Creatine is one of the most trusted and widely researched supplements in the world. Taken by bodybuilders, athletes and powerlifters alike, its status as one of the most popular supplements is undisputed. It just.. works
But we’re not trying to convince of the wonders of creatine here. You already know. Here, we’re talking about when to take creatine.
So let’s not waste your time. With some insights from Simon Jurkiw, Product Director at Bulk™, looks at when to take creatine, and whether it matters when you take creatine.
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WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE CREATINE?
Anytime. There is no optimal time for when to take creatine — you can take it pre-workout or post-workout, it doesn’t matter.
Whether you do it in the morning one day and evening another, all that matters is you get in your 3-5g per day. Easy.
Much like going to the gym, consistency is the primary concern.
“Creatine is really easy to use”, says Simon. “You can add 5g to a shake. You can have it on its own. It’s just super simple. There’s no need to overthink it too much.”
WHAT IS CREATINE?
Creatine is a nitrogenous organic acid composed of three amino acids. Its primary function is to supply instant energy to the muscles.
It’s advantageous for athletes, sportspeople, and bodybuilders [1], mainly because it enhances their capacity to generate energy.
In addition to being naturally produced in the liver, creatine is obtained from protein-rich foods such as meat and fish.
However, to fully harness its performance-enhancing effects, supplementation is recommended to maximise creatine stores in the muscles.
What does the expert say?
“There’s so many misconceptions about what creatine actually is”, says Simon. “Creatine is found in everyone’s muscles, and put simply, it’s an organic compound used for high intensity energy.”
WHAT DOES CREATINE DO?
Research has shown taking 3-5g creatine monohydrate per day improves performance in short bursts of explosive exercise*. This allows you to complete more reps at heavier weights, maximising your potential in the gym.
Put simply, creatine improves performance in the gym, allowing you to do more reps and heavier weights. The amount of improvement depends on how well you receive creatine, so it varies from person to person.
SHOULD YOU TAKE CREATINE BEFORE OR AFTER A WORKOUT?
You can take it shortly before you exercise, shortly after you exercise, or at some time that isn’t close to when you exercise. Another option is to split your daily dose and take it throughout the day.
Creatine is a common ingredient found in pre-workout. This is not because it is essential to take pre-workout, but because: one — it means companies can use claims like ‘increases performance’, and two — it does no harm.
HOW MUCH CREATINE SHOULD YOU TAKE PER DAY?
Creatine is best supplemented in forms of monohydrate with daily intakes of 3-5 g. If you’re in the creatine loading phase, it’s recommended to take 20g divided into 4 daily intakes of 5g in combination with carbohydrate and protein.
Carbohydrate supplementation before exercise is also essential to improve exercise performance. [2]
WHO SHOULD TAKE CREATINE?
Creatine benefits athletes who need short bursts of speed or increased muscle strength, such as sprinters, weight lifters and team sport athletes.
While taking creatine might not help all athletes, evidence suggests that it generally won’t hurt if taken as directed.
Creatine is not just for athletes and gym goers, though. Many studies have been done on older people, for example. This one looked at whether creatine supplementation can improve physical function in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
DOES CREATINE BUILD MUSCLE?
Creatine allows you to train harder and create more of a muscle stimulus. If you use this, train more, then indirectly creatine can build muscle.
“Simply, creatine will help you to more reps, and it’ll help you lift more weight” says Jurkiw. “Ultimately, that’s creating a greater stimulus for muscle growth. There’s a reason it’s so popular”.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
DOES IT MATTER WHEN YOU TAKE CREATINE?
No. You can take creatine any time of the day. Taking it every day is what matters, regardless of the time — pre or post-workout.
Can you take protein and creatine together?
Yes. Many people find it convenient to mix their creatine with their post-workout protein shake.
While it won’t improve either’s performance, it won’t hinder the supplements’ effectiveness.
Should you take creatine when cutting?
Yes, creatine is a good idea to take when cutting. It wins you back some power you may have lost from being in a calorie deficit.
This allows you to perform better in the gym, maintaining as much muscle as possible.
Can you take creatine when pregnant?
Yes, certainly. Creatine is present in many whole foods such as meat and fish, so it will be consumed anyway.
In terms of creatine supplementation, some clinical studies indicate that adequate levels of creatine during pregnancy may be critical for optimal fetal growth and survival.
This does not mean supplementation is necessary, but further studies demonstrate how it’s absolutely fine to take creatine when pregnant.
Should I take creatine when not working out?
Sure, yes. Many whole foods are high in creatine anyway, so a supplement won’t affect you. But you won’t get the performance benefits since, well, you aren’t performing.
If this question is asking where you should take creatine on days when not worrying out (i.e rest days), then the answer is yes — certainly. When in a creatine cycle, it is important to keep levels topped up every day, even when not working out.
SUMMARY: When to take creatine
There is no optimal time for when to take creatine. When in a creatine cycle, taking 3-5g daily is all that matters.
“At Bulk, we’ve been selling creatine for over 20 years.” says Simon. “We’re one of the largers sellers of creatine in the world. So I like to think we know what we’re talking about”
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