From the Guidelines
Creatine supplements are a safe and effective way to improve exercise performance, particularly for high-intensity activities, with a recommended dosage of 3-5 g/day, as supported by the UEFA expert group statement on nutrition in elite football 1. The dosage can be taken consistently, without the need for a loading protocol, although some may choose to follow a loading phase of ~20 g/day for 5-7 days before dropping to a maintenance dose. Key points to consider when taking creatine supplements include:
- Taking the supplement with a mixed protein/CHO source (~50 g of protein and CHO) may enhance muscle creatine uptake via insulin stimulation 1
- The supplement works by increasing the body's phosphocreatine stores, which helps regenerate ATP during intense exercise, allowing for more work or repetitions before fatigue
- Timing of the supplement is not critical, as long as it is taken daily, and it is best taken with water or in a post-workout shake
- Most people may experience a slight weight gain (1-3 pounds) from water retention in muscles
- Creatine has an excellent safety profile for healthy individuals, though those with kidney issues should consult a healthcare provider before use, as noted in the study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine 1.
From the Research
Benefits of Creatine Supplements
- Creatine supplementation is popular amongst athletes and exercising individuals for improving muscle mass, performance, and recovery 2.
- Accumulating evidence suggests that creatine supplementation produces beneficial effects in older and patient populations 2.
- Creatine supplementation increases muscle performance in short-duration, high-intensity resistance exercises 3.
- Creatine may provide additional benefits including enhanced postexercise recovery, injury prevention, rehabilitation, as well as a number of potential neurologic benefits 4.
Safety and Side Effects of Creatine Supplements
- Creatine supplementation is relatively well tolerated, especially at recommended dosages (i.e. 3-5 g/day or 0.1 g/kg of body mass/day) 2.
- The most common adverse effect is transient water retention in the early stages of supplementation 3.
- Long-term creatine supplementation does not significantly affect clinical markers of health in athletes 5.
- Long-term oral creatine supplementation does not impair renal function in healthy athletes 6.
- Short- and long-term supplementation is safe and well tolerated in healthy individuals and in a number of patient populations 4.
Dosage and Administration of Creatine Supplements
- 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 3.
- Loading doses are not necessary to increase the intramuscular stores of creatine 3.
- Creatine monohydrate is the most studied form of creatine, and other forms such as creatine ethyl ester have not shown added benefits 3.