What if you could be STRONGER and decrease your body fat percentage over the next few days?
Would you be interested?
This study [1] has found that supplementing with creatine does just that in only 5 days!
17 trained men were given either creatine or a placebo and tested.
1 rep max increased for squats in the creatine group by 11% more than the placebo group. Furthermore, their body fat percentage DECREASED slightly.
And no, this study was not funded by a supplement company.
Now to an age-old question…
Should you load with creatine?
This study would suggest that you should. They concluded,
“The study found that a 5-day creatine loading regime coupled with resistance training resulted in significant improvements in both average anaerobic power, as measured by the 30-second Wingate test and back squat strength compared with just training alone.”
So by using the loading technique, (4 x 5g servings per day for 5 days) results should be evident before the end of your first week!
The researchers went on to say,
“However, 2 days of supplementation was not sufficient to produce similar performance gains as that observed at the end of 5 days of loading in trained men, despite increases in creatine uptake in the body.”
So don’t expect miracles within your first day or two.
While you can just take 5g of creatine per day to allow your saturation levels to reach peak over a longer time, why wait? The 20g a day loading technique for 5 days is tried, tested, and effective.
So tell me, are YOU taking creatine? I’m asking because I’m interested to hear from those who are not and why not.
If it’s a safety concern, I would suggest you read these articles about what creatine actually is and how it has been thoroughly tested and consistently proven to be a safe supplement.
Creatine – The Most Effective Ergogenic Nutritional Supplement
What is Creatine and How Does it Work?
Also, creatine monohydrate is still the best form of creatine on the market. Don’t believe supplement companies on this one; read this for the science.
As for brands, I recommend MyProtein’s creatine monohydrate or creapure for all European readers, and Optimum Nutrition’s Micronized Creapure Creatine Monohydrate for North American Readers.
Stay Motivated & Stay Strong!
Mark
reference: [1] Effects of two and five days of creatine loading on muscular strength and anaerobic power in trained athletes https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19387386
Hi Mark, Great site by the way. I have recently started using MyProtein Creatine Monohydrate. I wasn’t sure it was working until I ran out!! Can you advise on the best way to take it? I was taking on training days only, I will now load up this week, as I am just today starting again after a weeks break, but how should I take on next week?
I’m in the military. I have to run long enough and fast enough to pass fitness tests. Over the years I have determined that creatine leads me to have calf cramping at a bit past a mile. It basically feels like having done calf raises for 30 minutes and then going for a run. This starts after a week to week and a half after starting creative and without fail goes away after a similar time post creatine. Supplementing with items such as potassium have not solved this nor has water intake. Wish I could use it.
Hi Mark ,
perfect, will surely give a try, so 20 g creatine monohydrate should be taken in 1 go or 4 times (5g) a day?
Mark,
With this 4X5g of creatine per day for 5 days routine, do you take the weekend completely off from supplementing with creatine? And, then get back to it on Monday? Also, how many weeks should you cycle this routine? 10? or less since it is more concentrated?
I’m excited to try this out. Thanks, Mark!
so would that be 4 x 5g, 2 pre workout and 2 post? or just evenly spread out throughout the day?
Hi Mark,
I’m doing the THT training and I’m taking Optimum Nutrition whey gold standard protein and I’m taking Dymatize Micronized Creatine.
I take a 25g protein shake in the morning, and then immeditaly after training I take another 25g protein shake with 5g Creatine.
On my 2 days off training at the weekend I don’t take the creatine.
Questions:
1) Should I be taking the creatine everyday even if I’m not training?
2) On the label of the Creatine it says nothing about Loading, do you advise that I should load now for the next 5 days and then take 5g everyday?
3) Is taking 20g of Creatine a day for 5 days not unhealthy for the body? is it sever on liver etc? would it not leave you severly dehydrated?
Hey Mark,
what happens after five days of loading?
Also, what’s your opinion on this method vs three days on three days off?
I’ve been off creatine for awhile now and im excited to start again!
Cheers
@CirenceSpur. 5g every day after loading phase is done. Even non-training days. Read this… https://musclehack.com/should-i-take-creatine-on-off-days/
@liam. Spread out evenly but have 1 post workout.
@romi. 4 x 5g servings for 5 days.
@Leo. 7 days a week https://musclehack.com/should-i-take-creatine-on-off-days/ I mostly do 9 on, 2 off. So the last week of a 10 week training cycle and the week lay-off are creatine-free. Then start loading again the first week of the new training cycle.
@Adrian. 1) Yes, see the link above. 2) If you’ve been taking it for a few weeks, you don’t need to load now as you’ll have attained max creatine levels; just took you longer to get there. 3) It’s fine.
@therealshard. Just go on to 5g per day taken immediately after your workout with your whey shake. The 3 on 3 off is an alternative, but doesn’t seem to offer any advantage over the traditional method, at least not in any of the online experiments I’ve conducted.
Creatine is one of the few supplements I have never taken, and the reason is very simple. From what I hear, it makes your muscles look bigger than they really are. I guess it makes you swollen or something. And that’s something I definitely don’t see as a welcome side effect, because I don’t want ever to be under the mistaken impression that I have made more progress than I really have. If I got off it, this “surplus” would go away, right? If there were a way to prevent this swelling so that I wouldn’t see anything but REAL gains, I’d probably give it a shot. Please let me know if any of the info I have is not valid.
I take muscle pharm brand creatine..it does not require a loading phase..works good for me..when is the new program you promised comming out man..been waiting for what seems like forever..hope its soon…..
For the benefit of everyone:
5 days loading at 4x5g, one of which post workout.
5g everyday for the next 8weeks and 2 days, then two weeks off (Mark mostly does 9 weeks on, 2 weeks off)
Thanks Mark!
@Felipe. True, but only slight. Some people won’t notice anything. But the point is that you’ll be able to lift more and promote more real growth.
@mikey Hopefully before the end of April. Sorry but I had to start from scratch when my hard drive died.
@therealshard. No probs.
Great artical Mark 🙂 Question anybody knows what has happened to the onboard forum?????
hi mark was wondering i take a pre workout n.o shotgun and also do protein would adding creatine be a safe thing ?
Mark,
Do you have any advice on how to lose that last little bit of fat around my lower abs? I have been dieting like a boss and I follow your workout routines and haven’t missed a day but I still can’t seem to get rid of it. I know this article is about creatine and I’m sorry for going off topic but I need to know the answer to this. Info on me: I’m in the US, I’m in college, I weigh around 150 lbs and am 5’11” (don’t know metric system, sorry). Any info would be so great. I love this website and can’t thank you enough for everything you post on it. Have a great day!
Helping out our mate Taylor (maybe with a bit of selfishness thrown in there because I wanna see the answer – I could be asking the same question): 5’11” would be around 1,79-1,82. I’m the same height. He weighs about 67 kg, I weigh 82.
Started taking creatine 2 weeks ago, have been lifting for a really long time…people who didnt see me for 2 weeks said that i looked both leaner and stronger. but along with the 5g of creatine post workout i took protein, everything else was the same.
Do you still recommend cycling off creatine? If yes, how many days do you not use it and when to you start again?
I take my creatine exactly as Mark stated… 9 weeks on and 2 weeks off. Always starting on a new 10 week workout schedule.(loading at 20g.’s per day for 5 days, then 5g.’s per day after) I take it right after i lift, mixing it with my protein powder. A Good Article. Thanks Mark!!… P.S. If ya don’t take creatine, you should really consider taking it. It Helps A Lot With Your Muscle Growth.
Hey Mark,
Great article! I hope you can post more on the blog, love reading your stuff!
Quick question:
I know most people will take the powdered creatine, but all that is really available to me that I can get in just 5 minutes down the road (I live in Asia) is Creatine Mono in pill format. It’s still powder, but it’s in a pill.
Is this OK?
I’m in Australia and the creatine you suggest (North American) is available but well more expensive than other brands. Is this the same in The States? Is it worth the extra coin (about twice the price)? If not will any creatine monohydrate or creapure do? If not how do I decide what brands here in Australia are anygood or not?
By the way I’m loving this website and THT. And thank you for putting all this out there for free.
@stickupkid. I’m hoping the forums will be up later today or tomorrow at the latest 🙂
@David. It would be safe, but take your creatine after your workout.
@Taylor @Felipe Unfortunately you can’t target that particular area alone for fat loss. The key is just to keep reducing your body fat % and eventually it will go from your lower abs. Here comes the ad: Total Six Pack Abs will take care of this for you faster than any other program 🙂
@John. Read comment 12 and comment 20
@Bill. If it’s just the same powder (just mono) then it’s fine.
@Ben. In that case, just buy a creapure creatine, buddy.
The sample size in that study is far too small to establish statistical significance for the results. Unfortunately, there is no high-quality research to support the efficacy of creatine.
Jim is right.
I will also add that the effects of long-term creatine supplementation is still largely unknown, although in the short-term it can improve strength. Sure it might be great now, but if you hit 50 or 60 years old and your kidney function is affected. For me, I need a study of more than 17 subjects before.
I’ve noticed when I’ve trialled creatine for an extended period, that my body retains A LOT OF FLUID – in muscles, AND in my face – and my digestive track dries up.
As a working actor in L.A. I can’t justify the effects it has on giving my face this SWOLE look on camera, in return for the temporary strength gains…
But it’s just advice…
To be honest, I’ve never considered using Creatine because I didn’t believe it worked as well as people said to build muscle. After reading this, I’m totally going for Creatine now because you totally put it into perspective of exactly how to utilize it for mass muscle building. I struggle with building muscle because my body type isn’t bulky but now that I know how to use Creatine for my benefit, I can’t wait to get started and maximize my results. Thanks for the awesome information Mark and keep it up here!