HOW TO TAKE CREATINE: CLEARING UP THE CONFUSION!
HOW TO TAKE CREATINE: CLEARING UP THE CONFUSION!
You might think that most of the research on creatine would focus on whether it works or not. But at this point, it’s pretty clear: it works!
For most people, creatine supplements help increase muscle mass and strength, improve their training, and help them recover better between training sessions. Next question!
This “next question” is where the confusion usually starts. How should I take creatine for the best results? Is a loading phase necessary? Is it better with carbohydrates or proteins? The questions go on and on.
If you want to delve into the benefits and the science, check the bibliography at the bottom of the page, but if you’re looking for the quick and dirty guide to taking this essential supplement the right way, you’re in the right place. Let’s try to clear up some of the confusion!
CONSISTENCY IN TAKING IT MATTERS MOST! For every person taking creatine the right way, there are probably two who don’t. This is a pity because the best ways to take it (and there’s more than one way) are all very simple.
“Creatine is not readily assimilated in the muscles as many people would think,” says Darryn Willoughby, Ph.D. It takes a while to saturate the muscle.
For this reason, if you’ve simply used a pre-workout or a protein that contains creatine monohydrate a couple of times a week, hoping it would be enough to help you become huge… it probably isn’t. Unfortunately.
With this in mind, you have two options to get your creatine blood levels where they need to be: the loading protocol and the daily low-dose protocol. Here are the pros and cons of each.
METHOD 1: CREATINE LOADING The most common way to use this supplement is to start with a “loading phase,” designed to completely saturate the muscle stores. Then, they move on to a “maintenance phase” where they take lower daily doses to keep levels where they need to be.
How to take creatine Pro: It works! Adam Gonzalez, Ph.D., a researcher and natural bodybuilder, for example, prefers the loading approach.
“The research has shown that the most effective way to rapidly increase intramuscular creatine concentrations is a loading method,” he explains. “A typical loading protocol consists of consuming high doses, such as 20-25 grams a day, divided between 4-5 daily doses, for 5-7 days. Following the loading protocol, athletes can generally maintain muscle stores with a daily maintenance dose of 3-5 grams a day.”
Jose Antonio, Ph.D., the co-founder of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, also calls the loading protocol “something you should definitely do.”
Con: Possible side effects. Despite what some gym athletes might tell you, creatine will work perfectly fine without a loading protocol. And the standard loading protocol can be a bit unpleasant for some people.
“No, a loading protocol is not necessarily required,” admits Gonzalez. “And the larger daily dosage can cause gastrointestinal disturbances for some athletes.”
If you’re someone who tried monohydrate in the past but didn’t like the bloating or stomach upset that comes with it, then you should definitely try the daily low-dose approach.
METHOD 2: DAILY LOW-DOSE SUPPLEMENTATION The alternative method involves simply taking 3-5 grams of a creatine supplement every day, without loading. In about three weeks, this approach will bring your muscle levels to the same point as a loading protocol.
Maintenance phase. Pro: It’s simpler and still works. “With creatine becoming so popular, many people have ideas about the best way to take it to maximize its effect,” notes Willoughby, whose interest has been on a number of studies on creatine. His advice? “Simplicity, the most important thing is to take it every day.”
Willoughby reminds that taking 3-5 grams a day is “the most effective and simplest way to supplement.” Over time, this protocol has been shown to produce gains in strength and size on par with loading. [1-2]
Con: Possible lower levels and more time. Research has shown that loading might lead to overall higher levels, with an increase of 10-44%. [3] So, what if you get temporarily a bit bloated or a slight stomach ache? And some research has indicated that the loading phase doesn’t even need to be a week. It could only take 2-3 days and still be effective, as long as you nail the protocol and take 3-5 grams every day. [4-5]
Excellent for muscle strength, growth, and recovery
THE VERDICT: SHOULD I LOAD? Both approaches work, as long as you follow a “maintenance dose” of 3-5 grams a day consistently. It’s just a matter of preference, and the willingness to endure some mild discomfort.
When Should I Take Creatine? You have four options: before a workout, after, both, or “whenever.” Fitness journalist Adam Bornstein breaks down the options in his article “Before, After, or When: The Best Time to Take Creatine,” but the short answer is that all these methods can work.
Researchers have examined the differences between taking creatine at different times, and the differences were minor. For this reason, Bornstein, for example, says “take it whenever, as long as you do it.”
However, other researchers think there might be slight advantages to taking it at specific times. For example, Jim Stoppani, Ph.D., recommends taking it before and after a workout for maximum benefit.
Similarly, Jose Antonio, Ph.D., who co-authored a study on creatine timing in 2013, says there might be a slight advantage to taking it post-workout specifically.
However, Antonio adds that once you’ve taken creatine consistently enough to have full reserves in your muscles, it matters much less when you take it. Only if you don’t take it regularly does it seem to make a difference.
HOW DO I TAKE CREATINE?
Try Creatine Monohydrate Since it’s tasteless, odorless, and dissolves easily in any liquid, creatine monohydrate is perhaps the easiest supplement to take. Just pour a scoop into water, protein powder, amino acids, or anything else you drink during the day, stir, and drink. You won’t notice it at all!
Most scoops are 5 grams, which is a good dose for athletes of all sizes. If you’re relatively small or light, you can probably get away with 3 grams, or just over half of a normal scoop.
There’s some research showing increased absorption if taken with powdered carbohydrates or proteins, but it will work without these additives, as long as you take it consistently. [2] However, if you’re trying to do a short loading protocol, like 2-3 days instead of the usual 5-7, taking it with carbohydrates is probably a good idea.
One study showed that taking about 100 grams of carbohydrates with 5 grams of creatine increased total muscle creatine by 60% [5]. Another showed similar results taking 5 grams with about 50 grams of carbohydrates and 50 grams of protein: the equivalent of two scoops of protein and two bananas, a cup of grape juice, or a cup of cooked rice.
What Happens If I Miss a Day? Once you’ve reached saturation, whether with a loading protocol or consistent low-dose supplementation, don’t worry if you miss a day or two. Your levels can remain elevated for 4-6 weeks. [6,7]
Keep taking it and continue enjoying better workouts and results.
References and bibliography.
- Willoughby, DS, and Rosene, J. (2001). Effects of oral creatine and resistance training on myosin heavy chain expression. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 33(10), 1674-1681.
- Willoughby, DS, and Rosene, JM (2003). Effects of oral creatine and resistance training on myogenic regulatory factor expression. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 35(6), 923-929.
- Greenhaff, PL (2001, September). Muscle creatine loading in man: procedures and functional and metabolic effects. In Sixth International Conference on Guanidino Compounds in Biology and Medicine. Cincinnati, OH.
- Steenge, GR, Simpson, EJ, and Greenhaff, PL (2000). Protein- and carbohydrate-induced augmentation of whole body creatine retention. Journal of Applied Physiology, 89(3), 1165-1171.
- Green, AL, Hultman, E., Macdonald, IA, Sewell, DA, and Greenhaff, PL (1996). Carbohydrate ingestion augments skeletal muscle creatine accumulation during creatine supplementation in humans. American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology And Metabolism, 271(5), E821-E826.
- Vandenberghe, K., Goris, M., Van Hecke, P., Van Leemputte, M., Vangerven, L., & Hespel, P. (1997). Long-term creatine intake is beneficial to muscle performance during resistance training. Journal of Applied Physiology, 83(6), 2055-2063.
- Candow, DG, Chilibeck, PD, Chad, KE, Chrusch, MJ, Davison, KS, and Burke, DG (2004). Effect of ceasing creatine supplementation while maintaining resistance training in older men. Journal of Aging and Physical Activity, 12(3), 219-231.