Creatine is by far the most popular sports nutritional supplement among rugby players. Why is it so well-liked? In a nutshell, it’s popular because it works. You will notice effects rapidly, and unlike some other “hyped” supplements, it is rather inexpensive to purchase.
Creatine-based food supplements first came on the market in the early 1990s. Creatine sales have increased dramatically all around the world since then. The fundamental reason for this is that this natural compound has a true ergogenic effect. Oral creatine supplementation has been shown to boost physical performance under certain circumstances. This article will cover these theoretical and practical aspects, as well as safety concerns.
To be more specific, we shall discuss the following topics in this article:
- A Detailed Explanation of Creatine
- How Does Creatine Improve Physical Performance of Rugby Players?
- Does Creatine Make Rugby Players Stronger?
- Does Creatine Make Rugby Players Faster?
- How Should Rugby Players Organise Their Creatine Supplementation Plan?
- Is Creatine Supplementation Doping?
- Best Creatine for Rugby Players
A Detailed explanation of Creatine
Creatine is a three-amino-acid peptide made up of glycine, arginine, and methionine. The kidneys synthesize this molecule first, followed by the liver. Creatine is synthesized naturally at a rate of roughly 1 gram per day. In addition, a typical diet provides 1 to 2 g of creatine per day. The rate of breakdown (in creatinine) of this peptide is approximately 2 g per day, therefore the intake and production are roughly equal. A creatine-rich diet (high in meat and fish) tends to reduce endogenous creatine synthesis, and vice versa.
Creatine is easily understood as an energy reserve within the skeletal muscle that may be swiftly utilized for single or recurrent muscular contractions.
The skeletal muscle contains around 95 percent of the body’s creatine, which plays a key role in maintaining cellular energy homeostasis. Creatine is phosphorylated into phosphocreatine when it is dispersed into the skeletal muscle (PCr).
To rephosphorylate ADP (Adenosine DiPhosphate) in ATP, this amount of PCr is a highly energetic storable (Adenosine TriPhosphate). Creatine (through PCr) is therefore easily understood as an energy reserve within the skeletal muscle that may be swiftly utilized for single or recurrent muscular contractions.
Is Creatine Banned In Rugby?
The World Anti-Doping Agency does not identify creatine as a banned drug or method. It is not regarded as a doping agent. However, certain creatine-containing supplements may be contaminated with xenobiotics that are either toxic or capable of causing an adverse analytical finding during an anti-doping test.
Before taking creatine supplements, athletes should make sure to check the manufacturer’s quality controls and purity.
Do Rugby Players Take Creatine?
Now when we know what creatine is, let’s find out whether rugby players really use it, especially pros. During the research, the first player that caught my attention was Maro Itoje, one of the best rugby players in the world. In his partnership with Maximuscle, he revealed that besides whey protein, he added creatine monohydrate to his supplement stack.
In 2015, one of the most popular supplement companies in the world MusclePharm partnered with Hurricanes. In the interview, head trainer, David Gray stated that supplements will provide support to their strength and conditioning program. He also said that all supplements are certified as banned substances free. It is fair to assume that creatine is one of them.
Another one that publicly admitted to using creatine is Jack Nowell, an English rugby union player in his interview with Red Bull. He said that he drinks creatine, glutamine, and colostrum mixed with apple or orange juice before breakfast.
After doing this research we can conclude the following:
Both amateur and professional rugby players take creatine as part of their supplementation.
How Does Creatine Improve Physical Performance of Rugby Players?
It’s hard to believe, but oral creatine supplementation causes a large increase in intramuscular creatine (and then PCr) levels in most people. Several studies have demonstrated that taking creatine on a regular basis increases creatine and PCr intramuscular concentrations by 10 to 40%.
This is possible because creatine does not break down during digestion, and nearly all of the creatine consumed orally is either stored in the muscles or eliminated in urine. The amount of creatine taken up by the muscles varies by person and is also influenced by the rugby player’s diet, notably his meat and fish consumption.
Depending on the method of exercise and the player’s profile, this regimen improves the performance of repeated high-intensity exercise by 0.5 to 10%. For activities lasting less than 30 seconds, it boosts strength and lean body mass while also improving fatigue resistance.
Vegetarian rugby players, as expected, have the highest muscle uptakes after taking oral creatine. We can comprehend the alleged ergogenic effects of oral creatine supplementation because PCr and ATP are finite but highly available energy sources for high-intensity short-duration muscle activity.
Depending on the method of exercise and the player’s profile, this regimen improves the performance of repeated high-intensity exercise by 0.5 to 10%. For activities lasting less than 30 seconds, it boosts strength and lean body mass while also improving fatigue resistance.
Creatine supplements and progressive resistance exercise have shown synergistic favorable outcomes when used together. The metabolic and molecular mechanisms behind creatine supplementation-induced benefits and changes in body composition are both metabolic (through increased pre-exercise PCr and muscle glycogen concentrations) and molecular (through increased gene expression of growth factors).
Although creatine supplementation minimizes muscle damage, it has no effect on protein synthesis in the skeletal muscles.
Does Creatine Make Rugby Players Stronger?
When you take extra creatine as a rugby player, you can store more energy. You will have more energy both at the start and throughout a game or training session if you take creatine before it. When you lift weights, creatine helps you train harder, allowing you to lift more weight and for longer periods of time.
As a result, you can increase your strength and lean muscle mass, which has clear benefits for your “on-field” performance levels as a Rugby player.
Aside from ball skills, physical strength is essential for rugby players to succeed on the field. Scrummaging, mauling, and fighting for possession are just a few examples of situations where power – and great technique – are essential.
Does Creatine Make Rugby Players Faster?
Exercise adheres to a rather rigid energy flow. It’s like the chain of command: you have to get past one guy before moving on to the next. With running, repeated tackling, and overall game activity, rugby is mostly anaerobic and aerobic. Creatine phosphate, on the other hand, is used to start the relay. From 0 to 6 seconds, this component fuels output. Basically, if you need to move quickly, CP is the way to go.
40-meter sprints, bursting off the line for a bone-crushing tackle, effective scrummaging, and a 1RM squat or power clean are all examples of this type of training. So it’s safe to state that creatine supplementation has some advantages.
The more creatine in your system, the greater output you’ll be able to generate. Stronger lifts, more dominant tackles, and faster speed all result from increased production.
To get the job done, great pre-workouts for strength or power sessions contain creatine as well as a combination of caffeine and Beta-Alanine. We recommend C4 Sport Pre Workout Powder Fruit Punch, by America’s Best-Selling Brand.
It not only tastes amazing and has scientifically proven nutrients to help you improve your workout/rugby performance, but it is also NSF Certified for Sport, an independent certification program recognized by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). It’s everything a rugby player needs in one packaging.
How Should Rugby Players Organise Their Creatine Supplementation Plan?
There are two methods for increasing creatine levels in muscle: rapid and gradual. A ‘loading’ dose of 20 g per day for 5 days is used in the quick method. These 20 g doses should be divided into four 5 g daily doses. The gradual method takes about a month to complete with a single daily dose of 3 g.
As a result, depending on the approach used, the ergogenic impact will peak after 5 days or after 30 days. Whatever technique is chosen, the benefits of the initial course of creatine supplementation can be maintained (if necessary) by consuming around 3 g of supplemental creatine on a regular basis. In around 2 to 3 weeks after stopping the dosage, intramuscular PCr concentrations revert to baseline.
Best Creatine for Rugby Players
Creatine monohydrate is the most common and oldest kind of creatine. Newer forms of creatine include creatine salts, creatine esther, and liquid creatine. Most of these new forms seen in dietary supplements, on the other hand, have yet to be determined in terms of efficacy, safety, and regulatory status.
There is currently little to no evidence that these innovative forms of creatine are more stable, absorb faster, increase muscle creatine levels more effectively, or have fewer side effects than creatine monohydrate.
Because creatine monohydrate is the most researched type of creatine, it is the preferred supplement for rugby players and most other professional athletes in other sports.
Given the high-intensity intermittent nature of rugby and training, creatine monohydrate is an ideal supplement. Enhanced muscle phosphocreatine reserves can lead to increased power output, higher high-intensity exercise capacity, and increased lean mass as a result of training. A recent study also reveals that creatine may have neuroprotective qualities, which could be useful in contact sports.
In the rugby world, it is said that Cellucor Cor-Performance Creatine Monohydrate for Strength and Muscle Growth is the top choice of rugby players. Because this creatine is unflavored, most rugby players like to incorporate it into a pre-workout or amino-recovery drink. That is why, if you decide to make the investment, they offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. That’s how certain they are that you will love the product and get impressive results.
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
You should not rely on information in this article as a replacement for, nor does it replace, professional diagnosis, medical advice, or medical treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should always consult with a physician or other healthcare professional.
