Curious about creatine loading? Let’s start at the beginning.
Among the thousands of potions, pills and powders that exist in the world of sports nutrition, creatine monohydrate is among the most studied, tested and effective. Regular use can help improve strengthmuscle growth and athletic performance by providing the raw materials your body needs to power short, high-intensity efforts.
Some trainers and nutritionists suggest a creatine loading phase during the first week of use followed by a maintenance phase.
What does that mean? Is it effective? Should I do it?
What is creatine loading?
To speed up the availability of creatine for use in your workouts, creatine loading requires taking a higher initial amount of the supplement for a short period to saturate your muscles before switching to a continuous, long-term program of regular servings.
Creatine is the body’s primary fuel source during the first few seconds of any exercise and continues to be the primary fuel source during repeated sets of high-intensity exercise (think: sprinting and resistance training). This fuel is stored in cells and is typically acquired through dietary sources such as meat and fish.
Supplementation allows you to replenish your cellular stores of creatine, helping to make more of it available during exercise.
How long does it take for creatine to take effect?
In typical servings (five to 10 grams per day) of a creatine product, it may take a month or more of supplementation to increase cellular stores of creatine enough to make a noticeable difference in your workouts. Creatine loading allows you to reach those levels in as little as one week.
This is how it works:
- You take up to 20 grams of creatine per day (usually divided into four five-gram servings, each with water about four hours apart) for the first seven to 10 days on the creatine supplement.
- It is then gradually reduced to a maintenance dose of about five grams per day, which you can safely continue for as long as you wish.
Continuing with a larger amount for more than a week to 10 days will do you no good (after all, you can’t make your cell tanks larger), so once they are full, be sure to reduce your daily consumption. intake up to the maintenance level.
Are there any side effects when loading creatine?
“Water retention is the most common event reported in the first days of creatine use,” says Paul Falcone, principal scientist at BODi. Water retention can sometimes lead to bloating and other gastrointestinal problems, including frequent urination.
However, the recommended five grams taken four times a day while loading should help mitigate these short-term side effects. “Spreading out your intake strategy should allow your body to move forward more easily,” Falcone says.
Any water retention should disappear after a few days, Falcone says. So even if you are a little bloated at first, the effect will be temporary. And after five to seven days, switch to a lower amount of five grams daily.
Do I need creatine?
you don’t need Creatine to achieve your strength training or performance goals, but it can help you reach them faster. In fact, if you’re interested in maximizing muscle and strength, creatine should be high on your list of supplements to try. Most people notice an increase in their strength, performance, and muscle mass, with minimal side effects.
