Creatine for Performance: How It Enhances Strength, Power, and Muscle Growth

Creatine monohydrate supports exercise and muscle growth. Its effects are supported by thousands of scientific studies.

There are 500-plus human studies alone showing benefits. The data is strong enough that I would recommend creatine to just about everyone, even though I myself have not noticed any actual benefits from taking it. The literature is still convincing enough to do so regularly.

Why Creatine Works

Creatine monohydrate enhances the body's store of phosphocreatine within muscle cells. This leads to improved exercise performance and muscle growth. Going back to high school biology, we see that phosphocreatine is used to rapidly regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the main energy molecule required for short bursts of high-intensity activity. This means that it is perfect for improving our weight lifting, sprinting, jumping, or other explosive movements. This extra ATP would essentially equate to one or more additional repetitions in the weight room with the same loads, and an ability to sustain higher training intensity while also recovering more quickly between bouts of effort.

For muscle building or performance, consume 5 grams (about one teaspoon) of creatine monohydrate daily. Most research supports monohydrate over other forms.

When is the Best Time to Take Creatine?

The best time to take creatine is when you are most likely to do so regularly. We could write multiple blog posts about the best time to take creatine, but much of the benefit depends on having proper creatine stores. Therefore, ensuring that it is consumed each day and having a habit of doing so is the most important in this context.

Are There Any Downsides to Taking Creatine?

Overall, creatine is considered very safe for healthy individuals, particularly when creatine monohydrate is used. That being stated, everything has potential downsides.

Some may experience increased water retention. This is not usually an issue because creatine stores water in muscle cells. It is important to note that individuals using creatine will typically be one to three pounds heavier on the scale after about two weeks of use. This should be factored in, and careful consideration should be used if weight loss is the goal. You may have lost additional body fat, but increased your water weight via the creatine. This water retention from creatine is not harmful per se, like edema or other types of water retention.

Some experience mild gastrointestinal discomfort; however, taking 3-5 g a day with plenty of water and around meals typically prevents this. It's the higher dosages that cause gastric upset.

If you have kidney damage, talk to your doctor before using creatine. For healthy individuals, there is no concern.

Creatine kinase is something to be aware of when it comes to a blood test. At your annual checkup, you may notice that your creatine kinase is slightly elevated. This is likely not a concern, but it can be helpful to stay properly hydrated before getting blood drawn and to avoid resistance or weight training two days prior to your blood test.