Creatine is often regarded as the most researched sports supplement on the market. Fueling the muscles with energy during workouts is the perfect addition to your fitness regime, helping reduce fatigue and muscle recovery time.
But why are some non-responders to creatine supplementation, and what can be done to help them reap the benefits of the supplement?
This guide looks closely at creatine non-responders to further understand the phenomenon.
Table of contents:
What is creatine, and what does it do?
What is a creatine non-responder?
How do I know if I am a creatine non-responder?
Why should I still take creatine?
What is creatine, and what does it do?
Creatine is a compound stored naturally in the body's muscle cells as phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine comprises three amino acids and is used to help regenerate adenosine triphosphate or ATP, the energy source used in high-intensity exercise during muscle contraction.
The process:
When ATP is broken down by ATPase, an enzyme, to release energy, the product is ADP (adenosine diphosphate) and hydrolysed phosphate.
Creatine, either from natural stores or supported by supplementation, binds with a phosphate molecule to form phosphocreatine. This increases the amount of creatine phosphate in the muscles to regenerate ATP so our muscles can continue to contract.
Because creatine is a popular, safe and well-tested supplement, more and more athletes and gym-goers have turned to it to increase their energy for workouts and help build muscle mass. However, some will see greater results from it than others.
What is a creatine non-responder?
Put simply, a creatine non-responder won't see any of the usual benefits from supplementation, such as strength gains, muscle mass and/or power output.
Generally, those who take creatine supplements should benefit from increased muscle creatine content from just a few weeks of supplementing. For creatine responders, this creatine content should rise by around 15-20%, that's more than a 20 milliMolar (mM)increase according to studies.
Non-responders, however, may only see their muscle creatine content increase by less than 10mM and may not witness any change to their energy levels from increased ATP.
How do I know if I am a creatine non-responder?
If, after supplementing creatine for a couple of weeks, you haven't noticed any differences in your energy levels, the way you train, or the training volume you can manage, then there is a chance you could be a non-responder.
However, there are some things you can try first to ensure that you're doing everything right before drawing this conclusion;
- Dosage: have you taken the correct dosage of creatine monohydrate for the right amount of time to reap the benefits? If you're unsure, try upping your dosage from 5 grams to 10 grams of creatine daily for a couple of weeks and watch out for any noticeable changes to your energy levels or muscle mass.
- Creatine form: if creatine monohydrate isn't working for you, try a different form to see if there are any noticeable changes.
If you've tried everything and still don't notice any benefits, you may be a creatine non-responder. Generally, this has to do with genetics and an individual's biological profile.
Most creatine non-responders already have a high baseline of creatine levels within their muscle cells, so adding or loading creatine through supplementation doesn't make a difference.
Similarly, those with a high volume of meat in their diets may also be unresponsive to creatine supplements since meat contains high levels of creatine, which will already be stored away in the muscle cells. If muscle cells are already storing creatine away at an increased capacity, adding more won't make a difference.
Round Up: Reasons You May Not Be Responding To Creatine
- Genetics
- High baseline of creatine in your system
- Diet
Why should I still take creatine?
Even if you are a creatine non-responder in an athletic sense, creatine still has plenty of cognitive benefits that warrant its supplementation.
Alongside its energy-boosting benefits, creatine is also classed as a nootropic, a supplement type that helps aid cognitive brain function. The brain benefits from the body's increased ATP levels, which help it perform mental tasks and improve memory and focus.
Shop creatine at Discount Supplements
Now we’ve convinced you why creatine can be a game changer for both your physical and mental health, why not shop for creatine supplements at Discount Supplements? Whether you prefer to take yours in capsule or powder form, we have a wide selection of creatine supplements from industry-leading brands, including The Health Project, Optimum Nutrition and Strom.
Or, for more ways to boost your workouts, why not explore our pre-workout collection?
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