When to take Creatine?

Tony_Brewski
Tony_Brewski Posts: 1,376 Member
in Food and Nutrition
The guy at the health store says "Same time everyday no matter what" the label on my creatine says "Right after work out and on rest days take right away in the morning".

Which should I go by?

Replies

  • crandos
    crandos Posts: 377 Member
    I usually take after workout some people i know take before and after.
  • tquill
    tquill Posts: 300 Member
    It doesn't matter when you take it. I would probably just be somewhat consistent when I take it though.

    http://www.simplyshredded.com/creatine-guide.html
  • Barbellgirl
    Barbellgirl Posts: 544 Member
    Mine just says take it twice a day, at least four hours apart.
  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    It doesn't matter, once your muscles are saturated, you just need to take a 5g does a day to keep them saturated with creatine, doesn't matter when
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    It doesn't matter, once your muscles are saturated, you just need to take a 5g does a day to keep them saturated with creatine, doesn't matter when

    ^This. Creatine doesn't have an acute effect, so it doesn't matter when you take it.
  • Mario_Az
    Mario_Az Posts: 1,331 Member
    any time you want i take it in the morning
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    It doesn't matter, once your muscles are saturated, you just need to take a 5g does a day to keep them saturated with creatine, doesn't matter when

    ^This. Creatine doesn't have an acute effect, so it doesn't matter when you take it.

    ^ These
  • TheEffort
    TheEffort Posts: 1,028 Member
    I take it after a workout.

    8488541.png
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    It doesn't matter, once your muscles are saturated, you just need to take a 5g does a day to keep them saturated with creatine, doesn't matter when

    ^This. Creatine doesn't have an acute effect, so it doesn't matter when you take it.

    ^ These

    Deez^^^
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Whenever you want to speed the progression of male pattern baldness.

    The evidence is certainly not conclusive, but there's enough evidence for me to stay away from creatine.
  • alpha_andy
    alpha_andy Posts: 160 Member
    This is exactly why I buy Hydrobuilder from Optimum Nutrition.
    This perfect protein blend of proteins also includes creatine. I just don't think about it - one less supplement to track.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    any time of day
  • solarpower03
    solarpower03 Posts: 12,161 Member
    Anytime but I see when I take preworkout- my performance increases.
  • NikkiDerrig386
    NikkiDerrig386 Posts: 1,096 Member
    I was told to ake it in the morning on an empty stomach.....?
  • timesinfinityplus2
    timesinfinityplus2 Posts: 57 Member
    Whenever you want to speed the progression of male pattern baldness.

    The evidence is certainly not conclusive, but there's enough evidence for me to stay away from creatine.

    I shave my head anyway, so take that male pattern baldness!
  • Wetcoaster
    Wetcoaster Posts: 1,788 Member
    Here is what Layne Norton says about creatine.......

    http://www.bodybuild...pert-guide.html

    How Much, Man?

    There are two traditional ways of taking creatine monohydrate. You can take 3-5g per day (depending upon muscle mass), which will saturate your intramuscular creatine stores in a few weeks. Or, you can load creatine at 15-25g for the first 4-5 days, which will saturate the muscle cells more rapidly.
    While loading saturates the muscle cells faster, the downside is that you do not assimilate the majority of that creatine, so those on a budget may consider it wasteful.

    Timing Is …

    Many people consume creatine post-workout since it's been speculated that taking creatine after training will lead to better uptake of creatine into the muscle.
    In all likelihood, however, this is splitting hairs. Consistent supplementation of creatine at 3-5g per day has been shown to saturate muscle cells, mostly regardless of time consumed. Therefore, I suggest consuming your creatine whenever it's most convenient.
    Pack Your Stack

    Creatine has been shown to work synergistically with both beta-alanine and HMB, so users who want to maximize creatine's benefits should consider supplementing with those products, as well.
    Of course, your usual supplement foundation of a multivitamin and protein - whey and/or casein - still applies.



    What To Choose

    As a rule, I recommend purchasing supplements whose maker can provide lab analysis of their products. This ensures that what's on the label is actually in the bottle.
    Based on current research, it appears that creatine monohydrate is the most effective creatine product available on the market today. If you are going to spring a few extra dollars for anything, then go for a micronized form of creatine monohydrate to improve mix-ability.
  • BigJohnJ
    BigJohnJ Posts: 8
    Wetcoaster's comment is packed with useful info. "Taking as recommended" is a rough rule of thumb. IMHO, Creatine along with Whey Protein are the "Big 2" when it comes to supplements. Most of us who work out hard and want to grow don't get enough protein in our regular diet and creatine gives that extra boost of energy and strength.

    Experiment with differing times to discover if you see any differences. I do not mean take it in the morning one day and evening the next. You need to give it more time to be able to evaluate...perhaps in 2 week or more cycles. Pay attention to what your body tells you and then you can make an informed decision.

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