Today, creatine monohydrate is widely used in many sports, not just bodybuilding (including by football players, weightlifters, and runners).
There are a huge number of recommendations on how to properly take creatine, from sellers, manufacturers, professionals, and scientists. The cost of a year-long creatine course can vary by tens of times depending on different methods, while the effect remains the same.
Below, we will discuss what scientists say about how to properly take creatine, show cases when taking creatine may be useless and how to combat this, as well as provide answers to some common myths.
Main thoughts:
Creatine is a natural supplement widely used in many sports to increase peak exercise performance and muscle mass gain.
The secret of its action lies in increasing the energy storage in muscles, which allows for faster recovery between sets and more effective muscle performance during short-duration exercises. To learn more about what creatine is and how it works, read our article Creatine in bodybuilding: what it is and what it is needed for?
Creatine is indeed effective, but it is not a cheap supplement (as is the case with all sports nutrition). Its naturalness and the resulting apparent harmlessness often lead to uncontrolled consumption based on the principle of “the more, the better.” If you do NOT take creatine correctly, at the very least, you will flush a significant amount of money down the toilet (I will show you how much below), and at most, you will test the likelihood of creatine side effects on yourself.
Let’s figure out how to do it right.
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The cost of a year-long creatine course can vary significantly depending on the intake methods
First, there are a huge number of recommendations on how to take creatine: from manufacturers, professionals, scientists, and sellers.
The recommended figures in different methods vary greatly.
To illustrate the situation, let’s provide an example.
The table below compares the cost of a year-long creatine course (to better feel the difference) based on four of the most common methods today. Compare the differences in quantity and cost: the difference between the “cheapest” and “most expensive” methods reaches 6 times! (In the calculation, the price of 33 g of creatine is taken as 1$ (1 kg ~ 30$), according to a popular Russian online store.)
| Cost calculation of creatine for 1 year based on four different intake methods |
|---|
| Cycle duration – 6 weeks (42 days) “Loading” phase – 5 days “Maintenance” phase – 30 days “Unloading” phase – 7 days Calculation for 9 cycles (54 weeks, ~ 1 year) |
| Method 1 Recommended by most manufacturers
“Loading” phase: 25 g x 5 days = 125 g
“Maintenance” phase: 5 g x 30 days = 150 g Total for 1 cycle: 275 g / 33 = 8.3$ Total for 9 cycles (~1 year): 8.3$ * 9 = 74.7$ |
Method 2 Described in the popular magazine “Creatine Nature’s Muscle Builder,” dedicated to the applications of creatine for muscle mass gain and increased training intensity. Calculation for a 95 kg male, average fitness level
Loading phase: 17 g x 5 days = 85 g
Maintenance phase: 9 g x 30 days = 270 g Total for 1 cycle: 355 g / 33 = 10.8$ Total for 9 cycles (~1 year): 10.8$ * 9 = 97.2$ |
| Method 3 Recommended by scientists scheme
Loading phase: 20 g x 5 days = 100 g
Maintenance phase: 2 g x 30 days = 60 g Total for 1 cycle: 160 g / 33 = 4.8$ Total for 9 cycles (~1 year): 4.8$ * 9 = 43.2$ |
| Method 4 A real example. Method used by one of the athletes and described in “Creatine Nature’s Muscle Builder.” Cycle – 10 weeks, 4 training days per week
Loading phase: 40 g x 7 days = 280 g
Maintenance phase: 18 g x 27 days = 486 g (rest days), 24 g x 36 days = 864 g (training days) Total for 1 cycle: 1630 g / 33 = 49.4$ Total for 5 cycles (~1 year): 49.4$ * 5 = 247$ |
The cost of creatine varies by 2-6 times when taken according to different popular methods; the cheapest method recommended by scientists is as effective as the most expensive one
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Scientific facts on how to best take creatine
All modern recommendations on how to properly take creatine are based on the results of Harris’s research with colleagues 9 and similar experiments. The scientists aimed to determine which dosages are the most effective, how to best take creatine, and how quickly its level decreases after stopping intake. The results of their research are as follows:
If creatine is taken frequently in small doses of 5 g 4-6 times a day, it accumulates in the muscles significantly better than with a single large dose (20 g).
This is explained by the fact that frequent small doses help maintain creatine levels in the blood for a long time. With a large dose, the concentration of creatine in the blood sharply increases, but a large part of it breaks down before it can be absorbed, as the lifespan of creatine is short.
The effect of taking creatine is maximal for those whose initial level is low. In particular, this applies to vegetarian athletes (vegans), as their diet lacks animal products – the natural source of creatine.
From this, another logical conclusion follows: for athletes who consume meat, taking an expensive creatine supplement may be useless, as their muscle tissue already has a high level of it.
A small dose of creatine (1 g of creatine monohydrate) provides a weak effect.
If creatine is taken at 20 g/day for 6 days, its level will rise to 20%-50% by the sixth day; after that, it will very slowly decrease back to the initial level over ~30 days.
If creatine is taken at 20 g/day for 6 days, and then 2 g/day, by day 28 its level will be maintained high.
If creatine is taken in small doses of 3 g/day for 28 days (without a “loading phase”), by day 28 its concentration will be the same as if taken at 20 g/day for the first six days (loading phase), and then 2 g/day (maintenance phase).
That is, in the long term, both methods are equally effective (with “loading” and without). The advantage of “loading” is that it allows for a quick (within one week) achievement of a high level of creatine in the muscles and then maintaining it.
Regular intake in small doses gradually increases the creatine content.
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Creatine intake does not always yield results
Researchers have clearly shown that additional use of creatine in the form of a special supplement does not always lead to an increase in its content in the muscles 8,9: athletes who initially have a low level of it are more effective at accumulating it in their muscles when they start taking it as a supplement.
For those who have an initially very high level, the effect is minimal, or it may not exist at all.
About 30% of people belong to the second group! Especially athletes whose diet includes a lot of red meat and fish.
For them, additional creatine intake will be practically useless. (But even for them, there are some tricks on how to take creatine to bypass this limitation. Read on).
Most studies emphasize the greater benefit of creatine intake for young people, compared to the elderly. However, there is experimental evidence of benefits for elderly people over 65, for whom creatine intake (5 g/day) contributed to an increase in total body mass, muscle mass, and strength during regular physical activity 10.
Since plant-based foods do not contain creatine, vegetarians often have low levels of it, and their bodies respond very well to additional intake 12.
Creatine is also actively accumulated in untrained and atrophied muscles. One study showed that young people with partial muscle atrophy recovered faster after removing a cast if they took creatine 11.
The effect of creatine supplementation is more pronounced in individuals with initially low levels, particularly in vegetarians. If the initial level is high, there may be no effect at all.
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How to properly take creatine: the most effective method based on scientific data
There are two schemes for taking creatine: with “loading” and without “loading”.
Most often, manufacturers, sellers, and bodybuilders recommend taking creatine cyclically, i.e., periodically changing the doses.
Cyclicality implies a phase of “loading”, “maintenance”, and “deloading”.
The generally accepted duration of a creatine cycle is 4-5 or 8-10 weeks. Scientific studies question the necessity of cyclicality and “deloading”.
Phase 1: “Loading” with creatine
This is the initial phase, its purpose is to quickly increase creatine stores in the muscles.
The loading phase makes sense if you are just starting.
Start with a dose of 5 g 4-6 times a day for 4-5 days. This will allow for a significant increase in its content in the muscles quickly. For an accurate individual calculation, use 0.3 grams per kilogram of body weight as a basis. This is the “loading” phase.
Do not overdo it. Some athletes take a dose of up to 42 g (!) during this phase based on the principle of “the more, the better.” There is no sense in this.
Important: You can achieve an increase in creatine levels WITHOUT the “loading” phase, with small doses of 3 g per day. In this case, the increase in concentration will be gradual and will reach the same level as with the “loading” phase after four weeks 6.
Creatine can be taken with or without “loading.” “Loading” allows for a rapid (within 1 week) increase in its concentration in the muscles. Without loading, the concentration will rise slowly but will reach the same level in 4 weeks.
Phase 2: “Maintenance”
At this stage, the dose is reduced to a level sufficient to only maintain the high level of creatine achieved during the “loading” phase.
After the “loading” phase, to maintain the achieved level, it is sufficient to take 2 g of creatine per day (manufacturers recommend 5-10 g) 4.
A larger dose may be recommended for those with a higher body mass. For individual calculation, base it on 0.03 g per kg of body weight.
The generally accepted duration is 3-8 weeks, with the recommended dose size by the manufacturer being 5 g 1-2 times a day. This dosage is the most common among athletes, but in reality, it varies from 1-24 grams.
Unjustifiably high excessive doses lead to an increase in the amount of creatine excreted in urine, financial costs, do not contribute to more effective accumulation in muscles, and likely increase the risk of harm to health.
In the maintenance phase, manufacturers recommend 5-10 g of creatine per day, while scientists say that 2 g is sufficient.
Phase 3: “Unload”
In the third phase, the athlete stops taking creatine for 1 week. After this phase, the cycle repeats.
Manufacturers often explain the need for cyclicity by stating that continuous intake of creatine may lead to the body “forgetting” how to synthesize it on its own.
This may be true, but the duration of the unloading phase of 1 week does not align with the fact that after stopping creatine intake, its level slowly recovers to baseline over ~4 weeks 4: after abstaining for 1 week, its level is still high enough to “restart” the dormant process of self-synthesis. What a dilemma.
However, if after one week of non-consumption, the athlete is made to take creatine again starting from the loading phase, it will increase sales (!), as the loading dose is significantly higher.
In our opinion, there is NO necessity for the “unloading” phase. It is pointless.
The “unloading” phase of creatine intake is most likely invented by manufacturers to increase sales. From a scientific point of view, it makes no sense.
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When is it better to take creatine, before or after a workout?
Scientific studies indicate that there is no significant difference in when to take creatine: before or after a workout.
In one experiment, bodybuilders took 5 g of creatine: one group immediately before, the other after strength training for 4 weeks. Muscle mass increased in both groups, and there was no significant difference between the two groups 13.
The same result was obtained in other studies 14.
Scientists, however, suggest that it is better to take creatine immediately AFTER training.
Another experiment showed that the timing of creatine intake, either just before or after training, significantly better stimulates muscle growth than if taken long before training (in the morning, for example, if training is in the evening) 15.
The effectiveness of creatine is much higher when taken immediately before or after training, rather than long before it. There is no significant difference in when to take creatine (before or after).
Recommendations for purchasing and using creatine from scientists
The following practical recommendations for purchasing and using creatine are provided by researchers from the independent scientific laboratory consumerlab.com, which studies the quality of various types of sports nutrition:
Take creatine with carbohydrates
Taking creatine with carbohydrates increases the degree of its absorption by muscle tissue.
It can be dissolved in sports energy drinks consumed during training or taken just before a meal.
There is no need to purchase and consume special carbohydrate supplements to improve creatine absorption.
The correctness of this approach is confirmed by scientific research. Studies indicate a significant improvement in absorption rates when creatine is used in conjunction with carbohydrates (from 30% to 100%) 1,2.
As mentioned earlier, the effectiveness of creatine loading is largely determined by its initial level. However, scientists have shown that consuming carbohydrates along with creatine stimulates its accumulation even if its initial level is high.
That is, creatine + carbohydrates = the secret to increasing its concentration for athletes with an initially HIGH level.
Consuming carbohydrates after taking creatine, after some time, does not yield the same result. That is, the simultaneous intake is crucial.
Scientists from the Consunerlab.com portal make a small note regarding carbohydrates: “…research shows that the effectiveness of creatine accumulation in muscle tissue depends on the presence of sodium, not carbohydrates“; this implies that there is no need to take sugars and carbohydrates with creatine 7.
Using creatine together with carbohydrates significantly improves the accumulation effect: this is the secret to further increasing creatine levels even for athletes who already have a high level.
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Training improves creatine accumulation in muscles
Intensive sports training while taking creatine contributes to better accumulation in the muscles.
Avoid high doses during the “maintenance” phase
Some athletes consume 24 g per day during this phase. There is no basis for this: it is a waste of money, does not lead to further increases in creatine concentration, and can be harmful to health.
The liquid form of creatine is the worst
Since creatine is well absorbed, there is a slight advantage to buying in liquid form compared to capsules or tablets.
But keep in mind that creatine is unstable in water and, as shown by laboratory analysis, the liquid form of creatine is the LEAST quality: it often has degraded creatine.
If you are using creatine in powder form, dissolving it in water, it is very important to consume it within 10 minutes after preparation, as creatine begins to break down immediately upon contact with water.
Liquid creatine is easier to absorb, but it often has low quality. When diluted in water, it is important to consume creatine within 10 minutes after preparation
The best form of creatine is creatine monohydrate
Keep in mind that different types of creatine contain different actual amounts of free, usable creatine.
For example, creatine monohydrate (the most common form in supplements) contains 88% creatine, while creatine ethyl ester ~86%, creatine HCl ~ 79%, dicreatine malate and tricarboxylic malate about 70%, creatine ethyl phosphate ~62%, and creatine AKG ~ 47.5%.
Thus, the highest concentration of creatine is characteristic of monohydrate.
Among all types of creatine, monohydrate has the highest concentration of active substance and is therefore considered the best
Read the labels
Ideally, the product label should indicate the amount of creatine per serving and the form of dosage (e.g., powder, drink mix, liquid, capsules, or tablets).
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Compare prices, considering the actual amount of creatine in the product
The amount of creatine monohydrate in powdered products usually ranges from 100 to 500 grams (1 gram = 1000 mg) per container, while the amount in liquid products can be as little as 5 to 60 grams per bottle.
Do not trust branded/patented forms of creatine
Keep in mind that the terms “complex” or “branded/patented blend” often do not disclose the actual amount of creatine (or other active ingredients). Prefer supplements that clearly state the amount of creatine and its form on the labels.
For example:
The common form of creatine KreAlkalyn is marketed by the manufacturer as “ten times more powerful than regular creatine”, but a small study (commissioned by one of the creatine monohydrate manufacturers) showed that it is NOT more effective than creatine monohydrate 5.
Also, check the offered serving size, which can vary greatly: from less than 250 milligrams to more than 20 g (20000 mg). Find a product that provides the necessary dose at the lowest price.
When taking creatine, it is important to drink at least 8 cups of water a day
Common myths about how to take creatine
Myth: Creatine and protein
A common recommendation not to take creatine and protein together HAS NO scientific basis.
Creatine naturally occurs in meat. Meat is muscle tissue, which consists of protein. It is absurd to think that protein neutralizes the action of creatine.
At the same time, it is clear that the combination of creatine + gainer is one of the most optimal for increasing the absorption of creatine and ensuring muscle growth.
Myth: Creatine and juice
There is also a myth that it is better not to use citrus juice (like orange juice) to dissolve creatine because the acid hinders its absorption.
This myth is easily debunked: if creatine can withstand acid processing in the stomach, then it can certainly “survive” in the environment of orange juice.
Myth: Creatine and caffeine
It has also been shown that caffeine does NOT interfere with the absorption of creatine. (Recall that caffeine is found in coffee and tea, and is a key ingredient in many energy drinks and fat burners.)
Myth: If you miss a day of taking creatine, muscle mass will decrease
The myth that missing a day of taking creatine will lead to a decrease in muscle mass is unfounded.
As mentioned earlier, the concentration of creatine in muscles decreases very slowly, over the course of weeks, so there is no need to take a double dose the next day 4.
Common myths that creatine and protein, creatine and juice, creatine and caffeine are poorly absorbed have no scientific confirmation
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Conclusion
There are many schemes for taking creatine, the costs of which vary greatly.
Creatine can be taken with a “loading” phase or without it. In the first case, its concentration in the muscles can be quickly increased (within a week), while in the second, it grows gradually and reaches the same level as in the “loading” scheme after four weeks.
There is no need for cyclicity (in particular, a “deload” phase) when taking creatine.
Creatine is better absorbed when taken with carbohydrates.
Common opinions that creatine should not be taken with protein, citrus juice, and caffeine are nothing more than myths.
