A question I’ve seen asked a lot is, “Do natural bodybuilders take creatine?” or “What are the best supplements to take as a natural bodybuilder?” And if you’ve been having this same question, then don’t worry; I’ve got you covered…
Natural bodybuilders take creatine for the performance benefits it gives them in the gym. Creatine is a natural substance found in many meats and produced naturally in the body. It can help improve high-intensity, short-burst-of-energy styles of training.
This is the reason why this supplement is so popular with not just bodybuilders but many other athletes all over the industry.
Below, I’ll cover why bodybuilders and other athletes would want to take creatine, what other supplements are great for bodybuilding, and whether or not you will still be considered a natural bodybuilder after taking creatine.

Why Natural Bodybuilders Would Want To Take Creatine
As I’ve said earlier, bodybuilders and athletes alike can benefit from taking creatine because it helps increase your performance in the gym and can help with strength and muscle gains. And here’s how…
Creatine helps increase your body’s ability to produce ATP. ATP is your body’s preferred energy source whenever doing short bursts of high-intensity exercise. This allows you to have an increase in endurance and performance during your training sessions.
Simply put…
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is used For muscle contraction…
And it is used whenever you need an intense amount of power or strength in a short amount of time. But it gets used up very quickly and your body needs time in order to create more of it.
Think of sprinting as fast as you can. You can sprint for a good 6-10 seconds, but eventually, you’ll slow down…

After a short rest, you’ll be able to sprint for another short burst. This is how ATP is used in your body.
So, when you take creatine, it helps increase and improve this process…
That’s why people claim creatine will help you perform better in the gym, and it helps improve your endurance in the gym. This is also why it’s so popular with bodybuilders, powerlifers, weightlifters, etc…
Their entire workout in the gym is about focusing on muscle contraction and short bursts of intense energy.
And if you can improve performance in the gym while improving your nutrition and recovery. Then that is the recipe for better fitness gains overall…
But creatine isn’t the only supplement bodybuilders like to use. So, let’s talk about the top supplements for natural bodybuilding…

Top Supplements Besides Creatine That’s Great For Natural Bodybuilding
In my opinion, there are 3 things you need to focus on as a natural bodybuilder in order to make the most progress in the gym. And those 3 things are training, nutrition, and recovery.
If any one of those aspects is out of whack, you can find yourself in a plateau and not making any progress at all…
You already know creatine can help you with training. It can help improve your workouts, help you with better endurance, and reduce fatigue in the gym.
But there are other supplements that can help with training, recovery, and nutrition as well. Below are my top 3 picks for the other supplements that can help you with your training, recovery, and nutrition.

Whey Protein
Whey protein is probably the building block of any supplement stack…
This supplement can help you hit your protein intake easily, which helps you with your muscle-building, recovery, and retention needs. I always recommend you get your protein sources from whole foods like chicken, steak, pork, etc.
But I understand this can be hard to do, which is why taking a protein supplement can be so convenient. And it’s so important to hit your protein goals while being on a cut or bulk in order to get results you can be proud of…
So make sure you use a good quality protein, and it doesn’t hurt to choose a product that tastes great, too!
My favorite protein has to be Gorilla Mind’s protein line. You can check the price on Amazon here.
You can’t go wrong with 25g of protein per serving and 30 servings per tub…

Pre-Workout
Pre-workout is not a necessary supplement. But it can help give you a boost of energy, focus, better pumps, and endurance in the gym.
I personally love taking pre-workouts with stimulants. But you want to be careful about this, especially if you have evening workouts. And if you’ve never taken pre workout before, then be sure to read this post on: what does pre-workout feel like.
You’ll learn what to expect and different types of pre-workouts you can use for different situations…
Also, there are pre-workouts on the market that already contain creatine monohydrate in them.
This saves you money from having to buy an additional supplement.
My favorite pre-workout with creatine is this one on Amazon.
ZMA
Last but not least is ZMA.
ZMA is great for bodybuilding because it helps with your sleep and recovery. The fastest way to plateau in the gym is by not having the right nutrition and not having proper sleep and recovery from your training sessions.
This is why I recommend ZMA to help you get a better night’s sleep.
And this concludes my list of other supplements that natural bodybuilders can use. All of these supplements are desinged to help with either your nutrition, training in the gym, or recovery.
Which are the most important things to optimize in your fitness journey to make the most of the work you are putting in!
Now let’s talk about a big question I always see being asked about supplements like creatine…

Can You Be Natural If You Take Creatine
Another common question I’ve seen being asked around a lot in forums and on social media is, “Are you still natural if you take creatine?”…
You are still considered a natural when taking creatine. It is an approved substance by the NSCA, the Olympics, and WADA (World Anti-doping Association) and is safe to use for all athletes in all types of sports.
That means you can still proudly wear your natty card. And if you want a deep dive into this subject, you can check out this blog post on: if you take creatine are you still natural?
Keep in mind there are always going to be those types of people who claim any type of supplement is not natural because they are not naturally found in nature.

Final Thoughts On Do Natural Bodybuilders Take Creatine
Now, you should understand the reasons why natural bodybuilders take creatine. It’s a great natural supplement that can improve endurance and performance during your training in the gym.
Not only is it a great supplement, but you don’t have to worry about losing your natty card when taking creatine…
Also, you’ve learned about the other 3 supplements natural bodybuilders can take to help with their nutrition, training, and recovery.
I hope I was able to answer all your questions in this post and provide you with some valuable information about creatine and natural bodybuilding.
Thanks for reading, and I wish you the best on your fitness journey!
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