From the Guidelines
Creatine monohydrate supplementation is effective for increasing muscle power output and growth, with a recommended dosage of 3-5 grams per day, as supported by the most recent and highest quality study 1. The effectiveness of creatine supplementation is well-established, particularly for resistance training and explosive sports.
- The typical dosage is 3-5 grams per day, taken consistently, with no loading phase necessary, although some choose to do one, as seen in the study 1 which recommends a maintenance phase of 3–5 g/day.
- Creatine works by increasing the body's stores of phosphocreatine, which helps regenerate ATP (energy) during high-intensity, short-duration activities like weightlifting or sprinting, allowing for increased power output and muscle growth over time.
- Benefits are most pronounced for resistance training and explosive sports, and it may take 2-4 weeks of consistent use to see noticeable effects, as noted in the study 1 which suggests that ~4–6 weeks are required following chronic creatine supplementation for levels to return to baseline.
- Creatine is safe for most healthy individuals, but staying hydrated is important, and those with pre-existing kidney issues should consult a doctor before use.
- The study 1 also notes that concurrent consumption with a mixed protein/CHO source (~50 g of protein and CHO) may enhance muscle creatine uptake via insulin stimulation, which can be beneficial for athletes and individuals engaging in high-intensity activities.
From the Research
Effectiveness of Creatine Supplementation
- Creatine supplementation is an effective ergogenic aid to augment resistance training and improve intense, short duration, intermittent performance 2, 3, 4.
- The effects of creatine supplementation on endurance performance are less known, but it may be beneficial for sports that require multiple surges in intensity and/or during end spurts 2.
- Creatine supplementation increases time to exhaustion during high-intensity endurance activities, likely due to increasing anaerobic work capacity 2.
- Creatine supplementation may also provide additional benefits including enhanced postexercise recovery, injury prevention, rehabilitation, as well as a number of potential neurologic benefits 5.
Mechanisms of Creatine Supplementation
- Creatine supplementation elevates skeletal muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) stores facilitating a greater capacity to rapidly resynthesize ATP and buffer hydrogen ion accumulation 2, 6.
- When co-ingested with carbohydrates, creatine enhances glycogen resynthesis and content, an important fuel to support high-intensity aerobic exercise 2.
- Creatine lowers inflammation and oxidative stress and has the potential to increase mitochondrial biogenesis 2.
Safety and Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation
- Short- and long-term supplementation is safe and well tolerated in healthy individuals and in a number of patient populations 3, 5, 4.
- The preponderance of scientific evidence indicates that creatine supplementation appears to be a generally effective nutritional ergogenic aid for a variety of exercise tasks in a number of athletic and clinical populations 4.
- Studies consistently reveal that creatine supplementation exerts positive ergogenic effects on single and multiple bouts of short-duration, high-intensity exercise activities, in addition to potentiating exercise training adaptations 6.