Either way, your cells store it as creatine phosphate. The extra energy stored in your body can then be used to create ATP to give you a boost in your intense workouts. ATP, adenosine triphosphate, is the currency of energy in the cell. It provides energy that is quickly and readily available.

When you lift super heavy for a few reps, ATP is at play. ATP will naturally work for about three seconds, but it burns out quickly. When you take creatine , since it increases your stored phosphagens, your body can use it to boost your ATP levels. With more ATP available, you may be able to work harder and faster in your sessions.

Boosting your ATP by taking creatine has been proven to improve performance, increase strength and muscle, and help with recovery. Studies consistently show that using creatine for short-duration, high-intensity exercise increases lean muscle mass and exercise capacity.

Taking creatine before your training session may help you lift heavier. The extra boost of ATP and energy help you lift a little heavier each time.

Over the duration of your program, this series of small boosts can add up to big long-term gains. In one study, young adults participated in a six-week resistance training program. One group took creatine. The other took a placebo.

The creatine group increased their strength in the leg press , chest press , and total body strength. In addition to boosting strength, creatine has been shown to help you add lean muscle mass when combined with a resistance training program. Over 35 studies have shown that adults of all ages were able to add two pounds of lean body mass when supplementing with creatine.

Although the levels of increase may be different between cisgender men and women , there are still 50 years of research showing that creatine supplements — combined with training — are effective at increasing lean body mass and muscular strength.

In addition to muscle and strength gains, research shows that supplementing training with creatine may enhance post-exercise recovery. When you train hard, you go through your glycogen stores. You need to replenish them to recover well and prevent overtraining.

Research has shown that ingesting creatine with carbohydrates before exercise promoted higher glycogen restoration than carbs alone. More evidence suggests that creatine supplementation can help athletes reduce muscle damage, experience less inflammation , and tolerate higher volumes of training.

Since creatine helps you to work harder and recover better, it makes sense that research shows it may also help to prevent injury. Several studies showed that supplementing creatine during training either reduces or has no effect on musculoskeletal injury, dehydration , and cramping.

A study was done on college football players during 12 weeks of training during the offseason. Results showed that the creatine users had less cramping, muscle tightness, muscle strains , muscle pulls, and non-contact injuries than those in the study not taking creatine.

Most of the research and evidence of the benefits of creatine are on its ability to increase muscle strength, lean mass, and exercise performance.

But new studies and evidence are emerging on whether creatine can boost brain health. Improving cognitive function is beneficial to non-athletes, especially older adults. But cognition plays a key role in athletic performance as well.

Creatine may be able to help with motor control , decision making, coordination, and reaction time. It may slow down mental fatigue as well, which can help you to give your all to your lifting sessions.

Research also deems it generally safe. Sure, you can overdo it on any supplement. But food contains high amounts of creatine. Creatine is considered relatively safe with few adverse health effects documented. Like most topics in the fitness world, a lot of misinformation surrounds creatine, leading to some common misconceptions.

Although anabolic steroids and creatine may have similar performance outcomes, creatine has a completely different chemical structure.

It is not considered a steroid. Anabolic steroids are classified as a Class III, Schedule C controlled substance regulated by the FDA Food and Drug Administration. Creatine is considered a dietary supplement , with no legal rules around possession or use. Subjective reports and scientific studies alike state that those who tale Creatine gain more or less 10 pounds.

Researchers from the University of Queensland discovered that powerlifters who consume Creatine gained an average of at least 6—up to 11—pounds of lean body weight. Other studies also reported that it helps decrease body fat and myostatin, a protein that stunts muscle cell growth.

Combined with some water weight, the muscle growth from creatine can lead to some seriously good weight gain. Since Creatine increases the production of ATP energy, it enhances muscle strength and power. In fact, a myriad of studies conveyed significant and drastic improvements in one-rep max strength of consumers.

A one-month study professed that an pound increase in bench press with a maximum of 1 rep is possible due to Creatine. Furthermore, it allows more reps with a given weight.

As Creatine improve muscle growth, strength, and power, it does, without doubt, take performance to a higher level. The molecule boosts the amount of fast energy stored in the muscles necessary in performing weightlifting and every other physical activity that require high-energy input.

With it, you will have more power to exhibit more and better reps! In contrast to most drugs, Creatine is stored in the muscles for more lengthy periods.

You can take this in the form of Creatine Monohydrate, Creatine Hydrochloride, and Creatine Malate, among others. The recommended dose is from 2 to 5 grams per day. For maximum gains, consume 30 minutes before and after workouts. Do not let anything get in the way of your advances by preventing potential injuries.

Hence, make sure to also arm yourself with protective weightlifting accessories. To sum it all up, creatine is a great supplement that almost any type of athlete will see amazing benefits from. Not only will it increase your muscle size and growth, but it increases your strength and athletic performance.

Taking creatine is incredibly safe and we highly recommend it for everyone, and the effects of creatine are widely studied.

While there are a ton of different types of creatine, we like to keep things simple with good old-fashioned Creatine Monohydrate. You can buy it in bulk for cheap, it's simple to use and it works great.

We prefer the pills, but it's also available in flavorless powder to mix with your shakes. Strength Training: Which Is Right For You? Types of Strength Training There are many different types of strength training available out there, so it can be confusing to know which one is right for you to achieve your goals — which, by the w

Nevertheless, another consideration to take into account would be that because these recreational bodybuilders were already consuming large quantities of protein, this could have affected the results i. they could already have a high amount of creatine stored intramuscularly and this may have blunted the results.

In conclusion, post workout supplementation with creatine for a period of 4 weeks in recreational bodybuilders may produce superior gains in FFM and strength in comparison to pre workout supplementation.

The major limitations of this study include the small sample size as well as the brief treatment duration. Future studies should investigate creatine supplementation using resistance trained individuals for a longer duration.

Aguiar AF, Januario RS, Junior RP, Gerage AM, Pina FL, do Nascimento MA, Padovani CR, Cyrino ES: Long-term creatine supplementation improves muscular performance during resistance training in older women.

Eur J Appl Physiol. Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Rawson ES, Stec MJ, Frederickson SJ, Miles MP: Low-dose creatine supplementation enhances fatigue resistance in the absence of weight gain. Gotshalk LA, Kraemer WJ, Mendonca MA, Vingren JL, Kenny AM, Spiering BA, Hatfield DL, Fragala MS, Volek JS: Creatine supplementation improves muscular performance in older women.

Chilibeck PD, Stride D, Farthing JP, Burke DG: Effect of creatine ingestion after exercise on muscle thickness in males and females. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Cooke MB, Rybalka E, Williams AD, Cribb PJ, Hayes A: Creatine supplementation enhances muscle force recovery after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals.

J Int Soc Sports Nutr. Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar. Spillane M, Schoch R, Cooke M, Harvey T, Greenwood M, Kreider R, Willoughby DS: The effects of creatine ethyl ester supplementation combined with heavy resistance training on body composition, muscle performance, and serum and muscle creatine levels.

Buford TW, Kreider RB, Stout JR, Greenwood M, Campbell B, Spano M, Ziegenfuss T, Lopez H, Landis J, Antonio J: International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. Mendel RW, Blegen M, Cheatham C, Antonio J, Ziegenfuss T: Effects of creatine on thermoregulatory responses while exercising in the heat.

Ziegenfuss TN, Rogers M, Lowery L, Mullins N, Mendel R, Antonio J, Lemon P: Effect of creatine loading on anaerobic performance and skeletal muscle volume in NCAA Division I athletes. Mihic S, MacDonald JR, McKenzie S, Tarnopolsky MA: Acute creatine loading increases fatfree mass, but does not affect blood pressure, plasma creatinine, or CK activity in men and women.

Volek JS, Kraemer WJ, Bush JA, Boetes M, Incledon T, Clark KL, Lynch JM: Creatine supplementation enhances muscular performance during high-intensity resistance exercise. J Am Diet Assoc. Volek JS, Duncan ND, Mazzetti SA, Staron RS, Putukian M, Gomez AL, Pearson DR, Fink WJ, Kraemer WJ: Performance and muscle fiber adaptations to creatine supplementation and heavy resistance training.

Burke DG, Chilibeck PD, Parise G, Candow DG, Mahoney D, Tarnopolsky M: Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians.

Sakkas GK, Mulligan K, Dasilva M, Doyle JW, Khatami H, Schleich T, Kent-Braun JA, Schambelan M: Creatine fails to augment the benefits from resistance training in patients with HIV infection: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

PLoS One. Chilibeck PD, Magnus C, Anderson M: Effect of in-season creatine supplementation on body composition and performance in rugby union football players.

Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. Article PubMed Google Scholar. Bemben MG, Witten MS, Carter JM, Eliot KA, Knehans AW, Bemben DA: The effects of supplementation with creatine and protein on muscle strength following a traditional resistance training program in middle-aged and older men.

J Nutr Health Aging. Tipton KD, Wolfe RR: Protein and amino acids for athletes. J Sports Sci. Tipton KD, Elliott TA, Cree MG, Aarsland AA, Sanford AP, Wolfe RR: Stimulation of net muscle protein synthesis by whey protein ingestion before and after exercise.

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. Candow DG, Chilibeck PD: Timing of creatine or protein supplementation and resistance training in the elderly. Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ: Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window?.

Article PubMed Central CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Stark M, Lukaszuk J, Prawitz A, Salacinski A: Protein timing and its effects on muscular hypertrophy and strength in individuals engaged in weight-training.

Kerksick C, Harvey T, Stout J, Campbell B, Wilborn C, Kreider R, Kalman D, Ziegenfuss T, Lopez H, Landis J: International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing.

Wilson J, Wilson GJ: Contemporary issues in protein requirements and consumption for resistance trained athletes. White JP, Wilson JM, Austin KG, Greer BK, St John N, Panton LB: Effect of carbohydrateproteinsupplement timing on acute exercise-induced muscle damage.

Cribb PJ, Hayes A: Effects of supplement timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Levenhagen DK, Gresham JD, Carlson MG, Maron DJ, Borel MJ, Flakoll PJ: Postexercise nutrient intake timing in humans is critical to recovery of leg glucose and protein homeostasis.

CAS PubMed Google Scholar. Tipton KD, Ferrando AA, Phillips SM, Doyle D, Wolfe RR: Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids. Am J Physiol. Tipton KD, Ferrando AA: Improving muscle mass: response of muscle metabolism to exercise, nutrition and anabolic agents.

Essays Biochem. Tipton KD, Rasmussen BB, Miller SL, Wolf SE, Owens-Stovall SK, Petrini BE, Wolfe RR: Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise.

Hopkins WG, Marshall SW, Batterham AM, Hanin J: Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science. Batterham AM, Hopkins WG: Making meaningful inferences about magnitudes.

Int J Sports Physiol Perform. PubMed Google Scholar. Chrusch MJ, Chilibeck PD, Chad KE, Davison KS, Burke DG: Creatine supplementation combined with resistance training in older men. Percario S, Domingues SP, Teixeira LF, Vieira JL, de Vasconcelos F, Ciarrocchi DM, Almeida ED, Conte M: Effects of creatine supplementation on oxidative stress profile of athletes.

Jagim AR, Oliver JM, Sanchez A, Galvan E, Fluckey J, Riechman S, Greenwood M, Kelly K, Meininger C, Rasmussen C, Kreider RB: A buffered form of creatine does not promote greater changes in muscle creatine content, body composition, or training adaptations than creatine monohydrate.

Souza-Junior TP, Willardson JM, Bloomer R, Leite RD, Fleck SJ, Oliveira PR, Simao R: Strength and hypertrophy responses to constant and decreasing rest intervals in trained men using creatine supplementation.

Willoughby DS, Rosene J: Effects of oral creatine and resistance training on myosin heavy chain expression. Olsen S, Aagaard P, Kadi F, Tufekovic G, Verney J, Olesen JL, Suetta C, Kjaer M: Creatine supplementation augments the increase in satellite cell and myonuclei number in human skeletal muscle induced by strength training.

J Physiol. Curr Sports Med Rep. Rasmussen BB, Tipton KD, Miller SL, Wolf SE, Wolfe RR: An oral essential amino acidcarbohydrate supplement enhances muscle protein anabolism after resistance exercise. J Appl Physiol. Verdijk LB, Jonkers RA, Gleeson BG, Beelen M, Meijer K, Savelberg HH, Wodzig WK, Dendale P, van Loon LJ: Protein supplementation before and after exercise does not further augment skeletal muscle hypertrophy after resistance training in elderly men.

Am J Clin Nutr. Hoffman JR, Ratamess NA, Tranchina CP, Rashti SL, Kang J, Faigenbaum AD: Effect of protein-supplement timing on strength, power, and body-composition changes in resistancetrained men. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. Esmarck B, Andersen JL, Olsen S, Richter EA, Mizuno M, Kjaer M: Timing of postexercise protein intake is important for muscle hypertrophy with resistance training in elderly humans.

Download references. Many thanks to Jeff Stout PhD for running the stats on this project. Exercise and Sports Sciences, Nova Southeastern University, S.

University Drive, University Park Plaza Suite , Davie, FL, , USA. You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar. Correspondence to Jose Antonio. VC and JA contributed significantly to all aspects of this study. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd.

Reprints and permissions. Antonio, J. The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate on body composition and strength.

J Int Soc Sports Nutr 10 , 36 Download citation. Received : 09 May Accepted : 10 July Published : 06 August Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:.

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative. Skip to main content. Search all BMC articles Search. Download PDF.

Download ePub. Abstract Background Chronic supplementation with creatine monohydrate has been shown to promote increases in total intramuscular creatine, phosphocreatine, skeletal muscle mass, lean body mass and muscle fiber size. Methods Nineteen healthy recreational male bodybuilders mean ± SD; age: Conclusions Creatine supplementation plus resistance exercise increases fat-free mass and strength.

Introduction Chronic supplementation with creatine has been shown to increase lean body mass and enhance exercise performance [ 1 — 10 ]. Methods Subjects Nineteen male recreational bodybuilders mean ± SD: age, Experimental design Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a PRE-SUPP or POST-SUPP group.

Resistance training protocol All subjects followed a periodized, split-routine bodybuilding training regimen geared primarily for skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

Food diary, workout log, body composition Subjects provided a hour diet recall on one random day on week 1, 2, 3, and 4 as determined by the investigators. Exercise performance assessment Subjects performed a 1 repetition maximum lifts 1-RM on the bench press. Statistical analysis Data were analyzed utilizing five separate 2-way [group Pre-Treatment [aka PRE-SUPP] vs.

Results Twenty-two subjects were initially recruited for this investigation. Table 1 Body composition and strength Full size table.

Table 2 Magnitude-based inference results Full size table. Figure 1. Individual data for FFM in the POST-SUPP group. Full size image. Figure 2. Individual data for FFM in the PRE-SUPP group.

Table 3 Dietary intake Full size table. Discussion The results from this study suggest that consuming creatine monohydrate post exercise may be superior to consuming it pre exercise with regards to improving body composition i. References Aguiar AF, Januario RS, Junior RP, Gerage AM, Pina FL, do Nascimento MA, Padovani CR, Cyrino ES: Long-term creatine supplementation improves muscular performance during resistance training in older women.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Rawson ES, Stec MJ, Frederickson SJ, Miles MP: Low-dose creatine supplementation enhances fatigue resistance in the absence of weight gain. Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Gotshalk LA, Kraemer WJ, Mendonca MA, Vingren JL, Kenny AM, Spiering BA, Hatfield DL, Fragala MS, Volek JS: Creatine supplementation improves muscular performance in older women.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Chilibeck PD, Stride D, Farthing JP, Burke DG: Effect of creatine ingestion after exercise on muscle thickness in males and females.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Cooke MB, Rybalka E, Williams AD, Cribb PJ, Hayes A: Creatine supplementation enhances muscle force recovery after eccentrically-induced muscle damage in healthy individuals.

Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar Spillane M, Schoch R, Cooke M, Harvey T, Greenwood M, Kreider R, Willoughby DS: The effects of creatine ethyl ester supplementation combined with heavy resistance training on body composition, muscle performance, and serum and muscle creatine levels.

Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar Buford TW, Kreider RB, Stout JR, Greenwood M, Campbell B, Spano M, Ziegenfuss T, Lopez H, Landis J, Antonio J: International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise.

Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar Mendel RW, Blegen M, Cheatham C, Antonio J, Ziegenfuss T: Effects of creatine on thermoregulatory responses while exercising in the heat. Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Ziegenfuss TN, Rogers M, Lowery L, Mullins N, Mendel R, Antonio J, Lemon P: Effect of creatine loading on anaerobic performance and skeletal muscle volume in NCAA Division I athletes.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Mihic S, MacDonald JR, McKenzie S, Tarnopolsky MA: Acute creatine loading increases fatfree mass, but does not affect blood pressure, plasma creatinine, or CK activity in men and women.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Volek JS, Kraemer WJ, Bush JA, Boetes M, Incledon T, Clark KL, Lynch JM: Creatine supplementation enhances muscular performance during high-intensity resistance exercise.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Volek JS, Duncan ND, Mazzetti SA, Staron RS, Putukian M, Gomez AL, Pearson DR, Fink WJ, Kraemer WJ: Performance and muscle fiber adaptations to creatine supplementation and heavy resistance training.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Burke DG, Chilibeck PD, Parise G, Candow DG, Mahoney D, Tarnopolsky M: Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians. Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Sakkas GK, Mulligan K, Dasilva M, Doyle JW, Khatami H, Schleich T, Kent-Braun JA, Schambelan M: Creatine fails to augment the benefits from resistance training in patients with HIV infection: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar Chilibeck PD, Magnus C, Anderson M: Effect of in-season creatine supplementation on body composition and performance in rugby union football players. Article PubMed Google Scholar Bemben MG, Witten MS, Carter JM, Eliot KA, Knehans AW, Bemben DA: The effects of supplementation with creatine and protein on muscle strength following a traditional resistance training program in middle-aged and older men.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Tipton KD, Wolfe RR: Protein and amino acids for athletes. Article PubMed Google Scholar Tipton KD, Elliott TA, Cree MG, Aarsland AA, Sanford AP, Wolfe RR: Stimulation of net muscle protein synthesis by whey protein ingestion before and after exercise.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Candow DG, Chilibeck PD: Timing of creatine or protein supplementation and resistance training in the elderly. Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ: Nutrient timing revisited: is there a post-exercise anabolic window?.

Article PubMed Central CAS PubMed Google Scholar Stark M, Lukaszuk J, Prawitz A, Salacinski A: Protein timing and its effects on muscular hypertrophy and strength in individuals engaged in weight-training. Article PubMed Central CAS PubMed Google Scholar Kerksick C, Harvey T, Stout J, Campbell B, Wilborn C, Kreider R, Kalman D, Ziegenfuss T, Lopez H, Landis J: International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: nutrient timing.

Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar Wilson J, Wilson GJ: Contemporary issues in protein requirements and consumption for resistance trained athletes. Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar White JP, Wilson JM, Austin KG, Greer BK, St John N, Panton LB: Effect of carbohydrateproteinsupplement timing on acute exercise-induced muscle damage.

Article PubMed Central PubMed Google Scholar Cribb PJ, Hayes A: Effects of supplement timing and resistance exercise on skeletal muscle hypertrophy.

Article PubMed Google Scholar Levenhagen DK, Gresham JD, Carlson MG, Maron DJ, Borel MJ, Flakoll PJ: Postexercise nutrient intake timing in humans is critical to recovery of leg glucose and protein homeostasis. CAS PubMed Google Scholar Tipton KD, Ferrando AA, Phillips SM, Doyle D, Wolfe RR: Postexercise net protein synthesis in human muscle from orally administered amino acids.

CAS PubMed Google Scholar Tipton KD, Ferrando AA: Improving muscle mass: response of muscle metabolism to exercise, nutrition and anabolic agents.

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar Tipton KD, Rasmussen BB, Miller SL, Wolf SE, Owens-Stovall SK, Petrini BE, Wolfe RR: Timing of amino acid-carbohydrate ingestion alters anabolic response of muscle to resistance exercise.

CAS PubMed Google Scholar Hopkins WG, Marshall SW, Batterham AM, Hanin J: Progressive statistics for studies in sports medicine and exercise science. Supplementing with creatine can help you produce more ATP so you can increase your workout intensity , which is especially beneficial for athletic activities involving short, fast, explosive movements.

Another benefit of creatine is that creatine itself is a fuel source. In fact, your body's first choice of energy when performing anaerobic activity such as weightlifting is your creatine phosphate stores.

By supplementing with creatine phosphate you will increase these stores, thus giving you more energy for your workouts. There is another anabolic property that creatine holds and this is its ability to hydrate muscle cells. Plus, when your muscles hold more water, they look bigger and more pumped up.

While creatine is most popular with strength athletes, it has a number of other potential effects , such as better brain performance, glucose metabolism, and bone mineral density, that make it a supplement that can benefit everybody.

Many studies have been done on creatine and it has been established to be a safe supplement to take.

Ciaran Fairman explains this and other common misconceptions in the article " 6 Side Effects of Creatine: Myths Debunked.

Since creatine has only been recently introduced to the market, it is hard to determine whether or not there will be long-term health effects from its use.

However, it must be noted that, to date, there is not one reputable study that shows creatine has any dangerous side effects. It is not necessary to load creatine, but it can help you see results faster. To get the full benefit of creatine you must saturate your muscle cells with it.

Using a small dose 5 grams , saturation will take up to 30 days, depending on the individual's lean body mass. However, by using a loading dosage of grams per day for five days you can quickly saturate your muscle cells, then use a maintenance dosage grams to keep your creatine levels high.

It is not necessary to do so, but it can help. Your body has an internal equilibrium which you can swing in your favor for a duration of time, but over time that equilibrium will eventually swing back. This means that taking excess creatine for a short period of time weeks may temporarily increase your creatine phosphate stores, but after a while your body's feedback mechanisms will likely bring the levels back down to normal.

This mechanism may be to decrease your body's own production of creatine or to downgrade the number of receptors that admit creatine into the cell. Taking time off from creatine can help bring your body's equilibrium back into a state wherein taking excess creatine will be beneficial again.

There has been much discussion on when the best time to take creatine is, but I believe taking it post-workout is the most beneficial time for several reasons:. No, not exactly. Once again, for creatine to work your muscle cells must be saturated with it.

This takes at least a week to do, so doing it once before a workout will not make a difference. Even if your cells are already saturated with creatine, it will still not make a difference if you take it before you work out.

Your body must process it first and that takes time. The creatine your body will use in the upcoming workout will come from the creatine phosphate stores already in the cells, not from the creatine you just ingested.

Most certainly not. Creatine degrades in water over time into its waste product creatinine, which is useless in the body and will simply be excreted. Companies who claim that they have stabilized creatine in a liquid are flat-out lying to you. As Nick Coker explains in his article, " Which Form of Creatine Is Right for You?

I recommend that you stick with the tried and tested.

Creatine can also improve strength, power, and high intensity exercise performance. Normally, ATP becomes depleted after up to 10 seconds of high intensity activity.

But because creatine supplements help you produce more ATP, you can maintain optimal performance for a few seconds longer.

Creatine is one of the best supplements for improving strength and high intensity exercise performance. It works by increasing your capacity to produce ATP energy. Like your muscles, your brain stores phosphocreatine and requires plenty of ATP for optimal function. Preclinical studies mostly on animals suggest that creatine supplementation may help treat:.

In a review , creatine supplements improved brain function in vegetarians. Even in healthy adults, creatine supplementation may improve short-term memory and intelligence. This effect may be strongest in older adults.

Creatine may reduce symptoms and slow the progression of some neurological diseases, although more research in humans is needed. Research also indicates that creatine may :.

Early research suggests that creatine might help treat high blood sugar, fatty liver disease, and heart disease. The most common and well-researched supplement form is called creatine monohydrate. Many other forms are available, some of which are promoted as superior, though evidence to this effect is lacking.

Creatine monohydrate is very cheap and is supported by hundreds of studies. Until new research claims otherwise, it seems to be the best option. The best form of creatine you can take is called creatine monohydrate, which has been used and studied for decades.

Many people who supplement start with a loading phase, which leads to a rapid increase in muscle stores of creatine. To load with creatine, take 20 grams g per day for 5—7 days.

Split this into four 5-gram servings throughout the day. Eating a carb- or protein-based meal may help your body absorb the creatine. Following the loading period, take 3—5 g per day to maintain high levels within your muscles. As there is no benefit to cycling creatine, you can stick with this dosage for a long time.

If you choose not to do the loading phase, you can simply consume 3—5 g per day. However, it may take 4 weeks to maximize your stores. Since creatine pulls water into your muscle cells, it is advisable to take it with a glass of water and stay well hydrated throughout the day.

To load with creatine, take 5 g four times per day for 5—7 days. Then take 3—5 g per day to maintain levels. Creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements available, and studies lasting up to 4 years reveal no negative effects. There is also no evidence that creatine harms the liver and kidneys in healthy people who take standard doses.

That said, people with preexisting liver or kidney concerns should consult a doctor before supplementing. Studies suggest it can reduce cramps and dehydration during endurance exercise in high heat.

One study linked creatine supplements with an increase in a hormone called DHT, which can contribute to hair loss. But most available research does not support this link. Creatine exhibits no harmful side effects. Creatine is a leading supplement used for improving athletic performance.

It may help boost muscle mass, strength, and exercise efficiency. It may also reduce blood sugar and improve brain function, but more research is needed in these areas to verify these benefits.

Research from has found that creatine supplementation may be beneficial for women across many life stages by helping support both the muscles and the brain.

When combined with resistance training, creatine may help improve body composition and bone density in post-menopausal women.

Earlier research suggested that creatine may not be as effective in women compared to men due to physiological and hormonal differences. But newer research seems to suggest there are still plenty of benefits for women. More research is needed on larger doses. The effects of creatine are noticeable in as little as 2 weeks.

Without a loading phase, it may take you up to 4 weeks to observe the effects. A study noted that taking up to 30 g per day well above the standard dosage of creatine did not have adverse effects on the kidneys of healthy people.

One 8-week study found that creatine increased muscle mass when added to an exercise regimen. Strength on the bench press was improved, along with a reduction in myostatin, which is a protein that inhibits muscle cell growth One study among well-trained athletes found that creatine added 5.

Research has shown creatine supplements can also help women to tone up or increase strength. Additionally, a review of over studies reported an average 2. Current research suggests that creatine, when combined with weight training, is the single most effective supplement for adding muscle mass.

Creatine comes in several different forms. While the newer versions of creatine show beneficial results, they are no more effective than creatine monohydrate 1 , Until more research has been conducted on these new versions, creatine monohydrate is likely the most effective and cheapest option available.

Most studies use a high-dose loading strategy, which can rapidly elevate your muscle creatine content. Although this is not necessary, it will help you reap the benefits of creatine after just a few days 1. To load with creatine, take four 5-gram servings throughout the day for about days.

After that, take grams per day to maintain your muscle creatine stores 1. The benefits you receive from creatine also depend on your current creatine muscle stores.

The graph below shows the varied pre and post supplement levels in 16 people Those with already high creatine stores may receive less or insignificant benefits from the extra supplements. However, those with low creatine stores may see big improvements 1.

Smaller amounts of creatine can also be obtained from foods, such as red meat. This suggests vegetarians or anyone eating only small amounts of meat may receive even greater benefits Although long-term creatine supplementation is safe for healthy individuals, it may not be suitable for those with kidney problems or other related diseases The most common dosage protocol is a day loading phase with about 20 grams of creatine per day, split into 4 doses.

This is followed with a gram per day maintenance dose. As with most supplements, research shows that a small percentage of people do not receive any benefit from using creatine.

And although creatine is the number one exercise supplement, it will only provide benefits if you consistently follow a sensible exercise and nutrition plan. If you regularly weight train and are looking to add muscle, creatine supplements may provide faster results while improving gym performance.

Here is a very detailed article about creatine: Creatine — What is it and What Does it do? Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Creatine is a well-studied supplement with proven benefits for high intensity exercise. This article explains how creatine can improve your exercise….

Looking for a supplement to boost your exercise performance? Creatine monohydrate is a great option. Here's why it's the best form of creatine you can….

Creatine supplements have been shown to provide several sports performance and health benefits, but they may have downsides as well. This article….

Creatine and whey protein are two of the most popular sports supplements, and you may wonder whether taking them both offers any additional benefits…. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Safety and Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation in Exercise, Sport, and Medicine.

Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. June 13, FDA Dietary Supplements. Food and Drug Administration. June 2, February 9, Deleted, October 7, Balsom PD, Söderlund K, Ekblom B. Creatine in Humans With Special Reference to Creatine Supplementation.

Sports Medicine. October Shao A, Hathcock JN. Risk Assessment for Creatine Monohydrate. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology. August Williams MH, Branch JD. Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Performance: An Update. Journal of the American College of Nutrition.

June Casey A, Greenhaff PL. Does Dietary Creatine Supplementation Play a Role in Skeletal Muscle Metabolism and Performance? The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Volek JS, Duncan ND, Mazzetti SA, et al.

Performance and Muscle Fiber Adaptations to Creatine Supplementation and Heavy Resistance Training. Nissen SL, Sharp RL.

Effect of Dietary Supplements on Lean Mass and Strength Gains With Resistance Exercise: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Physiology.

February Creatine Supplements. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. September Rae C, Digney AL, McEwan SR, Bates TC. Oral Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation Improves Brain Performance: A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Trial.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Peirano RI, Achterberg V, Düsing HJ, et al. Dermal Penetration of Creatine From a Face-Care Formulation Containing Creatine, Guarana, and Glycerol Is Linked to Effective Antiwrinkle and Antisagging Efficacy in Male Subjects.

Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. December Knott A, Koop U, Mielke H, et al.