatine and BCAA together?
As stated above, all three supplements have their own function for building muscles, therefore, there are optimal regimens for taking such a tandem of supplements. It is recommended to drink BCAA in the morning, as this will serve as a blocker of the catabolism process. During the day, the athlete should absorb about 30 grams of amino acids (4-5 doses).
Creatine should be loaded 2 times a day, 5 grams. Protein should be taken 2-4 times a day - between meals and after training. But still, the question remains: is it possible to mix BCAA with creatine and protein after training?
So, the most effective scheme is this:
- BCAA - in the morning, before and after training (together with creatine);
- Protein – between meals, after training (with one serving of BCAA);
- Creatine - before and after training (together with BCAA).
Do not forget that each human body is special and any combination will affect everyone differently. Therefore, it is recommended to experiment with the use of such supplements.
If you want to learn in more detail about the rules for taking sports nutrition, which will increase the effectiveness of its work, we recommend reading the article: How to take sports nutrition correctly.
Creatine and BCAA
Have you ever wondered what effect taking these supplements together has on your body? How much more effective is their combined use? Any more or less experienced athlete will tell you that sports supplements work best not alone, but in combination with other supplements. So it is in our case. It is best to take creatine and BCAA together, and this regimen will be even more effective if you include protein in it. Everything is simple here: creatine gives strength, amino acids give energy, and protein acts as a building material for muscles (since amino acids are a structural element of protein). This model of taking creatine and BCAA with the inclusion of protein is considered optimal for any task.
Moreover, any task means gaining muscle mass, losing weight, and staying in shape. Of course, primary attention should be paid to a healthy diet, since it is with food that the body receives all the most essential nutritional components: proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. When using sports supplements, you should never forget the golden rule: “Supplements are called supplements because they are only an addition to the diet, and not a replacement for it.” However, today we will not talk about nutrition, but about creatine and amino acids. You can read about nutrition in our articles “Proper nutrition when playing sports”, “Principles of proper nutrition”, as well as in articles about losing weight and gaining muscle mass.
What to take with BCAA, protein and creatine?
BCAA, protein and creatine are not a complete sports nutrition complex. You should also supplement it with the following basic supplements:
- Vitamins and minerals – necessary to support all body functions and immunity in particular;
- Fatty acids help maintain healthy metabolism, heart and endocrine system function, and immunity.
By adding a vitamin complex and the right fats to protein and BCAA, you get a complete basis for high-quality recovery.
If we are talking about supplements to creatine, then it should be considered as a supplement to improve the quality of the training process. And this means that additions to it should also be training. One of the specialized supplements that can significantly improve the quality of your workouts is a pre-workout supplement. It often also contains creatine, plus many other components to increase energy, endurance, strength and concentration.
We highly recommend reading the article: How to take a pre-workout supplement.
You can supplement your pre-workout supplement intake with a product such as nitrogen donors or pills. They will not only give you a spectacular pump, but will also improve the delivery of nutrients due to increased blood circulation.
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