Creatine is one of the most well-researched and effective supplements that exists (at least within the health and fitness industry). There’s also this slight misconception that it’s only something the most hardcore of gymbros use, and a massive misconception that it’s on the same realm as taking steroids, or that you should only be taking creatine when you’re trying to get jacked AF. So let’s do a quick FAQ on creatine.
(Altho…lezbihonest now — when are my newsletters ever “quick”? lul)
What is creatine, and what does it do?
Creatine is an organic compound that the body produces — it facilitates recycling of ATP (a cell’s fuel stores) and “releases energy to aid cellular function during stress”. The main benefit to supplementing with creatine is that it increases exercise performance by 5 to 15% (via increasing muscle stores of phosphocreatine, which increases the cell’s ability to re-synthesise ATP, and allows for a rapid release of energy during activity).
Thus far, all available science shows that if you are in good health and don’t have any preexisting medical conditions, creatine supplementation is perfectly safe. And yes, that isn’t just for men — regardless of where you fall on (or off of!) the gender spectrum, creatine supplementation is totes cool and as likely to be effective for you.
What is creatine not, and what does creatine not do?
Creatine is not a steroid. Creatine isn’t going to turn you into the Hulk, destroy your kidneys (assuming your kidneys are currently in a healthy state), or cause cancer (in fact, this study shows that creatine supplementation can protect DNA from oxidative damage), and creatine also isn’t a magical fat-loss supplement. In fact, if you start supplementing creatine, it’s pretty common to notice somewhere in the region of 2kg/5lb of weight gain (note: not fat gain). Most of this is water retention (creatine binds with water in your muscle tissue, where it is stored), so it’s technically considered part of your lean mass, but it’s not actually causing you to gain fat or lean tissue.
Are there any other effects of supplementing with creatine?
Creatine supplementation results in increased intracellular water storage. Aside from potentially reducing risk of heat-related illness in athletes who engage in intensive exercise, especially in hot and humid environments, this can also lead to the visual appearance of ‘fuller’ muscles, aka #pump.
However, because of the ‘water loading’ effect that creatine supplementation can have, it’s also generally advised to make a concerted effort to increase water intake (at least for the first 4 weeks, or — if you so choose — while you ‘load’ creatine), as stomach cramping may occur otherwise.
There is also some preliminary research that suggests that creatine may improve cognitive function in healthy individuals, and it has been postulated that there may be benefits to fetal growth, health, and development if creatine supplementation occurs during pregnancy (but for the love of all that is good in this world please talk to your doctor before supplementing with anything, especially if you’re pregnant).
What’s the best way to supplement with creatine? Do I need to run a “loading” phase?
No, loading isn’t necessary. It’s not really harmful either, although some do experience nausea and/or diarrhoea, if too much creatine is supplemented at once (plus you’d really have to slam a bunch of water). Even without loading, most people will be “fully loaded” within about 4 weeks of taking 5g creatine monohydrate per day, so I’d generally recommend against loading to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal discomfort. For the average adult (read: people who don’t have an extraordinarily high amount of muscle mass), 3–5g of creatine monohydrate per day is sufficient. It doesn’t really matter what time of the day you consume it, and it can be taken on both workout and rest days. Use the most economical and easily available form (usually creatine monohydrate) — no specific type of creatine has been shown to be superior.
Do I need to cycle on and off creatine?
There’s no evidence to suggest that long-term usage or supplementation of creatine is harmful, so you’re fine to keep taking it continuously.
Is it better to take creatine when I’m bulking or cutting?
Either, neither, or both. Creatine benefits performance, which can then facilitate muscle protein synthesis, which is beneficial whether you’re trying to gain size or shed excess fat. Supplementing creatine isn’t necessary for either goal though, but it sure as heck won’t hurt.
What happens if/when I decide to stop taking creatine?
Nothing! In this study, there were no reductions in strength, lean mass, or endurance in a population of older men who ceased to supplement with creatine.
Do YOU take creatine?
Not at present. I did for a couple of years (I started when I was actively trying to gain some lean mass), but the brand and flavour of creatine which I enjoy sold out, I switched to a different brand that I hated, and I didn’t notice my performance or physique suffering when I kept “forgetting” to take the gross flavour I had, so I eventually just gave up entirely. I may start again if I decide to do a bulk or make some sort of massive push for strength gains in the future, but I don’t currently see a need to.