From the Guidelines
Creatine supplementation is highly recommended for individuals seeking to improve muscle performance and overall health, with a daily dose of 3-5 grams being the most effective. This recommendation is based on the most recent and highest quality study available, which suggests that creatine supplementation can increase muscle phosphocreatine stores, enhancing energy production during high-intensity exercise 1. The benefits of creatine supplementation include:
- Improved strength and power output
- Increased muscle mass gains when combined with resistance training
- Better workout performance, including increased repetitions and heavier lifts
- Faster recovery between exercise sets
- Potential stimulation of protein synthesis and reduction of protein breakdown
To achieve optimal results, it is recommended to begin with a loading phase of 20 grams daily (divided into 4 doses) for 5-7 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5 grams daily 1. Creatine works by replenishing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body's primary energy currency, allowing muscles to maintain higher intensity output for longer periods. It is also important to note that creatine is generally safe for healthy individuals, with water retention being the most common side effect. Taking creatine with carbohydrates can enhance uptake, and consistent daily supplementation is more important than timing around workouts 1.
The study by Collins et al. published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2021 provides the most up-to-date and reliable evidence for the benefits of creatine supplementation 1. This study suggests that a dose of 3-6 mg/kg BM of creatine, consumed 60 minutes prior to exercise, can be effective in improving muscle performance. However, the most effective dose is still considered to be 3-5 grams daily, as it provides a consistent and optimal level of creatine in the muscles.
Overall, the evidence suggests that creatine supplementation is a safe and effective way to improve muscle performance and overall health, and it is recommended for individuals seeking to improve their athletic performance or overall health.
From the Research
Benefits of Creatine Supplementation
- Creatine supplementation is an effective ergogenic aid to augment resistance training and improve intense, short duration, intermittent performance 2, 3, 4
- It elevates skeletal muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) stores, facilitating a greater capacity to rapidly resynthesize ATP and buffer hydrogen ion accumulation 2
- Creatine supplementation can enhance glycogen resynthesis and content when co-ingested with carbohydrates, which is important for high-intensity aerobic exercise 2
- It may also lower inflammation and oxidative stress, and increase mitochondrial biogenesis 2
- Creatine supplementation can increase time to exhaustion during high-intensity endurance activities, likely due to increasing anaerobic work capacity 2
- It may be beneficial for sports that require multiple surges in intensity and/or during end spurts, such as cross-country skiing, mountain biking, cycling, triathlon, rowing, kayaking, and track cycling 2
Performance Outcomes
- Creatine supplementation can increase maximal strength, maximal work output, power production, sprint performance, and fat-free mass 3
- It can also speed up recovery time between bouts of intense exercise by mitigating muscle damage and promoting the faster recovery of lost force-production potential 3
- Creatine supplementation may provide additional benefits including enhanced postexercise recovery, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and potential neurologic benefits 4
Safety and Dosage
- Creatine monohydrate is a relatively safe supplement with few adverse effects reported, the most common being transient water retention in the early stages of supplementation 5, 6
- Effective dosing for creatine supplementation includes loading with 0.3 g·kg·d for 5 to 7 days, followed by maintenance dosing at 0.03 g·kg·d 5
- Loading doses are not necessary to increase the intramuscular stores of creatine, and other forms such as creatine ethyl ester have not shown added benefits 5