Creatine monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate (by Designs for Health)

20% off in FullScript under Dr. V; https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/cvillano

SKU #’s: DFH-CRTMNH (450 g) or DFH-CRT2LB (900 g)

Creatine Monohydrate, linked to over 64,000 peer reviewed articles, is the most extensively studied

supplement to promote exercise performance and help maintain muscle mass during the natural aging

process.* It is also one of the safest and most effective supplements to support athletic performance

and muscle growth.* It plays a vital role in the body’s production of cellular energy by helping to

make ATP, a molecule needed for intense exercise, and supplying the energy to pump your heart and

power your brain.* 

Creatine is an amino acid found mostly in your muscles and in the brain. It’s naturally produced from

other amino acids in the liver, kidney, and pancreas (arginine, glycine, and methionine must be

available as substrates and adequate vitamin E status may be needed to optimize creatine uptake).

Creatine is also found in meat, fish, and eggs.

Benefits of Creatine:

 Muscle Performance: promotes physical endurance, power output, increased work capacity of muscle*

 Lean Body Mass: enhances strength and promotes lean body mass*

 Cognition: Supports cognitive function, brain health, and a healthy body composition, especially in the

aging population*

 Cellular Energy Production: helps the cells of the body more efficiently create energy, thus benefiting

exercise capacity*

 Injury Prevention: promotes a reduction in the frequency of dehydration, muscle cramps, and injuries

to the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves*

Nutritional Support: for individuals who have an increased dietary need, such as athletes, or for those

who aren’t consuming enough creatine-containing foods in their normal diet*

 Supports neurocognitive function, metabolic health, energy metabolism, women’s health, aging well* 

When muscle absorbs creatine, it is hypothesized that it also brings water intracellularly with it, so the

muscle becomes more “hydrated”. It is estimated that muscles are about 70% water, so this results in a

larger, fuller muscle. Evidence suggests when a cell is well hydrated it might accelerate its synthesis of

new proteins and might also minimize protein degradation.

Dosage: for the loading period, 5 g of creatine monohydrate is ingested 4 times per day, for 7 days.

(Heavier individuals might take up to six doses per day). Then the maintenance dose is 3-5 g per day.

Most of the gains in size and strength occur within the first month, after which muscles are generally

saturated with creatine. Evidence indicates that these gains will remain while supplementation

continues, but will gradually disappear over time when the supplement is discontinued. Typically,

levels of creatine drop back to pre-supplementation levels about 1 month after discontinuing

supplementation. The size and strength increase resulting from improved muscle cell hydration also

disappear over this same time interval. However, actual gains in muscle mass due to increased work

capacity while on creatine will remain.

Anecdotal reports suggest that 20–30% of individuals who take creatine do not respond with increased

muscle mass or strength. Presently, this finding is unexplained; however, individuals with lower initial

tissue levels are most likely to benefit.

Side-effects from creatine supplementation include gastric disturbance, headaches, clenched teeth, and

the sound of blood rushing in the ear. Research suggests caffeine does not negate the effects of creatine

supplementation, but until more is known, it might be best to minimize caffeinated substances, or drink

them several hours away from supplementation, if seeking optimal results.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to

diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.