At Naru Nutrition we support both athletes and people like ourselves, fitness enthusiasts. Both categories are always on the lookout for strategies to enhance performance, recovery, and overall fitness levels. One effective approach that has gained traction is the combination of creatine with electrolytes. This synergistic blend not only boosts muscle strength and power but also improves hydration and recovery. In this blog, we will delve into the key benefits of this combination and provide a detailed protocols, including Naru Nutrition’s sports performance & recovery protocol, to help you maximise your results.
Enhanced Muscle Strength and Power
Creatine phosphate is a naturally occurring molecule in the human body, responsible for replenishing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during fast muscular movements through the phosphagen system. ATP is the energy currency that the body runs on. The food we consume is in a foreign energy currency for the body and needs to be converted into ATP. This involves breaking down food into smaller molecules, which are absorbed into the bloodstream, transported to cells, and then processed through glycolysis, the citric acid cycle, and the electron transport chain to produce ATP.
Research shows that increasing the storage of free creatine and creatine phosphate inside the muscle cell can help prolong the usage of the phosphagen system, enhancing anaerobic power and strength performances.
When combined with electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and magnesium, the absorption and utilisation of creatine are significantly improved, leading to greater increases in muscle strength and power.
Creatine Without Electrolytes Could Be Dehydrating You!
Electrolytes play a crucial role in maintaining fluid balance and preventing dehydration, especially during intense physical activities. The combination of creatine and electrolytes helps maintain optimal hydration levels, which is essential for sustaining energy and endurance during workouts. Your muscles are made up of 76% water, therefore changes in fluid levels will have a huge impact on function and ultimately performance of muscles. Proper hydration also supports muscle function and reduces the risk of cramps and fatigue.
Creatine is an osmotically active substance that draws water into muscle cells, potentially leading to an imbalance in whole-body fluid distribution. If electrolytes are not adequately replenished, this can result in extracellular dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, and increased risk of muscle cramping and heat-related issues, especially during intense exercise or in hot environments. This is why combining creatine with electrolytes is crucial to maintain proper hydration and prevent these potential side effects.
Naru Nutrition's Enhanced Recovery Protocol
The protocol for recovery with electrolytes and creatine is different to the performance protocol. You will have a SEVEN-FOLD increase in the uptake of creatine if you take creatine within one hour post-exercise and with 30g of carbohydrate. So we have based our protocol on current scientific literature.
To recover you should do the following:
Ingredients:
Creatine Monohydrate: 5 grams
Glycine: 4 grams
Carbohydrate: 30g
1 x Naru Revive Sachet in 1L of Water:
Sodium Chloride: 2.5 grams
Calcium Lactate: 300 mg
Magnesium Malate: 188 mg
Potassium Chloride: 350 mg
Instructions: Mix the ingredients and consume WITHIN 1 hour AFTER exercise. Ideally consume in small sips to optimise absorption.
(Naru Nutrition athlete Bobby McVitie at the European Championships 2024 GFTeam Scotland)
Recovery is a critical aspect of athletic performance. Creatine and electrolytes together can improve recovery times by reducing muscle damage and inflammation. This combination helps replenish muscle glycogen stores more effectively and supports quicker recovery between training sessions. The Glycine helps to hold onto the sodium and therefore maintain hydration post-exercise more efficiently.
Increased Performance in High-Intensity Activities
Research has shown that creatine-electrolyte supplementation significantly improves performance in high-intensity, short-duration activities, such as sprinting and weightlifting. For instance, a study on recreational cyclists demonstrated a 4% increase in peak power and a 5% increase in mean power during repeated sprint cycling after six weeks of creatine-electrolyte supplementation. These findings highlight the potential of this combination to enhance athletic performance in various sports.
Naru Nutrition’s Sports Performance Protocol
To maximise the benefits of creatine-electrolyte supplementation, it is essential to follow a structured training protocol. This is Naru Nutrition’s recommended sports performance protocol to help you achieve optimal results:
Ingredients:
Creatine Monohydrate: 5 grams
Glycine: 4 grams
1 x Naru Revive Sachet in 1L of Water:
Sodium Chloride: 2.5 grams
Calcium Lactate: 300 mg
Magnesium Malate: 188 mg
Potassium Chloride: 350 mg
Instructions: Mix the ingredients and consume over 1 hour before exercise in small sips.
How It Works
Despite all the fascinating properties of oral creatine supplementation, the mechanisms mediating its intestinal absorption have not been fully investigated. However, a 2002 study characterised intestinal creatine transport and demonstrated that mammalian and avian enterocytes express creatine transporter along the villus, where it mediates high-affinity, sodium, and chloride-dependent, apical creatine uptake.
Potassium: Involved in maintaining the balance of fluids inside and outside the cells, which can affect the uptake of creatine into the muscles.
Sodium: Helps regulate the osmotic pressure in the cells, impacting creatine uptake. The sodium-creatine co-transporter uses the free energy of the sodium concentration gradient and the inside-negative membrane potential to transport creatine molecules effectively.
A 1999 study found that creatine uptake was significantly reduced by 47% when both calcium and magnesium were absent from an extracellular fluid.
The same group of scientist found that creatine uptake is increased when concentrations of sodium and chloride are increased, even when creatine concentration remains constant.
The body requires both sodium and chloride ions to transport the creatine molecules and for these electrolytes to for optimal .
Summary and Recommendations
Research indicates that the rate and magnitude of creatine uptake are enhanced when the extracellular solution contains electrolytes compared to when these electrolytes are absent. It's clear that creatine and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium could be beneficial for those wishing to increase their performance.
If you take creatine, try following Naru Nutrition’s sports performance and recovery protocols. You can maximise the benefits of creatine-electrolyte supplementation and take your performance to the next level. Stay hydrated, stay strong, and keep pushing your limits!
References:
1. Kresta, J.Y., et al., Effects of 28 days of beta-alanine and creatine supplementation on muscle carnosine, body composition and exercise performance in recreationally active females. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2014. 11(1): p. 55.
2. Aedma, M., et al., Short-term creatine supplementation has no impact on upper-body anaerobic power in trained wrestlers. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2015. 12: p. 45.
3. Brilla, L.R., et al., Magnesium-creatine supplementation effects on body water. Metabolism, 2003. 52(9): p. 1136-40.
4. Hummer, E., et al., Creatine electrolyte supplement improves anaerobic power and strength: a randomized double-blind control study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2019. 16(1): p. 24.
5. Crisafulli, D.L., et al., Creatine-electrolyte supplementation improves repeated sprint cycling performance: A double blind randomized control study. J Int Soc Sports Nutr, 2018. 15: p. 21.
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10. Odoom, J.E., G.J. Kemp, and G.K. Radda, The regulation of total creatine content in a myoblast cell line. Mol Cell Biochem, 1996. 158(2): p. 179-88.