Creatine Monohydrate: Enhancing High-Intensity Performance in Action Sports
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most extensively studied and widely used sports supplements on the market — and for good reason. Often misconceived as a supplement just for those looking to increase mass, this couldn't be further from the truth.
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in small amounts in the body, primarily in the muscles. Foods such as beef, salmon, tuna and pork are sources of creatine, but eating adequate amounts of these foods to obtain a daily 5g dose can be difficult. That's where Creatine Monohydrate supplementation comes in to play.
Why Is Creatine So Important?
Creatine plays a crucial role in energy production during high-intensity, short-duration efforts and has been shown to enhance performance during this style of exercise. For riders and athletes taking part in Action Sports such Motocross, Enduro, Trials, and Downhill Mountain Biking where repeated short bursts of high intensity output is required - creatine can be of great use!
How Does It Work?
Creatine is stored in the muscles primarily as phosphocreatine, a compound used to rapidly regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) — the body’s immediate source of energy. During intense bursts of activity, such as a start gate sprint or an explosive jump, your body relies heavily on ATP. However, ATP stores deplete quickly, typically within 10-15 seconds.
By supplementing with creatine monohydrate, you can increase your muscles’ phosphocreatine levels. Phosphocreatine, stored in muscle cells donates a phosphate group to ADP to regenerate ATP rapidly with help from the enzyme creatine kinase. Having a greater supply of phosphocreatine stored in the muscles allows for faster regeneration of ATP, which in turn results in athletes being able to perform at a higher intensity for longer durations before muscle fatigue sets in.
Why Creatine Matters in Action Sports
Unlike steady-state endurance sports, Action Sports are full of short, sharp efforts — whether that’s scaling a rock step in trials or putting the hammer down in an intense enduro sprint. These efforts require shorts bursts of both speed and strength, exactly the type of performance supported by creatine.
Examples in an Action Sports context :
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Motocross & Enduro Sprints: Your mid moto and need to put together a couple of fast laps to gain time on the leader - Repeated isometric contractions whilst accelerating, braking, jumping and corning at a high intensity causes the depletion of ATP stores. Creatine helps replenish ATP faster, allowing you to ride hard faster for longer before fatigue muscle fatigue sets in during your motos or special tests.
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Explosive Trials Movements: Technical precision and repeated bouts of explosive strength are essential, section after section. Faster regeneration of ATP due to increased phosphocreatine levels will help to ensure maximal power output between pivotal movements.
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Downhill Mountain Biking: Most Downhill Mountain Bike runs will start with a huge sprint effort. Generate more power for a longer duration before muscle fatigue sets in with the help of faster ATP regeneration.
How To Supplement With Creatine
For our Micronised Creatine Monohydrate we advise the following :
Add 5g (approximately one heaped scoop) or the dosage advised by your nutritionist - into 200ml of water, mix and drink.
Use once daily, preferably before or after exercise.
Mix with water, juice, shakes or smoothies.
References
Buford, T.W., Kreider, R.B., Stout, J.R., Greenwood, M., Campbell, B., Spano, M., Ziegenfuss, T., Lopez, H.L., Landis, J., Antonio, J. and Taylor, L., 2007. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Creatine supplementation and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 4(1), pp.1-8. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-4-6
Kreider, R.B., Kalman, D.S., Antonio, J., Ziegenfuss, T.N., Wildman, R., Collins, R. and Lopez, H.L., 2017. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14(1), pp.1-18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
Peeling, P., Binnie, M.J., Goods, P.S., Sim, M. and Burke, L.M., 2018. Evidence-based supplements for the enhancement of athletic performance. International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism, 28(2), pp.178-187. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijsnem.2017-0343