When during the day should I take creatine?

Creatine is one of the most well-researched sports supplements on the market. Known for supporting muscle gain, muscular strength and power, creatine may be the perfect addition to your supplement routine. Suitable for both beginner and advanced trainers, creatine is a safe and effective supplement when taken correctly. 

Not sure when it is the best time to take creatine? Keep on reading to learn more about when to take creatine and why it’s so beneficial. 

What is creatine?

Creatine is a molecule that is composed of three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine. Around 95% of creatine is stored in muscle, which is where it works to exert its beneficial effects. Consuming creatine increases the body’s natural stores of phosphocreatine. This helps to create a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which is responsible for providing the muscle cells with energy.The body naturally produces around 1 gram of creatine a day. This is enough to sustain regular body function, however, is not enough to produce exercise related benefits. This is why supplementing with creatine is so advantageous. 

What are the benefits of creatine?

When taken correctly and in conjunction with resistance training, creatine positively impacts exercise performance and body composition. 

Studies have shown that the main benefits of creatine are:

  • Enhanced physical performance 
  • Reduced fat mass
  • Increased muscle mass
  • Improved muscular strength, endurance and power
  • Improves quality of workout
  • Enhanced recovery

How much creatine should I consume?

When starting with a creatine supplement, it is advised to consume 20g of creatine each day for the first week of consumption. Following this, it is recommended to reduce the dose to 5g each day. This is called the ‘loading’ and ‘maintenance’ phase of creatine supplementation.

The ‘loading phase’ is the first week you start consuming creatine supplementation. The loading phase is categorized by consuming a higher dose of creatine to supersaturate the muscle cells with creatine and maximize creatine uptake. To achieve this, it is recommended you consume 10g of creatine before your workout, followed by 10g of creatine after your workout.

The ‘maintenance phase’ begins from week two of taking creatine and continues for as long as you use the creatine supplement. The maintenance phase is categorized by taking a lower dose of creatine to maintain creatine storage in muscle cells. During this phase, you should consume 5g of creatine daily.

What is the best time to take creatine?

Many people wonder whether they should take creatine before or after a workout. 

Studies show that there is little to no difference between taking creatine before or after a workout. However, studies do show that the key is to consume creatine either shortly before your workout, or shortly after your workout. This is because consuming creatine supplementation close to exercise may be superior in enhancing creatine uptake in the muscle cells.

Should I take creatine on rest days?

Creatine should be taken on rest days. For creatine to be most effective, your muscles need to stay saturated with creatine. This means that it is advantageous to consume creatine on rest days so more creatine can be utilized by muscle cells. Creatine also helps with muscle recovery, which is why it can be beneficial to consume even on days of rest.

What is the best way to consume creatine?

Creatine is an unflavoured powder supplement. Creatine can be mixed directly with water and consumed. Whilst you can simply take creatine with water, you may find it more enjoyable to mix creatine with another EHPlabs supplement. You could do this by:

  • Mixing creatine with OxyShred an consuming pre-workout
  • Mixing creatine with OxyWhey and consuming post-workout
  • Mixing creatine with BCAAs and consuming pre or post workout.

Does creatine make you bigger?

Creatine does make your muscles appear bigger. This is because creatine draws more water into the muscles, making them seem fuller. When combined with exercise, creatine can help to increase muscular strength and size. 

Does creatine burn belly fat?

Creatine is not a fat-burner. However, when combined with regular exercise, creatine does help to reduce fat mass. This is because creatine influences fat tissue metabolism which helps to reduce fat stores all around the body. Creatine does not target belly fat specifically, however, a reduction in overall body fat levels will naturally reduce the amount of fat accumulated around the stomach. The key is to continue to engage in regular exercise and consume a well-balanced diet. 

How quickly do you see results with creatine?

You may start to experience the benefits of creatine fairly quickly, especially if you take the higher dose during the loading phase. Typically within 7 days, you will start to notice some benefits like bigger looking muscles (due to the water retention), and potential exercise performance benefits. Most people notice the best results after 1 month of use. 

Does creatine build muscle?

Creatine does help to increase muscle mass and size when combined with resistance training. Creatine draws water in the muscles, which helps optimize muscle cell function. Additionally, creatine may increase IGF-1, which is a hormone that can help stimulate muscle growth. Creatine also has the ability to improve exercise performance, allowing you to lift heavier and perform more reps. All these various mechanisms help to improve muscle strength and increase muscle mass. 

What is the best creatine supplement on the market?

EHPlabs Crea-8 is one of the most well-formulated, cleanest creatine supplements available. Crea-8 is a pharmaceutical grade creatine, with NO stimulants, sugar, carbs or fillers. Additionally, Crea-8 is HPLC tested, and highly bioavailable for optimal absorption. 

Are you ready to take your fitness to the next level? Be sure to try out world famous Crea-8 to experience the benefits for yourself! 

Is it better to take creatine in the morning or night?

When should I take Creatine? Most people like to take their Creatine in the morning, just because it's easiest to remember to take it along with other daily supplements like Vitamin D, fish oils, and a multivitamin. But there's nothing wrong with taking Creatine before a workout in your pre-workout, in post-workout.

How should I take creatine for best results?

One common approach is to take 20–25 g of creatine daily for 5–7 days. This dose is typically divided into four or five 5-g servings throughout the day ( 1 , 2 , 3). Research shows that this regimen can effectively boost muscle stores of creatine by 10%–40% ( 2 , 4 ).

Should I take creatine before or after workout?

Creatine supplementation plus resistance exercise increases fat-free mass and strength. Based on the magnitude inferences it appears that consuming creatine immediately post-workout is superior to pre-workout vis a vis body composition and strength.

Is creatine better to take at night?

Since it's an energy source, many people believe that taking creatine before bed is bad. However, research suggests that consuming creatine before you hit the sack can diminish the effects of sleeplessness [3].