WHY TAKE CREATINE?
Regular creatine supplementation can help increase physical performance during repeated bouts of short-term, high-intensity exercise. It is one of the most widely researched sports nutrition ingredients available.
“Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes.” — International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN)
A QUICK GUIDE TO CREATINE
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound stored mainly in your muscles, where it helps support the rapid production of energy during short bursts of high-intensity exercise.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I TAKE?
For most adults, 3–5g of creatine per day is commonly used. Consistency matters more than timing, so creatine can be taken at a time that works best with your daily routine.
A loading phase is not essential. Taking creatine consistently allows muscle creatine stores to gradually increase over time.
CREATINE & HYDRATION
Creatine draws water into muscle cells, which can lead to a small increase in body weight as muscle water content increases. Maintaining normal daily hydration is therefore important, particularly around exercise.
WHAT DOES THE RESEARCH SAY?
Creatine is one of the most extensively studied nutritional supplements. Research supports its role in improving strength, power and performance during repeated high-intensity exercise.
Harvard Health has also discussed creatine as a well-researched supplement with applications extending beyond traditional bodybuilding and athletic performance.
CAUTIONS
Always consult your health practitioner before taking nutritional supplements, especially if you are taking medication or are under medical supervision.
If you have known kidney problems or concerns about your kidney function, consult your doctor before using creatine.
Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
IS IT BENEFICIAL TO TAKE MORE THAN 5G A DAY OF CREATINE?
Research indicates that higher doses are useful mainly forrapid loading. Hultman et al. found that20 g/day for 6 daysincreased muscle creatine stores by about 20%, but3 g/day for 28 days ultimately produced a similar increase. In other words, higher doses saturate the muscles faster rather than necessarily producing a greater long-term effect.
REFERENCES
Harvard Health Publishing — “What is creatine? Potential benefits and risks of this popular supplement” (20 March 2024)
Read the Harvard Health article
Kreider RB et al. — International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (2017)
Read the full free article on PubMed Central
Hultman E, Söderlund K, Timmons JA, Cederblad G, Greenhaff PL. Muscle creatine loading in men. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1996 Jul;81(1):232-7. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1996.81.1.232. PMID: 8828669.