Creatine

Creatine is a compound your body produces from three amino acids — arginine, glycine, and methionine — and stores primarily in muscle as phosphocreatine. It functions as a rapid energy source for short, intense efforts like a heavy lift or a sprint, recycling spent ATP back into usable form. Supplementing with 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day raises muscle phosphocreatine stores by roughly 20-40 percent over 4 weeks, leading to documented strength gains of 5-10 percent and small but measurable hypertrophy advantages. It is the most studied legal supplement on the planet, with hundreds of randomized trials showing safety and effectiveness in healthy adults. Each gram of stored creatine binds 3-4 grams of intracellular water, which is why scale weight typically rises 1-2 kilograms in the first month. This is muscle volumization, not fat. Creatine is also being studied for cognitive benefits, especially under sleep deprivation, and for sarcopenia in older adults. The standard recommendation is 5 g daily of pure creatine monohydrate, with no need for a loading phase. Take it any time of day, with or without food. Drink an extra 500 ml of water to support the higher hydration demand. The protein calculator includes a creatine and water bonus block when you generate your daily target.