Written By Jayme Pantekoek | Published October 22nd 2023
Creatine and beta-alanine are two of the most popular and well-researched supplements for improving athletic performance and overall health. They are often taken together because they have complementary effects and can work synergistically to enhance their benefits.
Creatine can provide the muscles with more energy, while beta-alanine can help to reduce muscle fatigue. This combination of effects can lead to significant improvements in athletic performance, such as increased strength, power, endurance, and speed.
Creatine and beta-alanine supplementation has also been shown to improve brain function, heart health, muscle function, and reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease and other neurological diseases.
If you are an athlete or simply looking to improve your overall health, creatine and beta-alanine supplementation may be a good option for you.
My Favorite Supplements: Part 3 (Creatine and Beta-Alanine):
This is the last installment of our three-part blog series on my favorite supplements. In this post, I'm going to talk about creatine and beta-alanine, two of the most popular and well-researched supplements for improving athletic performance and overall health. They are often taken together because they have complementary effects and can work synergistically to enhance their benefits both athletically and for overall health.
Athletic Performance:
Creatine and beta-alanine both work to increase the body's ability to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main energy source for muscle contractions. Creatine does this by increasing the storage of ATP in the muscles, while beta-alanine helps to buffer lactic acid buildup, which can lead to muscle fatigue.
This combination of effects can lead to significant improvements in athletic performance, such as increased strength, power, endurance, and speed. For example, studies have shown that creatine and beta-alanine supplementation can improve performance in a variety of sports, including hockey, football, baseball, softball, lacrosse, and any sprint-based sport.
Overall Health:
In addition to their athletic performance benefits, creatine and beta-alanine also have a number of potential health benefits for adults. Creatine has been shown to improve brain function, heart health, and muscle function. It may also help to reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease and other neurological diseases.
Beta-alanine has also been shown to have some potential health benefits, such as reducing the severity of concussions and improving cognitive function.
Concussion Prevention:
Creatine and beta-alanine may be able to help to decrease the severity of a concussion in a few ways. First, creatine can provide the brain with fuel during times of stress, such as a concussion. This is important because the brain is highly dependent on ATP for energy, and a concussion can disrupt the brain's ability to produce ATP.
Second, beta-alanine can help to reduce the amount of lactic acid buildup in the brain following a concussion. Lactic acid buildup can contribute to brain swelling and damage, so reducing it may help to protect the brain from further injury.
Athletic Performance Benefits:
Creatine and beta-alanine can help to increase the duration of speed and power in athletes by providing the muscles with more energy and reducing muscle fatigue.
For example, studies have shown that creatine and beta-alanine supplementation can improve performance in strength, high-intensity training, and speed/power training which are known to be very effective for improving athletic ability.
Creatine and beta-alanine can also help to build muscle mass. This is because creatine helps to increase the amount of water in the muscle cells, which can lead to muscle growth. Beta-alanine can also help to promote muscle growth by increasing the production of carnosine, a molecule that helps to protect the muscles from damage.
Conclusion:
Creatine and beta-alanine are two well-researched supplements that have been shown to have a number of benefits for athletic performance and overall health. They are often taken together because they have complementary effects and can work synergistically to enhance their benefits.
If you are an athlete or simply looking to improve your overall health, creatine and beta-alanine supplementation may be a good option for you. However, it is important to talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement program.
If you want to start a new workout routine for either an adult or an athlete feel free to reach out - text, call or email Jayme. 612-839-8039 or contact Jayme@GetFastMN.com located in Minnetonka, Minnesota servicing the Hopkins Wayzata, Eden Prairie, and Orono areas.