What is creatine?
Creatine is a tripeptide, that is, the union of 3 amino acids — glycine, arginine, and methionine — and is stored mainly in muscle tissue, where it plays a very important role in energy metabolism.
How does creatine work in the body?
In the muscle, creatine exists both in free form and as phosphocreatine (or creatine phosphate).
During high-intensity exercise, phosphocreatine helps regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the main cellular energy source, allowing for greater muscular work capacity.
This process supports muscle contraction and delays fatigue, which is why creatine is so widely used by athletes and people looking to train and build muscle mass.
How much creatine to take per day
The recommended daily dose of creatine is approximately 3 grams. This amount is considered safe and effective according to both the Swiss Food Ordinance (FDHA) and the opinions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
When to take creatine?
Considering a typical 70-minute resistance training session, taking creatine before exercise could theoretically better align the increased blood flow with the elevated creatine concentration in the blood.
This may promote better absorption than taking it post-exercise.
Taking it during exercise, on the other hand, may be less effective due to reduced digestion, a result of decreased blood flow to the digestive system during physical activity.
These hypotheses, although promising, require further research to reach definitive conclusions on optimizing the timing of creatine supplementation in relation to exercise.
The effect of creatine timing on adaptations to resistance training is still being studied.
The theory is based on two main factors:
- Creatine distribution: increased muscle blood flow during exercise may enhance creatine distribution to the muscles, influencing its uptake and retention.
- Timing: plasma creatine concentration peaks approximately 2 hours after ingesting 5 grams and remains elevated for approximately 4 hours. During exercise, muscle blood flow increases significantly, returning to normal values within 30 minutes of the end of activity.
How to improve creatine absorption
Creatine is absorbed better when insulin rises above baseline levels.
Therefore, taking nutrients that raise insulin, such as glucose or potassium, together with creatine can improve creatine absorption by up to 60%.
Furthermore, the combined intake of protein, carbohydrates, and creatine improves creatine absorption even more than taking creatine alone or with the same amount of carbohydrates.
Consuming 70-100 grams of high-glycemic-index carbohydrates with creatine stimulates an insulin spike that promotes creatine uptake by the muscles.
Additionally, insulin allows sodium molecules to move out of the cell, improving the cell's ability to absorb creatine.
Alternatively, combining creatine with a mix of protein and carbohydrates (using about half the carbohydrates, or 35-50 grams) can produce a similar effect, thanks to the synergistic action of protein and carbohydrates on insulin secretion.
This approach also requires fewer carbohydrates, making it an appealing choice for those following low-carb diets or trying to control overall calorie intake.
An innovative way to further exploit this mechanism, linked to the sodium-potassium ratio, to better absorb creatine is taking Powerday (micronized potassium bicarbonate): you'll get an effect similar to using carbohydrates, without risking that excess high-glycemic-index carbohydrates turn into fat.
The role of sodium-potassium pumps in creatine intake
Sodium-potassium pumps are structures within cells that help maintain the balance of sodium and potassium levels inside and outside the cells.
They essentially function as "gates" that actively let these minerals through as needed by the cell.
How can you take advantage of this system? Here's a simple explanation:
- Exercise stimulates the production of insulin, the hormone that helps bring sugar and other nutrients into cells. This increases the activity of the sodium-potassium pumps, making it easier to absorb creatine.
- During training, muscle cells use up a lot of energy, lowering creatine levels within them. After training, "creatine-starved" cells are more likely to absorb more of the creatine you get from your diet or supplements.
- Physical activity also stimulates blood flow, bringing more nutrients, including creatine, directly to your muscles.
So, it would be ideal to take creatine before or immediately after training, when the sodium-potassium pumps are particularly active and the muscles are ready to absorb more creatine.
Moreover, since the increased activity of the sodium-potassium pumps persists for an extended period after exercise, taking creatine immediately before or after training may offer greater benefits than at other times of day.
Creatine cycles
In the context of creatine intake, you'll often come across two main approaches, known as usage cycles:
- 20 grams per day for 1 week, followed by 5 grams per day for 3 weeks (not recommended): this method includes a loading phase of 20g/day for 7 days, which exceeds the daily dose recommended by the Swiss federal ordinance and EFSA. It's therefore considered a daily amount above the safety limit established for the entire European Community and Switzerland.
- 3 grams per day for 4 weeks (recommended): this approach is considered safer and more effective. There's no need to exceed 3 grams per day, since this amount is sufficient to saturate the body's muscle creatine stores within 28 days.
Do I need to take creatine even on days I don't train?
The answer is yes: during the cycle it's important to maintain regular daily intake of 3 g for about 28 days to significantly increase muscle creatine stores, allowing for a 20-40% increase and maximizing the associated benefits.
The most important advice we can give is to always choose an excellent-quality creatine, thus guaranteeing purity and effectiveness.
It's also essential not to exceed the recommended amounts, to keep intake safe and healthy.
What type of creatine supplement is best to take?
It's important to know that creatine isn't stable in liquid form and tends to degrade easily into creatinine.
This instability makes liquid versions of creatine less reliable and potentially less effective than powdered forms.
The most widely studied form of creatine, and therefore considered the safest and most effective, is creatine monohydrate powder, also known as creatine monohydrate.
Want pure, high-quality creatine? Try CREAPOWER, the creatine monohydrate supplement that meets the highest quality and performance standards, and invest in your well-being by choosing a product that supports you through every phase of your training journey.
This specific powder formulation has been shown to be highly bioavailable and stable.
For these reasons, creatine monohydrate remains the preferred choice of athletes, sports nutritionists, and researchers in the field of sports supplementation.
How much water should you take with creatine?
There's no hard-and-fast rule for exactly how much water to use with 3 grams of creatine. However, most recommendations suggest using at least 250-300 ml of water per 3 grams of creatine.
Some studies have used up to 500 ml of water for similar doses.
What matters is that the creatine is fully dissolved to ensure optimal absorption.
Can I take protein together with creatine?
Sure, it's possible and potentially beneficial to take creatine together with protein powder.
Taking creatine with 50 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrates can increase creatine retention in the muscles by 25% compared to creatine alone.
A great way to take creatine along with carbs and protein is to mix 3 grams of creatine in 250-300 ml of water and take it together with your protein shake, to improve absorption.
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