Creatine For BJJ: Why Should You Take This Supplement?

Efficient athletic performance not only depends on physical activities but also depends on what the fighter takes inside the body. In the fighters community, there is always continuous hype to take some supplements as a source of energy and to build muscle strength. Among all supplements, Creatine is widely used by fighters to elevate their body strength. But in the BJJ world, there is still a question that creates confusion among athletes: why should they take creatine for BJJ and what are the main benefits of creatine? If you are concerned to know the answer then this article is a definitive guide for you. You will not only learn about creatine but you will also get familiar with the benefits of taking creatine as a supplement for BJJ.

Creatine is a natural source of energy that constitutes 1% of total human blood volume. Creatine is composed of three amino acids which include glycine, L-methionine, and L-arginine. It is involved in the contraction of skeletal muscles. During strenuous activities, creatine acts as an energy booster for the muscles. Although 95% creatine is present in the human body, half of the body’s creatine amount comes from diet.

Due to its multiple benefits for the human body, Creatine is considered the best supplement for BJJ. Different types of creatine that are used as supplements include:

• Crea-Trona
• Creatine Monohydrate
• Creatine anhydrous
• Micronized creatine
• Creatine hydrochloride (creatine HCI)
• Buffered creatine
• Liquid Creatine
• Creatine phosphate

Various studies were conducted that reported the multiple benefits of creatine use as a supplement. All the athletes who are part of jiu-jitsu always have the priority to stay in shape and show their excellent grappling skills with improved efficiency. That’s why Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athletes use creatine as it increases muscle mass by speeding up the growth of muscles. BJJ Athletes always add creatine supplements to their daily workout routines as intake of creatine supplements improves their performance and gives them an instant source of energy so they never get tired even after long extensive periods of workouts. Results of various studies indicated that 12 to 20% of energy gets increased by the use of creatine supplements and the ratio of elevated power ranges from 12 to 26%.

Different athletes always have different priorities for taking the supplements but the most commonly used creatine supplement is creatine monohydrate. This form of creatine works magically for athletes as they get the desired energy after the high-intensity resistance workouts. Ultimately their muscle performance also gets increased to a greater extent. Creatine supplements are also suitable for muscle recovery. Intense rolling during Jiu-Jitsu fights is common so taking creatine as a supplement leads to successful recovery during training sessions.

Similarly different researchers also suggested some other benefits of creatine as a supplement as it also increases the storage of glycogen. Intake of creatine also improves the mental ability of BJJ fighters, as they need the best cognitive skills to focus on the game so the use of creatine is ideal for this purpose. It acts as a booster for mental strength. Your brain will also remain protected from the negative effects of Alzheimer's, dementia, or any other neurological disorder.

The standard dosage of Creatine for BJJ is 5g per day which is approximately equal to 1 tablespoon. If you decrease the quantity of creatine then you will also experience the benefits in those cases if you have the intake of red meat. Loading the quantity of creatine is never recommended but if you are planning to participate in any BJJ tournament and you have no time to build the muscles then in that case you can increase the quantity of creatine up to 15g. Otherwise, 5g per day is worth taking for BJJ.

Undoubtedly, Creatine as a supplement is the main part of BJJ. There is not any proven reason that will stop you from taking creatine as a supplement as it exhibits various benefits including increased muscle contraction, muscle power, improved efficiency, and better muscle recovery. So if you are a jiu-jitsu athlete and want to achieve your fitness goals then you can take creatine as the BJJ supplement.