Creatine
jasonleow • 28 Sept 2024 •
Logging it in here to remember that I started taking creatine supplements yesterday.
Why I’m starting on creatine - the numerous benefits:
- Higher overall energy levels. Need to keep up with shipping!
- Cognitive performance and better brain function - could always do with more brainpower for coding. That’s what I’m really after tbh…
- Better muscle gain if you lift, or reduces muscle waste if you’re older. Anything to slow down atrophy and entropy.
- Protection against neuro degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s. At 45, this could be something to start looking out for.
- Increased strength, muscle power/endurance - works best when you lift or go gym to work out. Great if you already go to the gym apparently but I don’t, so this doesn’t do much for me. Except carrying my son or supporting my elderly parents.
- Creatine has very few side effects, well studied and documented, and really all-round good supplement to have.
My goal:
To see if it truly help with brain function. I could do with a few more IQ points tbh. I’m too dumb for indie hacking and entrepreneurship. Also don’t mind something preventive for muscular waste, since I’m mid-forties and is said to be losing more muscle than I gain from here on. And energy - I could do with more of that, juggling four jobs, a kid, eldercare and everything else.
Dosage: 3-5g per day. Will start with 3g for a week or two first. Then go to 5g after. But I have to be careful of mixing creatine with caffeine. They counter each other. So I got to avoid it during my coffee times in early morning and post-lunch, and take creatine only in morning after breakfast, and in evenings. And got to hydrate more too.
Form: Powder vs capsule. I bought capsule this time but may try powder since everyone raving about powder form.
Will report back in 1-2 months to see if the fuss over this is worth the time.
Comments
I think the interaction between caffeine and creatine is largely exaggerated (according a quick online search and ChatGPT). I have creatine as a powder in my coffee. 🤣
@therealbrandonwilson Now I wanna read your pov about it 👀
@haideralmosawi Serrious?! Hahah you rebel. So do you still feel the effects of creatine? I found this article, looks like you might be right!
I really can’t determine to what extent is creatine contributing to my mental clarity and whether it’s contributing to muscle gain. That’s because I tend to do different things all at once (e.g. using nicotine patches, having a bulletproof coffee with MCT oil, etc). But because creatine has been highly recommended I’m sticking to it religiously.
This is one supplement I am aware of but do not have in my stack. Sounds like a great one to experiment with and write about in a future newsletter. I will be curious to hear about your experience.