CREATINE & WHEY: A MARRIAGE MADE IN MUSCLE HEAVEN

Creatine/Whey

If you want to push the envelope of size and strength, make sure you’re taking a combo cocktail of whey protein powder and creatine. This powerful blend has been studied intensely in recent years, and results are promising.

Case in point: Researchers from St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Canada, tested lean tissue mass, bench press, squat strength (one-rep max), and knee extension power in 36 males during and after six weeks of resistance training. The exercisers were randomly assigned one of three supplement groups: whey protein (about one-half gram per pound of bodyweight daily) only; whey protein plus creatine monohydrate (about 0.45 gram per pound daily); or a placebo.

The results were intriguing: The whey-plus-creatine group had greater increases in lean mass and bench press strength than the other two groups. Knee extension power was also enhanced in the combination and whey groups, but not in the placebo group. The other measures increased about the same in all three groups. But the other big news was that the increase in lean mass was greater when whey and creatine were used in combination. (1)

This isn’t the only study to publish such great news. Researchers from Victoria University in Melbourne, Australia, recruited 33 men in their mid-20s, all well trained bodybuilders, for a 13-week experiment.

The researchers divided their volunteers into four groups, giving each athlete the same caloric extra per day: a flavored drink containing a gram of supplement per kilogram of bodyweight. One supplement contained just carbohydrates, another just whey powder, and the last two a mix of creatine with either carbohydrates or whey. Neither the athletes nor the scientists knew which supplement any volunteer received until the experiment was over.

Throughout the experiment, the bodybuilders trained three times a week, and all experienced strength gains. However, the bodybuilders who supplemented with whey made bigger gains than those getting just extra carbohydrates did. Adding creatine further enhanced gains, with the whey-creatine supplement providing the biggest strength enhancement. (2)

The Creatine Connection

Creatine is available from Parrillo Performance as Parrillo Creatine Monohydrate^™. Through supplementation, you can build the volume of creatine in your muscle cells. There, creatine increases levels of a high-energy compound called creatine phosphate, which serves as a tiny fuel supply, enough for several seconds of action.

Creatine increases muscle size because it attracts water. Creatine is absorbed into the muscle cell and pulls a lot of water along with it, causing the muscle to swell. This results in larger, firmer muscles and a better pump. Please realize that creatine itself does not directly increase muscle protein. As with all supplements, it is vital that you use creatine in conjunction with a solid bodybuilding diet. You need protein to build muscle tissue and carbohydrates to provide energy. Creatine itself is not burned to produce energy, rather it acts as an energy buffer to transfer the energy derived from carbohydrate and fat oxidation to ATP. Creatine is not incorporated into protein. It will, however, indirectly increase the protein mass of muscles over time by allowing you to perform higher intensity workouts. That is, of course, if you are eating enough lean protein and quality calories to support muscle gains.

What can you expect from creatine? Typically, hard-training bodybuilders can expect an increase of 4 to 14 pounds of lean mass during the first month of use. The more muscle mass you have, the more creatine you can assimilate leading to greater weight gains. We’ve seen athletes experience a 5 to 15 percent increase in strength on their maximum lifts and an increase of about 2 reps per set with their working weight during the first month. This increase in intensity allows you to put a greater load on the muscle, which will indeed increase your gains in muscle mass over time. Endurance athletes can experience a 5 to 10 percent increase in speed and a 10 to 20 percent increase in time to fatigue.

The question is: how much creatine do you need? To start, we recommend for the first one to two weeks you use 20-30 grams each day, divided into even servings of 5 grams each taken with each meal or with an Optimized Whey Protein^™ shake for supercharged results. This is the loading phase. Use the lower end of these recommendations if you’re in the 150-200 pound range and the upper end if you’re over 200 pounds. We recommend one to two weeks, but the loading phase can last up to four weeks in some individuals. After this, 5-10 grams a day should be sufficient to maintain elevated muscle stores of creatine. It takes approximately 4-8 weeks to deplete creatine stores after you stop
taking it.

Whey Is the Way to Go

Whey protein is found in the following Parrillo products: Optimized Whey Protein^™, Hi-Protein Powder^™, All-Protein^™, 50/50 Plus Powder^™, Parrillo Sports Nutrition Bars^™, Parrillo Protein Bars^™, Parrillo Energy Bars^™, Pancake & Muffin Mix^™, Cake & Cupcake Mix^™, Contest Cookie Mix^™, Pudding Mix^™, Protein Frosting Mix^™, and Protein Ice Kreem Mix^™.

Whey is one of the highest quality proteins found in protein supplements. It is a component of milk that is separated from milk to make cheese and other dairy products. Whey is among the most rapidly digested of all supplemental proteins. What this means to you is that the amino acids in whey are rapidly absorbed so that the processes of repair and growth can be accelerated.  In addition, whey is loaded with various health-building nutrients, including B-complex vitamins, selenium, calcium, and iodine.

One of the greatest benefits of whey protein is that it enhances the production of glutathione, one of the body’s natural antioxidants. Therefore, in addition to supplying protein, whey can help to protect against free-radical damage to cells and boost the immune system. Researchers believe that whey protein may help fight infections and perhaps even battle cancer Whey protein also has the highest levels of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), which play a role in muscle growth. And because whey protein exits the stomach much faster than many other proteins, it can be absorbed more quickly into the bloodstream. This provides a substantial rise in blood amino acids rather quickly, which is key during exercise and recovery.

Another beneficial aspect of whey protein is its potential to stimulate IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor 1) production. IGF-1 is structurally and functionally similar to insulin. It enhances protein synthesis and increases muscle growth. Finally, whey protein appears to play a direct role in bone growth by increasing proteins such as collagen and strengthening the bones.

Both whey and creatine play a key role in strength and mass-building. Used in conjunction with the Parrillo Performance Nutrition Program, they can assist in decreasing body fat, supporting muscular growth, extending endurance, and promoting better recovery and repair after training.

References

1. Burke, D.G., Chilibeck, P.D., Davidson, K.S., Candow, D.G., Farthing, J., and Smith-Palmer, T. 2001. The effect of whey protein supplementation with and without creatine monohydrate combined with resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscle strength. International Journal of Sport Nutrition & Exercise Metabolism 11:349-364.

2. Cribb, P.J., Williams, A.D., Stathis, C.G., Carey, M.F., and Hayes, A. 2007. Effects of whey isolate, creatine, and resistance training on muscle hypertrophy. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 39:298-307.