It seems that Creatine is everywhere these days. Everyone who is into muscle growth is using it. But can you get big without Creatine? Is the old-school way of diet and exercise dead? Answers to these questions are coming up!
Table of Contents
Whether you are a fitness expert or a newbie in the gym, Creatine is a common word that you must have heard about when it comes to muscle building. Creatine supplements have gained popularity due to their multiple benefits for muscle mass and muscle strengthening.
But can you build muscle without Creatine? This is a frequent question that comes to our forums from athletes and newbies alike. The answer is yes; you can get big muscles without taking creatine supplements.
Creatine supplements will only help you gain 5 percent extra muscle growth; the remaining 95 percent can be achieved with regular muscle training and eating healthy foods responsible for muscle gain.
Let us talk about:
- The role of Creatine, and how it helps you get big.
- What can we do for muscle growth without Creatine?
- Valid reasons why you should not take Creatine?
The Role of Creatine in “Getting Big”
Creatine is a natural amino acid produced by the body. This amino acid is mainly stored in muscles, and the rest is found in the brain and kidneys.
When you take creatine supplements, there comes the point when the body reaches the saturation of carrying Creatine in the muscles. The remaining Creatine is used as energy for giving a better performance during weight lifting and other muscle-building exercises.
When your muscles are full of Creatine, it helps you to revive quicker from muscle loss and work harder in training sessions. Creatine supplements help in promoting muscle strength and lean muscle growth.
What Can We Do for Muscle Growth Without Creatine?
People have been getting big when no one even knew what Creatine was. So yes, you can get big without Creatine.
Bodybuilders for decades have been building muscles and ripped bodies without using creatine supplements. So, you can easily get big muscles without Creatine as people did in the good old days.
Many training elements play an important role in muscle growth, but perfectly following them is hard. So, people fall into shortcuts like creatine supplements instead of following the basics:
- Nutrition
- Resistance training
- Proper sleep
#1. Nutrition
If you want to build a great body, it is important to follow balanced nutrition in your everyday diet to grow muscles.
Nutrition is one of the important things you must take care of while promoting your muscle growth. It is a reason for muscle loss, which is the opposite of what you want. To grow your muscles, consume more calories than you burn.
A calorie surplus is necessary to grow muscles naturally. If you do not eat enough calories, the body tends to use stored calories for energy.
Apart from consuming enough calories, you need to make sure you consume calories from the right sources to get essential nutrients for developing muscles. Here are food items you should concentrate on while you develop muscles:
- Food items that are rich in protein like eggs, cheese, meat, and other poultry items.
- Carbohydrates provide you with enough energy.
Also, do not forget to add fruits and vegetables to your diet. Whether you are taking Creatine or not, it becomes hard to achieve muscle growth without a proper healthy diet.
#2. Resistance Training
Resistance training, as the name suggests, is working on acting against a force applied to your body. Resistance training can be done in various ways: traditionally, people used to use dumbbells, but now we have resistance bands, resistance balls, and so much more.
In weight training, one of these mechanisms moves against the limb that you want to exercise. Your body has to counteract the force being applied to it, which challenges your muscles and makes them grow.
Common ways of resistance training are:
- Suspension trainers
- Dumbbells
- Weight machines
- Resistance bands
- Sandbags and balls
#3. Sleep
As per studies, sleep plays an important role in building muscles. If one is not able to have a proper sleep or there is a lack of sleep, your muscle growth gets hampered.
Whether you take Creatine or not, do resistance training or not; if you don’t sleep eight hours a day, your muscles will never grow to their full potential.
Sleep has a positive impact on muscle growth because muscles need proper rest time to recover and repair the damage, and this process is done when there is a proper sleep pattern and good sleep quality.
Valid Reasons WhyTaking Creatine May Not Help You Build Muscles
Creatine supplements are not for everyone. They are not the only way to build muscles. In fact, there are many reasons why you might not want to use them at all. I have listed some of these reasons below:
#1. Stomach Sensitivities
If you already have gastrointestinal issues, there are high chances of facing stomach issues by consuming a creatine supplement. While the supplement is natural and safe to use, it is important to avoid taking it if you already have issues.
Definitely, nobody would want to put our health on the stack while building muscles. So consider it one of the main reasons why you should avoid having creatine supplements.
#2. Not Ideal for Beginner strength Training
If you are a newbie in strength training, many factors could be responsible for your progress, like age, body weight, nutrition, and many more.
Also, studies say newbies gain strength and muscles faster than experts. As your body adapts to the changes, it quickly shows you muscle growth progress. Creatine is beneficial if you have crossed the beginner stage and moved to an advanced stage of weight training.
#3. Poor Nutrition habits
Before you take any creatine supplement, it is important to know that you get proper nutrition from your diet. Taking Creatine without adequate calories and proteins would not let you build muscles.
#4. Sub Optimal Sleep Habits
Sleep habits have a massive impact on your muscle strength and growth. Having proper sleep habits will help you have the better muscle strength and muscle mass. So in case you are not able to have proper sleep quality or proper sleeping habits, do not spend on creatine supplements.
#5. Your Budget
Creatine supplements are expensive, and for your muscle growth, you need to add up Creatine every month or week.
So if you are tight on your budget, do not fall out of creatine supplements. Luckily there are many ways to build muscle without spending an extra cost on Creatine.
#6. Medical Conditions
If you already have any medical conditions or are going through some treatment, it is not advisable to take a creatine supplement to grow your muscles. As Creatine puts pressure on your kidneys and liver, so avoid taking them in case of kidney problems.
When Should You Consider Creatine for Muscle Growth?
Before you take a creatine supplement, there are a number of factors that you must consider. There are higher possibilities that you reach a point where you require Creatine to help you achieve your fitness goal. Perhaps, the following are a few factors:
- When the gain process has slowed down and you have reached a training plateau.
- You have upgraded your training intensity and want an extra assistant.
- After having proper nutrition and sleep, you are failing to get proper results, then go for a creatine supplement.
Answers to Commonly Asked Questions
#1. Do you need Creatine to get big?
No, Creatine is not the only way to get big.
If you are an athlete or want big muscles, having Creatine is a great option as it gives you 5 percent extra strength in regards to muscle building and gains. Creatine supplements are a wise decision for muscle growth.
However, there is no substitute for hard work, a solid diet, and good sleep. Creatine will be of no use if you don’t do your reps, if you don’t eat your proteins and if you don’t get your eight hours of sleep every day. On the other hand, you can still get big if you do all this and not take Creatine.
#2. Will muscles shrink without Creatine?
If you are planning to stop Creatine, you may face slight shrinkage in muscle density, though this is not going to be as much as is the case with steroids and protein supplements.
Many consumers have experienced muscle loss as soon as they stopped taking creatine supplements. Your muscles will look smaller and less dense if you discontinue Creatine.
#3. Can you get stronger without Creatine?
Yes, you can get stronger with the help of Creatine. You need to incorporate many factors to build muscles, such as a balanced and nutritious diet and a carefully regimented workout schedule.
A Few Final Words
I hope you can conclude from the information that we provided that you don’t always need Creatine to grow big in the gym. A good diet, intense resistance training, and proper sleep will go a long way even if you are not taking creatine supplements.
That said, Creatine is a safe and healthy way to grow your muscles, and taking it will only help add to the efforts that you are making for yourself. So yes, people who are taking Creatine also have a point.
At the end of the day, it’s your choice – whether you want to go old-fashioned, or you want to get a bit of extra help. If you liked what we had to tell you, please share it on social media and help others realize which path is best for them!