Should you be supplementing creatine?

Probably. Creatine is popular in strength athletes but it does so much more.

Creatine is produced by your body and found in foods like meat and fish.

Creatine is a combination of different amino acids and helps produce energy!

Creatine supplementation can help improve bone mineral density, you can train at a higher intensity and volume and it increases energy stores. In addition to athletic and exercise improvement, research has shown that creatine supplementation may enhance post-exercise recovery, injury prevention, thermoregulation, rehabilitation, and concussion. Scientists are also currently studying if creatine can have a positive effect on people with bipolar disorder and chronic depression, which is pretty freaking cool.

What kind of creatine should you take?

There are so many different types of creatine from creatine monohydrate to creatine citrate to creatine nitrate. After reading about 30 different studies, it shows that creatine monohydrate is the most consistent and substantial creatine increase and retention. It’s also the best bang for your buck.

How do you take creatine?

This part is important. If you’re not taking it correctly, you’re not going to get the results you want. Just like with everything else, you have to follow the directions.

For years and years, I heard that you had to load creatine for it to work, meaning you would have to take about 20-30g a day for about a week for the creatine stores to build up. This is NOT necessary. Studies show that moderate daily doses of 3-5g per day can saturate creatine storage after about 3-4 weeks. Using the moderate dosing method you will avoid GI upsets and other stomach issues associated with creatine.

Creatine timing does not matter. Take it pre-workout, post-workout, in the morning, at night, it will all have the same effects as long as you’re taking it consistently.

I remember when I was younger and first getting into fitness there were so many rumors that creatine would cause liver or kidney issues which is not true. Creatine is safe to take and if you have pre-existing liver or kidney issues you should ALWAYS consult your doctor before taking anything.

One last thing, loading creatine and taking large amounts of caffeine can negate the effects of both and also cause GI discomfort. If you choose to go the loading route OR if you have a sensitive stomach, try not to mix the two!

What do you think? Will you start taking creatine?

Written by: Ryann Dacy, Nutrition Coach