Creatine: Can You Use Creatine To Improve Your Cycling Performance?
Overview
Creatine is a popular supplement used by athletes across various sports, including power sports like weightlifting. However, its use in endurance sports, specifically cyclocross, remains a topic of debate among athletes and coaches.
First, let’s understand what creatine is and how it works. Creatine is a natural substance found in the body that helps to produce energy for muscles during high-intensity exercise. The supplement form of creatine, called creatine monohydrate, is a popular form used by athletes to boost their performance. Creatine helps to increase the body’s production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is a primary energy source for muscle contraction.
Now, let’s dive into the potential benefits and drawbacks of using creatine in an endurance sport like cyclocross.
Pros:
Increased power and endurance: Research shows that creatine supplementation can help increase power and endurance during high-intensity exercise (1). This could be particularly beneficial for cyclocross, which requires a combination of high-intensity efforts and sustained endurance.
Improved recovery: Creatine can also aid in recovery after intense exercise. A study found that creatine supplementation helped reduce muscle damage and soreness following an intense cycling workout (2). This could be helpful for cyclocross athletes who often have to perform multiple races in a weekend.
Cons:
Weight gain: One of the primary drawbacks of creatine supplementation is weight gain. Creatine causes the body to retain water, which can lead to an increase in body weight (3). This may not be ideal for cyclocross athletes who need to carefully manage power to weight ratio and balance weight and power to achieve optimal balance.
Gastrointestinal distress: Creatine supplementation has been known to cause gastrointestinal distress in some individuals. This could be particularly problematic for endurance athletes who require optimal digestive health to perform well in races.
Limited research: While there is some research on the benefits of creatine for endurance sports like running and cycling, the majority of the research has been conducted on power-based sports like weightlifting (4). Therefore, the efficacy of creatine supplementation for endurance sports, specifically cyclocross, is still somewhat uncertain.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, while the use of creatine supplementation in endurance sports like cyclocross is still a topic of debate, there are potential benefits and drawbacks that athletes and coaches should be aware of. Creatine may offer increased power and endurance, as well as improved recovery, but it also comes with the risk of weight gain and gastrointestinal distress. Like anything in coaching it is best to assess on a case by case basis and evaluate whether supplementing creatine is appropriate/beneficial for that specific athlete. As with any supplement, athletes should consult with a healthcare professional before beginning creatine supplementation to determine if it is the right choice for their specific needs and goals.
Where to buy Creatine:
Our partners Kinetica offer a great 100% Creatine product. A lot of sports nutrition brands often pad supplements out with non active ingredients so it is important to know it is pure creatine. All Kinetica products are all Informed Sport tested.