Creatine Facts: How To Take Creatine For Maximum Effects?

Ask anyone on some creatine facts like how to take creatine and you would probably get more than one answer.

"Take creatine before your workout" claim Mr A

"Always take creatine after your workout" – said Mr B

"No, take Creatine before and after workout" – retorted Mr C

As if this is not enough to cause you confusion, there are more differing answers like:

" Take creatine with some orange juice" vs. "Don’t take creatine with any citrus fruit juice"

" Take small doses of creatine each time" vs "take a loading large dose followed by small dosages"

With these vastly differing opinions on how to take creatine, chances are one tend to end up taking a "trial and error" means of finding out.

Well I know that’s what I did when I first started taking creatine. Through the years of reading and testing, I have found a supplementation plan that works well and I’m about to share this with you.

Firstly, you might want to know that creatine, unlike other supplement, can be taken in any way you like and expect to see optimal results. You need to know how to take creatine in the proper way to give the best-desired results.

 Creatine dosage to take

As recommended on the labels of the product, you would probably be recommended to take a loading does for the first couple of days followed by a maintenance dose thereafter. The creatine dosage to be taken depends on one’s body weight. Simply multiple 0.3 and 0.03 by your body weight to get your loading and maintenance dose respectively.

 When to Take Creatine

When it comes to choosing the right time to take creatine, the logic that I go by is to replenish what’s depleted. Creatine level would be low after a workout and hence taking creatine after a workout would be most appropriate. Some have argued that taking it just before commencing exercise or workouts would provide the extra creatine needed during workout but this logic simply does not hold. Why? Because, it takes time for the creatine to be absorb and be available to the muscles. There isn’t sufficient time to make this happen if creatine is taken just before a workout.

 Should creatine be taken plain or with juice?

It has been shown that taking creatine with some juice is more effective than taking creatine plain i.e. with just water. The reason is because; the sugar (glucose, fructose) that comes with the juice will create a sugar spike. This stimulates the release of insulin, which encourages the body tissues especially the muscles to gobble up the sugar. Insulin does the same for creatine as well and hence uptake of creatine into muscles is better and faster.

 Continuous Use of creatine or to cycle.

When you supplement your body with naturally occurring substances, there may be a tendency that your body loses its ability to produce the substance on its own again once supplementation stops. Though no studies offered any concrete evidence to support such an occurrence in the case of creatine, to be safe than be sorry, it is still advisable to allow a "flush out" period in between. For me I take 2 months of creatine allowing for a one month break in between. This has work pretty for me. With no concrete evidences that show that it is perfectly safe to take creatine long term, I see this as the best approach, at least for now.

To maximize the effect of creatine, there are a lot more things to consider than those mentioned above. Dr Franco-Obregon, a respected expert in this field, has written a detailed section on how to take creatine for optimal results in his best selling book "Creatine: A Practical Guide". You will find answers to more questions like what to avoid, what to take more of in this book. If I were you I wouldn't spend my money on any creatine product until you've read this book. It will teach you exactly how to get the most out of your creatine supplements.