From the Guidelines
Creatine monohydrate supplementation is recommended for individuals seeking to improve exercise performance and muscle development, with a typical dose of 3-5 grams daily, as it has been shown to increase phosphocreatine stores in muscles and improve strength, power output, and muscle mass gains 1. The benefits of creatine monohydrate supplementation include:
- Improved exercise performance, particularly in high-intensity, short-duration activities like weightlifting or sprinting
- Increased muscle mass gains when combined with resistance training
- Potential cognitive benefits, particularly during sleep deprivation or mentally demanding tasks
- Generally considered safe for healthy individuals, with the main side effect being potential water retention during initial supplementation Some key considerations for creatine monohydrate supplementation include:
- Loading phase: 20 grams daily (divided into 4 doses) for 5-7 days before moving to the maintenance dose
- Maintenance dose: 3-5 grams daily
- Consistent daily supplementation, regardless of workout schedule
- Mixing with water or other beverages
- Consulting a healthcare provider before starting supplementation for individuals with pre-existing kidney conditions It's also important to note that creatine monohydrate supplementation may affect kidney function measurements, particularly creatinine clearance measurements, but it does not appear to alter kidney function itself 1.
From the Research
Benefits of Creatine Monohydrate Supplementation
- Increases strength, fat-free mass, and muscle morphology with concurrent heavy resistance training 2
- Improves high-intensity exercise performance by increasing creatine storage and promoting faster regeneration of adenosine triphosphate 2, 3
- Enhances endurance performance, particularly in activities that require multiple surges in intensity and/or during end spurts 4
- Increases time to exhaustion during high-intensity endurance activities 4
- May provide additional benefits including enhanced postexercise recovery, injury prevention, rehabilitation, and potential neurologic benefits 5
Effective Dosage and Safety
- Typical dosage is 3-5 g per day, which is safe for long-term use 6
- Loading doses are not necessary to increase intramuscular stores of creatine, but can be used to rapidly increase muscle creatine levels 3
- Common adverse effects are transient water retention in the early stages of supplementation, and potential liver and renal complications when taken at higher than recommended doses for several months 3
- Short- and long-term supplementation is safe and well tolerated in healthy individuals and in a number of patient populations 5