Creatine is useful when aiming for muscle mass gain and increased strength.
Are you engaged in strength and high-explosiveness sports like weightlifting, bodybuilding, or sprinting? Taking creatine might be beneficial for you.
Consumed as a dietary supplement, it is a derivative of amino acid naturally present in our body. It’s also found in food: red meat, poultry, fish, legumes, and mushrooms.
It acts as a precursor to ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), a molecule that provides energy to muscle fibers.
We are getting to know its effects better thanks to research. This study, for example, indicates that it increases the energy stores used by muscles, resulting in increased muscle strength.
However, it must be used correctly and follow the protocols of timing and dosages.
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What time of day to take creatine?
I ideally advise you to split your creatine intake into 3 doses of 1 g per day.
Indeed, taking it in several doses improves its effects. You can consume it as follows:
- 1 g during breakfast in a large glass of water
- 1 g before training (for example, during a snack in your shaker with whey isolate native, as I mention in this article that explains the ideal protein distribution throughout the day)
- 1 g after training or during dinner in a large glass of water
Should creatine be consumed every day?
Yes, creatine should be consumed every day to be effective over a given period.
Stopping consumption during the weekend, for example, quickly lowers your muscle creatine levels and its positive impacts.
I take this opportunity to remind you that the consumption of whey protein, often used in conjunction with a creatine regimen, should also be done on rest days because it is during recovery that your body most benefits from the protein intake.
For how long?
Creatine shows its first effects after a week, and results in mass gain appear after 3 to 4 weeks.
To fully benefit from creatine, I recommend taking it for long periods of at least 3 months. In parallel with an appropriate sports training, of course.
This comprehensive study on creatine suggests using it over a longer duration rather than a one-month regimen.
Should you take a loading dose for 7 days?
In the 2000s, loading doses were recommended by vendors to start a creatine regimen: 15 to 20 g of creatine per day for 7 days.
It turns out that with or without this loading, the effectiveness is the same. You can therefore consume only 2 to 3 g (and a maximum of 5 g) per day as I recommend above.
My advice as a dietitian and sports coach
I advise you to follow these 5 rules when taking creatine:
- Properly adjust the creatine dosage: 3 to 5 g per day divided into 3 doses
- Do a regimen for several months: at least 3 months
- Ensure daily creatine consumption, even on rest days
- Forget the loading dose
- Adapt your diet and training according to your goals: high-calorie, high-protein diet and mass or strength training
