Sep '24 (edited) • General Discussions
📓 Should I take Creatine with Whey Protein to gain muscles?
When it comes to navigating supplementation and muscle gain there is an overwhelming number of products and research that can cause confusion as to where you should start your fitness journey.
So, whether you’re a novice or intermediate athlete let’s discuss 2 of the most beneficial supplements on the market.
Protein and creatine.
Two questions that I get asked often are ‘Which is better for weight lifting, creatine or protein powder?’ and ‘Which is better for muscle growth, whey protein or creatine?’
As weight lifting and muscle building go hand in hand, let’s discuss the benefits of both protein and creatine.
Protein – Protein as a whole, plays an essential role in our body and has an array of benefits.
When it comes to muscle building, protein is simply a non-negotiable as it assists with the recovery, repair and growth of our muscle tissue.When we are executing our workout routine and ensuring that we are progressively overloading, our bodies undergo a process called Muscle Protein Breakdown, also known as MPB. This is when we successfully breakdown muscle tissue creating muscle fibre damage. In order to repair and grow the muscle, we must undergo a process called Muscle Protein Synthesis, also known as MPS, which is achieved by ensuring that we are in a positive net of protein.
Simply, we breakdown protein and then need to replace the lost protein to build muscle.
How do we do this? We consume protein within each meal as well as through protein drinks such as protein shakes.
Creatine – While many performance enhancing products have very little evidence to prove their worth in your supplement stack, creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements that has repeatedly demonstrated significant benefits when striving to improve power and strength.
You may have heard creatine powder referred to as creatine monohydrate which simply means that it is a synthetic form of creatine rather than a naturally occurring compound. Creatine specifically assists with exercises that consist of short bursts, which is the general gist of resistance training. This is due to creatine’s predominate ability to assist with the regeneration of adenosine triphosphate (a molecule that is a main energy carrier). Adenosine triphosphate provides quick bursts of energy needed for short duration, high intensity movements such as sprinting, jumping, weightlifting and other explosive exercises which when paired with progressive overload, will increase an individual’s muscle mass.
So, Can whey protein increase my strength and muscle gains?
Absolutely, in fact it is crucial and should be the primary focus of supplementation when undergoing a growth phase.
And can creatine also increase muscle growth and strength?
100%! Creatine should be utilised to maximise muscle, power and strength as a secondary supplement to protein.
Now that we understand that the need for protein is undebatable, what is the best protein to build lean muscle? And what is the effect of whey protein on fat and muscle loss?
When exploring the world of protein, it can be a very overwhelming and stressful experience as the range of protein shakes, protein blends and other protein products are every growing, with new companies popping up what feels like weekly marketing their new ‘must-have’ protein product.
So let’s take out off of the confusion and make things extremely simple. The best protein blend on the market is Whey Protein Isolate, also known as WPI. This protein blend is fast absorbing, making it the most optimal for recovery. Additionally, WPI also has the least amount of carbohydrates in comparison to other blends which means it does not interfere with your daily macronutrient intake.
However, it is important to note that WPI is only marginally better than other protein powders, therefore if you are in the market for a blend that is ideal for digestion a powder with a lactase enzyme such as Bulk Nutrients Protein Matrix+ would be your preferred choice or if you have dietary requirements such following a vegan diet, a pea or fava bean protein would be best.
Other options such as WPC or casein (a slow release protein that should/better to be utilised at night) are also viable sources of protein.
Once you have identified your perfect blend based on your specific requirements, what is most important to prioritise over the blend is the serving of protein that you are consuming to ensure for MPS. For the most part this would be around 2-2.5 x your body weight.
Now that we analysed and have identified what the most optimal protein blends are, let’s dig a little deeper and explore the effects of protein on fat and muscle loss.
Consuming more protein than your body requires during a deficit phase will help ensure that you retain muscle tissue, given that your training volume is also improving each and every session.
However, simply consuming whey protein or any other protein for that matter, will not cause you to experience any fat loss results (Unfortunately, there is no protein powder for weight loss, well that will cause weight loss. Rather I would suggest WPI as this has the least amount of calories per serve).
However, while you will need to be in a caloric deficit to reduce body fat, increasing your protein can indirectly assist you as it will lower your fats and it will also keep you satiated for longer which decreases the risk of over-consuming or snacking. It's also worth noting that again indirectly protein can assist in a fat loss phase as it has a higher thermic effect then other macronutrients. By protein having a higher thermic effect we will see an increase in energy expenditure during digestion leading to better fat loss in the long-term.
So, should you take creatine and whey protein to gain muscle?
I think we can now all agree that the answer is , YES!
If you are serious about entering a growth phase the only two supplements for muscle growth that you really need are:
- Protein (first and foremost)
- Creatine monohydrate (as your secondary supplement)
These two supplements alongside a well-designed workout routine and consistency of course will allow for muscle gain results. So, forget about the best weight loss shakes, the weight loss gummies, peptides for muscle growth or any other supplements and begin with protein and creatine powder. Save your dollars, start with the basics, add supplements such as pre workout as you progress through your fitness journey and remember a simple approach is a good approach if you a looking to get healthy, live a healthier happier life and of course grow that muscle !
Author - Lachy Sawtell
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📓 Should I take Creatine with Whey Protein to gain muscles?
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