You're throwing money away on creatine? Arnold warns against fake creatine!

If you ask most people why they take creatine, you'll hear the same reasons: more muscle, more strength, better performance. But when it comes to post-workout recovery, many assume that creatine either doesn't do anything at all or simply makes you feel less muscle strain.

But new research shows that the truth is a little different.

What did the researchers find?

In a recent controlled study, 20 healthy participants were given either 3 grams of creatine monohydrate per day or a placebo, for 28 days. Then, both groups underwent specific training designed to cause measurable muscle damage.

The recovery results surprised in what ways the two groups differed, and in what ways they did not differ at all:

Functionality vs. Feeling

How is it possible that strength returns faster, but muscles hurt exactly the same?

Scientists believe it's due to creatine's role in energy metabolism and anti-inflammatory signaling. Once you have more available phosphocreatine in your body, the "repair machines" in your muscles can work much more efficiently and get you ready for the next load faster.

It only means one thing: You may not feel the difference, but your body will be able to train sooner. For someone who exercises several times a week or toils at high intensity, this is a major advantage.

Be careful what you buy

You only need 3 grams of creatine a day to get these benefits. But choosing the right supplement is crucial. A recent analysis of 175 brands showed that a full 88% of them use forms of creatine that have insufficient evidence of their efficacy or safety.

If you want to be sure, stick to these rules:

• Buy only creatine monohydrate.
• Look for brands with independent certification (e.g. NSF Certified or Informed Sport).
• A safe bet is a brand using Creapure creatine, which meets the strictest lab standards and guarantees 99.9% purity.