Although part of the preparation for a fight in all professional UFC fighters is mainly focused on nutrition, most dare to take dietary supplements to maximize performance and speed up muscle recovery.
As we all know (if you don’t, you will learn in the following), one of the best-known and most researched dietary supplements for this purpose is Creatine. Blah, blah… You are here for the straight answer to the question, right? Ok, without further ado, here it is.
Do UFC Fighters Take Creatine?
UFC fighters take creatine during preparations for a fight that starts three and sometimes four months in advance. Approximately a month before the weigh-in, they stop taking creatine to expel excess water from the body, which results in less weight on the scales before the fight.
Ok, now you know DO they and WHEN they take this magic potion. But stay with me. Here is where things get interesting.
Why Do UFC Fighters Take Creatine?
Well, if used properly and in moderation, there are many benefits to taking creatine. Ok, let me first tell you the good news. There are numerous health and performance benefits from taking creatine.
The main reason UFC fighters take creatine is its positive impact on their performance in the ring. In conjunction with exercise, creatine increases lean muscle mass, endurance, aids recovery, helps muscle cells produce more energy, improves brain control and function… and many more.
Creatine has a strong role in producing usable energy. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the primary carrier of energy in cells. UFC fighters use a combination of explosive kicks and high-intensity and short-duration movements such as striking and grappling. Any action that requires bursts of energy uses ATP.
When using maximal power it only lasts up to 15 seconds. Supplementing with creatine enables the capability of storing and creating more of its supplies resulting in prolonging training time and minimizing fatigue. So it is safe to say the short-term effects are highly beneficial for UFC fighters, although long-term effects are largely unknown.
Are There Any Side Effects of Taking Creatine?
We have already concluded that creatine is a great supplement for UFC fighters but there are also side effects if they do not use it properly. Not drinking enough water causes a variety of downsides. But why wouldn’t they drink enough water, you’re wondering?
Listen to this.
The process of weight loss before the fight or weighing requires the fighter not to ingest fluids up to 24 hours before the fight. Causing dehydration and taking a supplement that is desperately looking for water in the body to do the job properly, and that should not be used without a large amount of water, is like adding fuel to the fire.
Incorrect usage can lead to nausea, abdominal cramps, and even kidney failure. For that reason, UFC fighters stop taking creatine about a month before the weighing, so they can remove excess water from the body to get a smaller number on the weighing scale. By stopping taking creatine in that period, they are avoiding the risk of getting side effects.
Creatine is often used combined with carbohydrates after weigh-ins to boost up re-hydration and glycogen re-synthesis.
Is It Legal For UFC Fighters To Take Creatine?
Although it’s been considered many times, creatine is currently not prohibited for usage. The main reason why creatine is not banned is that it is a non-essential amino acid and is an integral part of our bodies.
An increase in creatine levels in the body can also occur by consuming creatine-rich foods, so it would be difficult to determine who naturally raised their body levels of creatine and who achieved it by supplementation.
Also, creatine may have various benefits but does not cause extreme performance improvements like anabolics. The results are subtle and require strenuous training to reap its benefits. In conclusion, it is legal for UFC fighters to take creatine.
Can UFC Fighters Get Banned For Taking Creatine?
Due to the mass production of supplements in factories, many of them tend to be contaminated by prohibited substances that may not be listed on the ingredient label, even if Global DRO approves it. As a consequence often, numerous athletes receive anti-doping bans.
The reason behind a large number of positive doping tests is the misuse of the dietary supplement and a poorly labeled supplement which is not an adequate defense at a doping hearing. UFC fighters should consider the risks and benefits of taking supplementation and be prepared to deal with consequences for violation of anti-doping rules as a result of taking contaminated supplements.
UFC fighters cannot be suspended due to pure creatine supplementation but, they can be suspended if the creatine they take was contaminated with a banned substance in the production process.
Can UFC Fighters Get Enough Creatine From Food?
Natural food sources rich in creatine are mostly foods of animal origins, red meat especially lean meat, poultry, and fish (in particular herring, tuna, salmon…). Our bodies typically produce around 1 to 1.5 grams of creatine per day. For UFC fighters and other athletes common daily dose of creatine is should be 3 to 5 grams each day.
With that in mind, how much food should UFC fighters consume to hit that daily creatine goal?
Picture this. In a raw form, beef contains roughly around 4 – 5.5 g/kg, herring around 6.5 – 10g / kg, salmon 4.5 g/ kg, tuna 4g/kg. Keep in mind that cooking destroys some of the creatine. By quick observation, we can conclude that there are several reasons why consuming so much food would be challenging.
The first and perhaps most important reason is the cost of these foods in everyday use. Another reason would be the ability to consume this amount of food. Bearing in mind that UFC fighters, like other professional athletes, monitor their macronutrient and daily calorie intake, it is evident how much of a problem this would be.
Consuming large amounts of food increases calorie intake and requires a lot of money for foods and time to prepare them. Few UFC fighters will dare to undertake such an endeavor just to consume enough creatine. An easier approach, used by the vast majority of UFC fighters, is to supplement with synthetic creatine in the form of a supplement.
Synthetic creatine is relatively low-priced compared to other supplements, and it is significantly cheaper in contrast to foods that would replace its consumption. For UFC fighters, one measure a day is enough to solve all the above problems that would arise from trying to consume a sufficient dose of creatine from natural sources or foods.
So, can UFC fighters get enough creatine through food?
It is possible, but considering practicality and all the problems that arise from it (time, money, calculations), it is not practical nor profitable for them.
Do Vegan And Vegetarian UFC Fighters Take Creatine?
If you’re a truly UFC fan, you must have heard of Nate Diaz, perhaps the most famous UFC fighter who advocates a plant-based diet. Likewise, his brother, Nick Diaz, one of the first UFC fighters to adopt a plant-based diet, lives the same lifestyle, although he said in an interview that sometimes he stumbles and consumes fish.
What makes a significant difference in creatine levels between omnivores and other plant-based diets is that creatine is present primarily in foods of animal origin.
It has been scientifically proven that people who practice a plant-based diet have less creatine in their muscles. Because it is found in large quantities in foods of animal origin, vegetarians and vegans can get a sufficient dose of creatine only from supplementation.
There is a type of creatine supplement on the market that is vegan friendly. Because of its important role in muscle and brain function, it is significant for vegan-based UFC fighters to supplement with creatine.
In Closing
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements, and it is relatively safe for supplementation by UFC fighters. With proper consumption, there are many benefits. If it is taken in the recommended doses, with enough water ingested, and cycled according to pre-fight weighing, no side effects are expected.
Creatine as a supplement is legal for UFC fighters because it is an integral part of our body and does not affect significant changes or improvements in a performance like some other banned supplements. UFC fighters can fail an anti-doping test due to creatine, but only if contaminated with other substances in the production process. This is the risk of consuming any other supplement.
A minority of UFC fighters opt for a natural approach to nutrition, without supplements, which requires large financial resources, and a lot of time around preparing food and calculating the presence of creatine in them. Synthetic creatine supplementation is something that every fighter should include in their diet, which almost everyone does.
