When Is The Best Time To Take Creatine Monohydrate?

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ou must have read much about Creatine-it is the gold standard for enhancing strength, muscle mass, and overall performance. But here is the real question: when is the best time to take it to maximize your gains?

Some believe taking it pre-workout is the best option, giving the muscles fuel before they even touch a weight. At the same time, others tout the post-workout approach, saying it replenishes energy stores and initiates recovery.

Which side are you on? And more importantly, what does the science say?

Let's break it down and see whether there is a difference in the timing of Creatine and whether it is just another myth in the world of fitness.

Also Read: Is Creatine a Steroid?

QUICK FACTS ABOUT CREATINE MONOHYDRATE

  · Creatine is a non-protein nitrogen compound found mostly in skeletal muscle but also in the heart, brain and other tissues.
· Creatine is produced endogenously at an amount of about 1g/day (synthesized in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas from the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine).
· Creatine can also be obtained through an omnivorous diet at about 1g/day (red meat, beef, pork and certain fish).
· 95% of Creatine is stored in skeletal muscles, 40% in free form, and 60% in the form of phosphocreatine.
· The total Creatine pool is about 120 mmol/kg of dry muscle mass for a 70kg individual who maintains a diet that includes red meat and fish.
· Vegetarians have been found to possess muscle creatine and phosphocreatine levels that are approximately 20 to 30 percent lower in comparison to their non-vegetarian counterparts.
· As an oral supplement, the most widely used and researched supplement is Creatine monohydrate.
· In humans, Creatine is actively absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract before entering the bloodstream to be delivered to various tissues throughout the body.
· Creatine monohydrate is absorbed by the body with an absorption rate close to 100%.
· When 2g of Creatine is consumed in an aqueous solution it reaches peak plasma concentration in approximately 1 hour.
· Although higher doses of more than 10g can take up to 2.5 hours to reach the peak plasma concentration, it remains elevated for a further 4 hours. 

Also Read: Creatine Vs Carnitine

WHY SHOULD YOU SUPPLEMENT WITH CREATINE?

Creatine production in the human body satisfies nearly half of daily requirements. The remaining amount of Creatine needed to maintain normal tissue levels of Creatine should be obtained in the diet primarily from redmeat and fish or through dietary supplements. As Creatine is predominantly present in the diets of meats, vegetarians have lower resting Creatine concentrations. The most important use of Creatine is to produce ATP. Supplemental form of Creatine conveniently increases the cellular ATP.

Also Read: BCAA Vs Creatine

CREATINE – THE FASTEST WAY TO SUPPLY ATP

  · ATP-CP system or phosphagen system is the fastest way to supply ATP for skeletal muscle metabolism. This is ideal for short, high-intensity activities as it provides the quickest readily available ATP.
· Phosphagen energy system doesn’t demand oxygen and provides energy by using stored ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr).
· Since ATP-CP system relies on phosphocreatine, supplementing with Creatine increases phosphocreatine stores, allowing for faster ATP regeneration.
· Under resting conditions, ATP is formed in the mitochondria from adenosine diphosphate (ADP) through the process of oxidative phosphorylation.
· Phosphocreatine can provide an inorganic phosphate molecule for the resynthesis of ATP via the Creatine kinase reaction in which phosphate donation from phosphocreatine degradation is used by adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and consequently, increases ATP resynthesis.

Also Read: Creatine Vs Arginine

BEST PRACTICES FOR CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION

1.  Choose high-quality Creatine
Always choose to buy Creatine from a reputable brand that prioritizes quality and purity. Choose a Creatine supplement that has been third-party lab-tested and is free from additives and fillers. The most researched and effective form of Creatine is Creatine Monohydrate, which has been proven to be safe and effective.

2.  Stick to the recommended dose
The optimal daily dose of Creatine for most people is 3-5 grams per day. Do not exceed the recommended daily dosage. Creatine is not recommended for individuals under the age of 18. 

3.  Consume a well-balanced and performance-enhancing diet.
A well-balanced, performance-enhancing diet is essential for maximizing the benefits of Creatine.

4.  Pair Creatine with carbs or protein
Creatine absorption can be enhanced when taken with carbohydrates or protein. This is because insulin, a hormone released in response to carbohydrate or protein intake, helps shuttle Creatine into muscle cells more effectively. 

5.  Hydrate adequately
Creatine increases intracellular water retention in muscles, contributing to muscle fullness, but it also increases the body’s need for hydration. To avoid issues like cramping, and bloating, it is essential to drink plenty of water throughout the day.

6.  Be consistent
Creatine works by gradually increasing muscle stores over time. The most important factor in maximizing the benefits of Creatine is to take it daily without skipping doses.

Also Read: Should You Take Creatine On Rest Days?

IS THE LOADING PHASE OF CREATINE NECESSARY?  
While some people choose to do a loading phase (20-25g per day for 5-7 days) to saturate their muscles faster, it is not necessary for long-term benefits. A steady daily intake of 3-5 grams will achieve full muscle saturation over time without the risk of bloating or stomach discomfort.

Also Read: Does Creatine Make You Gain Weight?

IS CREATINE MONOHYDRATE A SAFE SUPPLEMENT
·      Creatine has been a popular supplement since the 1990s. More than 1,000 studies have been conducted, and billions of servings of Creatine have been consumed. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and a relatively safe supplement.
·      Studies have consistently shown that Creatine supplementation poses no adverse health risks and provides several performance benefits.
·      There is no scientific evidence that the short and long-term use of Creatine Monohydrate has any detrimental effect on healthy males and females.
·      Creatine is high in the food supply, so its use is not banned by any sports organization.
·      The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) has concluded Creatine is the most effective ergogenic supplement currently available to athletes with the intent of increasing high-intensity exercise capacity, and lean body mass during training.
·      Creatine provides a favourable safety profile compared to anabolic androgenic drugs.
·      Excess Creatine is harmlessly filtered and excreted into the urine. 

Also Read: Can Women Use Creatine Supplement?

THE POTENTIAL ERGOGENIC BENEFITS OF CREATINE?

· Increased single and repeated sprint speed
· Increased performance during max effort lifts
· Increased anaerobic threshold
· Increased total work capacity
· Delayed onset of fatigue
· Creatine supplementation combined with resistance training leads to fat-free muscle mass and strength gains. 

Also Read: Does Creatine Monohydrate Cause Hair Loss?

WHO SHOULD TAKE CREATINE?    
Strength athletes, endurance athletes looking for a slight performance boost, vegetarians and vegans (who typically have lower dietary creatine intake) will benefit from Creatine supplementation.

SPORTS EVENTS THAT MAY BE ENHANCED BY CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION

  · Track sprints (60-200m)
· Swim sprints (50m)
· Basketball
· Volleyball
· Powerlifting
· Wrestling
· Rugby
· Field events like shotput, javelin, discus
· Weightlifting
· Tennis

Also Read: Can You Use Creatine While Cutting?

Now, comes the debate, when is the best time to take Creatine? – pre-workout or post-workout? We tell you what? Instead of relying on endless online debates, the best way to be sure about anything is by understanding the science and doing research yourself. The best answer isn’t what anyone says, it’s what you discover!

Comes, let’s discover it together…

SUPPLEMENTING CREATINE PRE-WORKOUT

1. The duration of a typical resistance training session varies between 40 and 90 minutes. In this regard, if you supplement with Creatine 30 minutes pre-exercise, Creatine will begin to accumulate through the training session, and peak Creatine concentration in the blood may occur during exercise.

2. The highly intense muscle contractions would lead to increased blood flow to the working muscles which may lead to increased delivery and uptake of Creatine. 

3. What this suggests is that pre-exercise Creatine supplementation may be more effective at increasing muscle Creatine content.

4. The most employed 5g of Creatine consumption will peak around 1- 2 hours after consumption and remain elevated for approximately 4 hours.

5. Blood flow may return to baseline within 30 minutes after exercise, so Creatine pre-workout would be ideal for muscle uptake.

Creatine supplementation pre-workout offers the following benefits:

  · Increases ATP availability
· Enhances power output
· Delays fatigue
· Supports higher volume training
· Reduces muscle breakdown

Also Read: Whey Protein & Creatine – How Do You Benefit?

SUPPLEMENTING CREATINE POST-WORKOUT

Although vasodilation may continue for up to 120 minutes post-exercise, post-exercise supplementation of Creatine may not benefit from exercise-induced muscle blood flow to the same extent as pre-exercise supplementation.

However, Creatine when taken post-workout offers the following benefits:
 · Quickly replenishes the depleted energy stores.
 · Reduces post-exercise muscle fatigue.
 · Reduces muscle breakdown and muscle soreness.
 · Speeds up recovery.

If your goal is to boost strength, muscle endurance, and workout intensity, taking Creatine before training can be beneficial. If you’re focused on faster recovery, and avoiding muscle loss, post-workout Creatine may be the better choice…

Pre or post – what matters most is consistency for long-term muscle and strength gains…

Reference:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23919405
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34610729
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35669557
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5469049
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8401986/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8228369

Also Read: Myths & Misconceptions on Creatine Monohydrate

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