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ASN HPC Creatine
Is Creatine Safe?
Yes, Creatine is a natural amino acid present in the body of humans and animals. The human body has 100-115 grams of creatine in the form of creatine phosphate. No negative side effects have been noted in the research with the recommended levels of supplementation.
Are there any noted side effects?
Creatine is so efficient at shuttling water into the intramuscular compartment, that an emergent side effect associated with it is that of muscle cramping. This most often occurs when too little fluid is consumed whilst supplementing with creatine. Muscle Cramping, strains and tears are all anecdotal evidence that are not supported by scientific fact. Creatine draws water away from the internal working organs and therefore if you take a lot with no water then a mild stomach cramp will occur. There have also been reports of gastric upset or intolerance that a lot of compounds are known to cause in a few people.
Is Creatine safe to take for long periods?
In truth nobody knows although it does appear to be safe with no adverse effects reported in any study which we are aware of. Some people have been taking as much as 20-30 grams a day since it was first available in 1990.
What is Adenosine TriPhosphate (ATP)?
ATP is the organic compound found in muscle which, upon being broken down enzymatically, yields energy for muscle contraction. Creatine enhances your body's ability to make protein within the muscle fibres, which also increases your muscle mass (Creatine increases cellular hydration. The hydrated muscle has increased permeability, which allows more amino acids into the muscle cell). Building up a supply of these contractile proteins ( actin and myosin ) increases your muscles ability to perform physical work. The bottom line here, is that creatine will allow you to to perform more repetitions with a given weight. This will increase the time under tension, thus increasing the recruitment of muscle fibres, which will in turn increase the number of fibres stimulated. It also prevents your body from relying on another energy system called glycolysis, which has lactic acid as a byproduct. Lactic acid creates the burning sensation you feel during intense exercise.
When NANO Creatine was released I remember one of the key marketing points was that it did not require a transporter. So why have you added Dextrose and released a new product called HPC which contradicts this?
The New NANO HPC is more than just a product that has dextrose added into it. If you have a look at the science that has gone into the New HPC formula you will realise it does not contradict anything. A little known fact, in regards to creatine, that gets lost in all the hype promoted by other companies with their creatine formula’s, is that creatine uptake within cells is sodium dependent and not insulin dependent. Not only that, it has also been proven that sodium is one of the main mineral electrolytes that becomes depleted during exercise interfering with exercise performance. HPC incorporates adequate sodium levels within its electrolyte ingredients, along with potassium and magnesium, to ensure optimum creatine uptake and fluid hydration. In addition, it is also a well known fact, that insulin spiking has been related to increased nutrient and fluid uptake within muscle cells. This may relate to creatine but it is more related to other nutritents such as proteins. An effective insulin spike can easily be achieved through consuming high glycemic (GI ) carbohydrates. The higher the GI, the higher the insulin spike. With this in mind, HPC incorporates Pharmaceutical Grade Dextrose, which has been used extensively in scientific research as a insulin spiking agent. Taurine has also been added to the formula because of its Insulin like effects in regards to nutrient uptake within muscle cells. This formula has been devised as a performance sports drink with the added features of NANO Creatine. The ingredients in HPC have not been added to NANO Creatine to increase its performance.In fact it's the opposite. The NANO Creatine has been added to HPC to enhance its performance.
In your new NANO HPC you have added B group Vitamins. How do B vitamins help with increasing performance and put on lean muscle mass?
B group Vitamins are mostly known to be essential for general health, disease protection and for relieving stress. But most people overlook their performance enhancing effects. In their most bio-active form, B group Vitamins play an important role as energy producing co-enzymes which have a profound ergogenic and anabolic effect within muscle cells. They are essential for carbohydrate and fat metabolism, protein synthesis, DNA repair and resynthesis and regeneration of the body's main fuel, ATP ( Adenisone Tri-Phosphate ). Unfortuneately, being a water soluble nutrient, B Vitamins can be rapidly lost through sweat and urine. A deficiency in B Vitamins will cause a decrease in your performance through muscle weakness. Having HPC before, during and after your workout will ensure adequate supply of B group Vitamins for continuous energy supply allowing for maximum performance and recovery.
You promote that you use Creatine from Germany, in your HPC and the base material which NANO Creatine is produced from. What's the difference between German Creatine and other creatine from other countries?
German companies are known world wide for their qualitiy and dedication when it comes to producing a product. Take Mercedes Benz and BMW as an example. The same quality goes into their materials they produce for the sports industry. Their Creatine is second to none when it comes down to purity and the technology that goes into producing it. But as with the quality of anything, you pay a higher price to have the best. Other countries produce creatine, such as China and the USA, which are a lot cheaper in price than the German produced ones. But as we found, after testing batch after batch, these creatines from other countries are full of impurities which means either that the country has not the technology to produce a high quality creatine or they are just taking short cuts to produce a cheap product so they can make more profit. Either way it's bad for the industry, where stereo typing is ramped. ie;'creatine makes you have diarrhoea' , a high quality creatine will not give you diarrhoea! At ASN we have found the leaders in creatine technology and we are proud of our partnership with them.