In the end, you’ll discover that creatine is actually an incredibly straight forward supplement to use, but I’d still suggest reading this article all the way through as you’ll learn some valuable info along the way and it will explain the truth behind many common creatine myths and misconceptions you might be wondering about. The result is likely less bloat, but a longer loading period duration. If you take creatine and start with a 5 grams/day dose, it will take a few weeks for these stores to become saturated. Some people recommend this approach by claiming that it will maximize the effects of the creatine or that it is necessary in order to “give the body a rest”, but the reality is that creatine cycling is simply a waste of time and effort. The question of “when to take creatine” really just comes down to personal preference. IS 30 REPS PER SET EFFECTIVE FOR BUILDING MUSCLE? If you’re not careful in tracking your carb intake, those calories can very easily add up over time. Finally, the last topic to touch on is whether or not creatine is beneficial for women. Creatine is an organic acid that helps to supply energy to cells, particularly to muscle cells. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments below and I’ll be happy to help. Mixing creatine with simple sugars may allow for faster absorption, but again, faster absorption doesn’t really give you any advantage. Proper creatine supplementation is a topic surrounded by a ton of misinformation, mostly perpetuated by shady supplement companies looking to cash in by selling you over-priced “breakthrough” form of creatine, or by people who are simply uninformed and end up spreading false info without even realizing it. Now, there’s two main recommendations that you probable … The creatine your body will use in the upcoming workout will come from the creatine phosphate stores already in the cells, not from the creatine you just ingested. No need to cycle. To do this, it is recommended that you take 20 g of creatine (monohydrate) for five consecutive days. Usually the most common way people will take creatine is to start off with a loading phase which is designed to fully saturate the muscle's stores of creatine, then move onto a maintenance phase where you will lower the dose to keep levels where they need to be. A large part of this is because even more so than men, women tend to cut red meat out of their diet quite frequently, thus their natural stores do tend to be more reduced. Take your creatine container and measure exactly 5 grams (most products have a scoop inside them, so use that – if there’s no scoop, use your teaspoon) Put the powder in a cup. The problem with creatine monohydrate is with its absorption. Creatine is an amino acid that our bodies store in our muscles and brain to use as a natural energy source. Almost anyone involved in bodybuilding and fitness has heard of creatine before. It is not known whether creatine will harm an unborn baby. Just check the label on your creatine supplement to easily find this information. Creatine degrades in water over time into its waste product creatinine, which is useless in the body and will simply be excreted. Overview Information Creatine is a chemical that is found in the body. Ever since the original creatine monohydrate was released back in the 1990’s, a whole slew of “new and improved” creatine products have come along with it. The body produces some of the creatine it uses. Secondly, creatine produces a slight increase in overall muscle fullness by drawing additional water into the muscle cells for a thicker, harder appearance. You’ll generally come across 2 main recommendations when it comes to the question of creatine timing…. Creatine plays an important role in energy production in the body. When it comes to dieting, since you're more focused on fat loss rather than strength and muscular gains, it doesn't seem to quite fit. Frequently Asked Questions And just as you are beginning to get confused, weight lifter C walks up and he swears by something else. Again, just take 3-5 grams of creatine once per day on a continuous basis. My simple recommendation is to purchase a 100% creatine monohydrate powder in the form of “Creapure”, and avoid all of these other so-called “advanced” forms that will do nothing more than unnecessarily drain your wallet. Creatine use can improve performance in high-intensity events (e.g., weight training, sprints, etc). First, they’ll point out a bunch of supposed “problems” associated with creatine monohydrate. If you want the honest, straight ahead truth about how to take creatine properly, this “definitive guide” will teach you everything you need to know in order to get the very most out of your creatine supplementation, and while saving you money at the same time. Here, we highlight some of the other notable effects that it has on the body: 1. Bodybuilding.com℠ and BodySpace® are trademarks of Bodybuilding.com. If you don’t know, here’s what creatine loading is. So, when is the best time to take creatine? No need to mix with high sugar juice or in warm water. This is an important point which we will discuss in a section below. As far as timing, you have some leeway. After your loading phase, you’ll take 5 grams every day at any given time. The most common of these include “poor absorption rate”, “bloating”, “upset stomach” and “cramping”. Creatine may pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Mix your creatine with whatever you want. Also keep in mind that there is no need to perform a “creatine cycle” by periodically going “on” and “off” of your creatine supplement every few weeks or months. This means that it will take a few weeks for the creatine to start making and effect on your muscles. The creatine supplement has shown proven results of increased stamina for high intensity exercises. Creatine use is also likely to trigger asthma or allergic reactions in people who are sensitive to creatine or predisposed to allergies. Context: The use of creatine as a dietary supplement has become increasingly popular over the past several decades. Just take 3-5 grams of 100% creatine monohydrate (sourced as “Creapure”) once per day on a continual basis, at any time you prefer, and mixed in any liquid of your choice. Next, dieters are often questioning themselves as to whether or not creatine would be a good idea for them to be using. So creatine is incredibly important as part of your fitness regimen. Don’t take your creatine with soda pop or coffee. But creatine supplements are not recommended for use in teens without the proper guidance of a doctor or a nutritionist. How To Use Creatine Homepage How much creatine do you need to start getting stronger and building muscle? Is it okay to use while dieting? Therefore, vegetarians or those who simply don't like red meat, may want to maintain on that 5 gram number instead. Take creatine monohydrate, which is the most studied and cheapest type. This is not the case though. I dont think he needs to eat a lot of extra calories because that can cause fat weight. Creatine use with B vitamins. Does Liquid Creatine Work? It … when he stops taking creatine, his weight will likely go back to where it was before. The body then uses this to create more ATP which is the primary energy carrier in the human body. However, for 3 dollars, you can grab yourself a bag of dextrose and simply add 5 to 10 grams of creatine to water. Both of those are creatine monohydrate options. The End. There is more to creatine than just creating energy to use during exercise. Shannon Clark is a freelance health and fitness writer located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Creatine stores high energy phosphate groups in the form of phosphocreatine which are given to ADP. ATP is a molecule in our body, which represents the main form of energy. Athletes use bodybuilding supplements in combination with creatine to get more bulk. Creatine is one of the most researched sports and fitness supplements – if not the most researched one – and it has a very solid proof of its effects and is also perfectly safe to use. No need to load. Creatine (/ ˈ k r iː ə t iː n / or / ˈ k r iː ə t ɪ n /) is an organic compound with the nominal formula (H 2 N)(HN)CN(CH 3)CH 2 CO 2 H. This species exists in various modifications in solution.Creatine is found in vertebrates where it facilitates recycling of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy currency of the cell, primarily in muscle and brain tissue. Juice, tea, coffee, water… it really doesn’t matter and this is just an issue of personal preference. 2. If you happen to be training for a bodybuilding or fitness competition though, you will want to remove creatine from your supplement intake at a certain point out in order to prevent any water retention you experience while taking it. In fact, creatine has been found to be safe to take in normal doses for up to 5 years. How to Load Creatine. Creatine After a Workout: Thankfully, this is a more simple theory. The type you take, the way you take it, when you take it, the creatine dosage you use as well as your body’s unique characteristics will all play major roles. How To Take Creatine: The Guide Starts Now… Take 3-5 grams of plain creatine monohydrate powder per day, every day. Due to the fact though that creatine can cause bloating in many people along with some gastric upset, some choose not to pursue the loading phase to quite this extent, preferring to sacrifice time over water retention. Some people will maintain on five grams per day, but for most individuals, 2-3 grams each day will be sufficient. Take your creatine with juice, water, or mix it with your protein shake. Studies have shown though that women may not hold as much creatine in their muscle cells as their male counterparts, thus the effect of creatine on lean muscle mass may be slightly higher in men, but this is not a reason for females to think that the supplement has no benefit to them. Is a loading phase necessary? Do note though that generally carbs are reduced when dieting which will mean the creatine will take longer to be absorbed and may not be absorbed to the same extent as if a high dose of carbs were fed to the individual, but they will still get into the muscle. Contrary to popular belief however, this does NOT cause you to appear “soft” or “bloated”, since the water is stored inside of the actual muscle cell and not directly beneath your skin. * Creatine monohydrate is the most widely studied sports supplement available and has been shown to be both safe and effective when consumed at the recommended dosage. The most well-studied form is creatine monohydrate. As far as what these dosages equate to, 5 grams of creatine is one teaspoon worth, so multiple this in multiples of five to get whatever dose you are going to use. Body weight goes up when we eat more calories. Creatine may not be as effective in improving strength or building muscle in people over 60 years old. One thing is for sure, creatine is not a supplement that you can just take any old way and expect to achieve maximum results. Continually un-saturating and re-saturating the muscles with creatine is not going to give you any additional added benefits beyond standard continuous use, and there is no evidence to suggest that ongoing creatine use poses any health risks or causes any alterations to the body’s natural production of creatine. Finally, for those who really don't want to load at all, you can just opt for 5 grams of creatine taken over the span of a month, however usually this technique isn't quite as beneficial as the two former ones are. The ISSN suggests that 5 grams of … Typically creatine is associated with 'bulking' periods since it is designed to help with the muscle building process as it allows you to work harder for longer while you are in the gym. [1] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source Some creatine comes in pure form, and other powders are mixed wit… Sounds good, but how exactly should you take creatine in order to achieve the greatest benefits? But if you are new to creatine… That’s really all there is to it. That said, hopefully this article cleared up some creatine questions you may have been wondering about, and that it will help you keep things simple, straightforward and inexpensive for yourself moving forward. What is the best time to take creatine? How is his eating? There’s generally 3 protocols for taking creatine. Various forms of creatine supplements have been in use since late 80s to improve athletic performance and build muscular mass. The use of creatine has been “extensively studied,” which makes my job of recommending it easy. So, here’s two of the most commonly followed creatine supplementation cycle by athletes that shows how often you should use creatine per day – To gradually reach optimal creatine levels, a dose of at least three grams of creatine monohydrate per day for at least four weeks is recommended. Whether you’re aiming to build muscle, gain strength, maintain lean mass while cutting, or improve athletic performance, creatine monohydrate is definitely a worthwhile supplement to include in your plan. Second, they’ll claim that their specific form of creatine solves these problems to deliver superior muscle building and strength boosting results. Creatine is the single most studied sports supplement in history with endless mounds of research demonstrating it as a safe and effective aid for improving muscular size, strength and performance. Longer duration aerobic workouts may not benefit from regular creatine use. The cycles will depend on your goal and the individual. It does not cause unwanted side effects such as cramps or altered kidney/liver function in otherwise healthy individuals. Try and add creatine to a carb drink like Cytosport’s Cytomax or TwinLab’s Ultra Fuel. Method 1: Creatine Loading. It’s no coincidence that we can find it in the top three of most people’s ‘essential supplements list’. Supplementing B vitamins along with creatine optimizes cellular methylation. As discussed above, the best way to use creatine monohydrate supplement is to load the muscles with creatine first up and then deplete them gradually before loading again. Furthermore, because of this reason, creatine is often best taken in post-workout period, as this is when muscle glycogen is going to be most susceptible to filling their stores. The body is incredibly effective at the process of digestion and absorption, and regardless of what you mix your creatine with, it will still eventually find its way to the muscle tissue. 2) You can take 3-5 grams of creatine everyday right from the start. If you are going to take creatine, take creatine monohydrate. How to use creatine effectively – 6 steps to master 1. In order … Finally, don't think that creatine is only beneficial for those who are involved in heavy-weight lifting. How To Build Round "3D Delts" That Pop (4 Exercises), The 3 Best Chest Exercises For The Perfect Pec Workout, Not Losing Fat? The content on our website is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice or to replace a relationship with a qualified healthcare professional. For most women, yes, creatine is a supplement to consider. Although a loading phase will allow you to experience the full benefits of creatine within a slightly shorter time frame, 2-3 weeks at the standard 3-5 gram per day dose will still get you to the exact same point regardless. 80% of users however, admit to the fact that it works much more effectively before and after a workout. Creatine is one of the most popular and most-researched supplements in the world. Typically, you will use 20 grams of creatine for a five day period, which will be the quickest way to stock up the stores in the body and get yourself back onto maintenance. Creatine begins degrading the moment it is mixed with water, so packaged liquid creatine is actually creatine waste. 20 Cutting Diet Mistakes To Avoid, 7 Ways Supplement Companies Are Ripping You Off, How To Build Big Arms (The Simple Truth!). Source. This article will explain when and how you should take creatine and use it … While many people take creatine throughout the year, it is sensible to have breaks from taking additional creatine in the form of supplements, such as 8-12 weeks taking creatine, 4-8 weeks break, repeat. So, if you're currently taking creatine but are not following a correct formula for use, or if you've never taken it before but have been curious, now might be the perfect time to give it a try. There’s no denying the fact that creatine works, but if you want to see the best results from it, you need to know how to use it. Creatine Phosphate (CPh) – In order to use creatine as a fast form of energy, it needs to be bound onto phosphate, hence the appeal of selling creatine in phosphate form. There is nothing more to it than that. Athletes who perform a lot of high-intensity explosive sports will also greatly see results with creatine usage as their muscles will be relying on muscular stores of creatine as well. Just take 3-5 grams of 100% creatine monohydrate (sourced as “Creapure”) once per day on a continual basis, at any time you prefer, and mixed in any liquid of your choice. What is creatine? This energy is produced as the body “rips off” one of ATP’s phosphate groups and converts it into ADP, or adenosine di-phosphate. High doses may cause harmful effects on your heart, kidneys, or liver. When you go on a low calorie diet, your gym sessions will need to be reduced in volume and you may find strength starting to lag as a result of the diet, so making sure your CP stores are full will really help offset these negative side effects. Be sure to pass it along to anyone else who has any questions about taking creatine. 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