Creatine is one of the most researched and effective supplements for improving athletic performance, but when should you take it? We answer that question.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a natural compound that’s found in our muscles. Your body naturally makes about one to two grams of it each day. It plays a crucial role in producing energy during high-intensity exercise.
Another natural compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the primary source of energy for your muscles during these high-intensity activities. When you go through a workout, your muscles use up ATP. After it’s used up, it’s broken down into adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and an inorganic phosphate molecule. To push through your workout, you need more ATP, not ADP. To replenish ATP levels, ADP needs to gain back a phosphate molecule. Cue your body’s supply of creatine.
Creatine is stored in your muscles as creatine phosphate. When your muscles need to generate more ATP, creatine phosphate throws out a lifeline in the form of its phosphate molecule to ADP, transforming it back into ATP. There you have it: More ATP for your muscles.
But here’s the thing: ATP and creatine are also involved in everyday movements, usually performed by fast-twitch muscle fibers. From picking up groceries to running for the elevator, your body is using ATP and turning it back using stored creatine, making creatine in high demand. By the time you get to your workout, your body might not have enough to sufficiently power you through, especially if you train later in the day or at night.
It’s times like this that your muscles need a little extra help. This is when you can turn to the best creatine supplements.
Best Time of Day to Take Creatine
To take creatine now or later is the age-old fitness question. Here’s everything you wanted to know about the best time of day to take creatine:
Timing is not crucial
Timing is not a crucial factor when it comes to taking creatine. According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, there’s no significant difference in muscle creatine uptake when creatine is consumed at different times of the day. This means that you can take creatine whenever it works for you.
Before or after workouts
The studies that have looked at taking creatine before or after a workout are contradictory. Some studies have suggested that taking creatine before a workout can improve performance, while others have found no significant difference between taking it before or after exercise. As mentioned above, taking creatine before or after a workout is equally effective for improving performance.
Creatine with meals
Taking creatine with meals can help to improve its absorption and reduce any potential stomach discomfort. According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, taking creatine with a high-carbohydrate meal can help to increase muscle creatine uptake.
Creatine on rest days
For optimal recovery and results, it’s best to not skip doses of creatine, even on rest days. Take one, five-gram serving each day to saturate your muscle tissue with the supplement so that you have plenty in reserve.
Incorporating creatine into your routine
There are two ways to start incorporating creatine into your routine: The first option is the fast track, which involves a loading phase. During the loading phase, you take 20 to 25 grams per day for five to seven days. This is followed by a maintenance phase of five grams per day.
The second option is slower: You start with one standard serving each day and only take that; it will eventually saturate your muscles, but will take a little longer.
Protein with Creatine
Taking creatine with protein powder is recommended for a few reasons:
Synergy: Protein and creatine have complementary benefits. While protein provides the building blocks for muscle growth and repair, creatine gives your muscles extra energy for optimal performance during high-intensity workouts. This duo helps you achieve greater strength, muscle mass and overall fitness gains.
Enhanced absorption: Research has shown that consuming creatine alongside protein (and carbohydrates) can improve creatine uptake by your muscles. This means that your body will be more efficient in utilizing the creatine you’re supplementing with, leading to better results.
Improved recovery: Protein is one of the best supplements for muscle recovery because it’s essential for repairing and rebuilding muscle tissue after intense workouts. When you combine protein with creatine, you’re not only boosting your workout performance but also promoting faster recovery. This means less downtime between workouts and a reduced risk of injury.
Convenience: By combining protein and creatine into one supplement or meal, you’re streamlining your nutrition, making it easier to stay on track with your fitness goals. Plus, you’re more likely to be consistent with your supplementation when it’s just one step in your routine. Just make sure you have a blender or shaker bottle to mix these two up without clumping.
Mixing Creatine With Pre-Workout
We highly recommend taking creatine with your pre-workout supplement for the sake of convenience. Just be sure to check the label of your pre-workout supplement because many of them already contain creatine. With that said, if your pre-workout doesn’t contain the recommended five grams per serving, then we’d recommend taking additional creatine with your pre-workout.
Related Post: Creatine vs Pre-Workout: Which is Better for You?
What Are the Benefits of Creatine?
Picture this: You’re at the gym, hitting the weights and feeling the burn. Suddenly, you feel like your muscles are on empty and you’re having trouble with those last few reps in every set. This is where creatine can help.
Taking creatine supplements increases the amount of available creatine in our muscles. This means there is more creatine phosphate to turn ADP back into ATP, providing more fuel for your muscles. There’s a reason why creatine is still one of the most popular supplements in the industry: it’s proven to work!
Here’s a breakdown of some of the benefits of creatine:
Increases your athletic performance
One of the most important benefits of creatine is its ability to improve athletic performance. According to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, creatine supplementation can improve exercise performance by increasing power output, strength and endurance, allowing users to push themselves harder and longer during workouts, leading to better results and progress.
Related Post: The Benefits of Creatine for Women
Builds muscle
One review looked at a collection of creatine studies from 2012 to 2021, focusing on creatine’s role in muscle growth during resistance training. Across all 16 studies, researchers found that creatine effectively increased muscle strength and performance while protecting against lean tissue breakdown.
There are two primary ways that creatine can help build muscle. First, it has been shown to boost muscle strength. Studies show that if you’re lifting relatively heavy weights (within that eight to 12 rep sweet spot), you’re going to see an increase in muscle growth. Second, when you take creatine, your muscle cells tend to hold onto water, but it’s a different type of water retention than bloating. The extra water inside your muscle cells creates a bit of pressure, making them swell up a little. This swelling is thought to be one of the triggers that encourage your muscles to grow.
Boosts cognitive function
One of the benefits of creatine that surprises most people is the fact that it can help with cognitive function; creatine has been shown to improve short-term working memory and intellectual reasoning. Just like your quads and lats, your brain is one demanding muscle. Did you know your brain uses 20 percent of your energy every day? Creatine plays a role in energy metabolism in the brain, so supplementing with creatine can help to improve cognitive function by providing more creatine for your brain.
Aids in recovery
Another benefit of creatine is its ability to aid in recovery, and not just a reduction in DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness).
Multiple studies have concluded that creatine might be a useful supplement for helping improve sprint speed, boost performance during intense muscle contractions, improve glycogen stores in muscles, increase anaerobic threshold, increase aerobic capacity via more efficient ATP transport and support a higher tolerance for tough workouts.
Who Can Benefit from Creatine?
It’s not just one of the best supplements for building muscle; creatine is for everyone. From athletes to bodybuilders, and workout warriors to weekend warriors, the majority of people can see results from creatine during their workouts. But it’s not just for the gym fanatics—it’s been known to support muscle mass and strength and cognitive functioning in older folks, too.
