One of the most common questions we get from our members, clients, and the community is whether or not creatine should be taken as a dietary supplement. This is a great question, and we will attempt to provide you with enough evidence as to why most people definitely SHOULD take creatine as a dietary supplement.
TLDR: Yes, take creatine. Take 5g per day, every day and reap the benefits. (It is important to note that while creatine is safe for the majority of the population, it is always recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new dietary supplement.)
Benefits of Creatine
Creatine is a popular dietary supplement used by athletes and bodybuilders to improve their performance and build muscle mass. Some of the benefits of creatine include:
Increased muscle mass: Creatine helps to increase muscle mass by promoting the production of new muscle fibers and increasing the size of existing muscle fibers.
Improved strength and power: Creatine supplementation has been shown to improve strength and power output during high-intensity exercise.
Enhanced recovery: Creatine can help to reduce muscle damage and inflammation, leading to faster recovery after exercise.
Increased endurance: Creatine has been shown to improve endurance performance by increasing the availability of energy to the muscles.
Neuroprotective properties: Creatine has been shown to have neuroprotective properties, which may help to protect against neurological diseases and injuries such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. It has also been shown to improve cognition and increase brain health.
Cons of taking Creatine
Rare but possible upset stomach
Possible Dehydration
As you can see, the benefits of taking creatine far outweigh the negatives. Stomach upset side effects are very rare and most people will never experience it. Dehydration is also easily avoidable by consuming enough water daily. (This is something you should already be committed to doing whether or not you are taking creatine. We recommend somewhere around 1 gallon per day for most people.)
Extra considerations:
Creatine is one of the most widely studied supplements available. It is relatively inexpensive and is the most bang for your buck of all legal supplements in terms of cost vs. benefits.
Pure creatine monohydrate is the best form to take. There are various other types and every year companies seem to come out with new variants. Don’t fall for the marketing traps. Monohydrate is king.
No loading phase is necessary. While it is true that it is a saturation supplement (this essentially means that it only works if it is consumed daily - I.E., taking it every other day won’t work.) The initial loading phase will cause saturation faster, but it will not work better than just taking a standard dose every day like you would normally after the loading phase. Our recommendation is to take 5g per day every day.
There is no need to cycle on and off. There is no research that shows any correlation between long term creatine use and negative effects.
More is not better. Any excess creatine will be excreted in urine so taking double or triple servings will do nothing but cost you money.
Creatine is found in red meat but in fairly low quantities. The chance of consuming enough from diet alone is very unlikely so supplementation is the only way to hit the right levels.
There you have it! Get some creatine monohydrate, take 5g every day, enjoy the gains!
