Creatine is useful for gaining muscle mass and increasing strength.
Do you participate in strength and high-explosive sports such as weightlifting, bodybuilding, or sprinting? Taking creatine may be beneficial for you.
When consumed as a dietary supplement, it is a derivative of an amino acid naturally present in our bodies. It is also found in foods: red meat, poultry, fish, legumes, and mushrooms.
It acts as an ATP precursor (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule that provides energy to muscle fibers.
We increasingly understand its effects thanks to research. This study, for example, indicates that it increases the energy stores used by muscles, resulting in an increase in muscle strength.
However, it must be used correctly and consumption timing and dosing protocols followed.
Also read | Our top 3 creatines by a dietitian
At what time of day should you take creatine?
Ideally, I recommend splitting your creatine intake into 3 doses of 1 g per day.
Indeed, taking it in multiple doses improves creatine’s effects. You can take it as follows:
- 1 g with breakfast in a large glass of water
- 1 g before training (for example as a snack in your native isolate whey shaker, as I mention in this article which explains the ideal distribution of protein throughout the day)
- 1 g after training or at dinner in a large glass of water
Should creatine be taken every day?
Yes, creatine must be consumed every day to be effective over a given period.
Stopping consumption on weekends, for example, quickly lowers your muscle creatine levels and reduces its positive effects.
I would like to remind you that consuming whey protein, often used alongside a creatine regimen, should also be done on rest days because it is during recovery that your body makes the most of protein intake.
For how long?
Creatine shows its first effects after about a week, and results in muscle mass gains appear after 3 to 4 weeks.
To fully benefit from creatine, I recommend taking it for long periods of at least 3 months, alongside an appropriate training program, of course.
This comprehensive study on creatine suggests use over the long term rather than as a one-month course.
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 phase, the effectiveness is the same. You can therefore consume only 2 to 3 g (and a maximum of 5 g) per day as I recommended above.
My advice as a dietitian and fitness coach
I recommend following these 5 rules when taking creatine :
- Adjust the creatine dosage appropriately: 3 to 5 g per day divided into 3 doses
- Follow a supplementation cycle lasting several months: at least 3 months
- Ensure daily creatine intake even on rest days
- Skip the loading dose
- Adjust your diet and training according to your goals: a high-calorie, high-protein diet and mass-gain or strength-style training
