Creatine is one of the most studied dietary supplements in sports nutrition. It can be a practical supplement if you want to support the benefits of the training you already do, but it does not replace a varied diet and an active lifestyle.
If you do strength training, play explosive sports, or want to optimize the quality of your workouts, creatine may be relevant to know about. Here you get a practical overview of what creatine is, how it is typically used, who can often benefit from it, and how you can incorporate it into your everyday routine.
What is creatine in brief?
Creatine is a substance the body produces itself from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. It is produced primarily in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas and is stored especially in the muscles as creatine phosphate.
During short-duration, high-intensity work such as a heavy set of squats, a sprint, or an explosive jump, the muscles use energy in the form of ATP. Creatine phosphate is part of the body’s energy systems by helping with the rapid regeneration of ATP in the first seconds of an intense effort.
You also get creatine through your diet, especially from:
- Beef
- Pork
- Fish such as salmon and tuna
If you eat very little meat or are vegetarian or vegan, your body’s creatine stores may be lower. In those cases, a supplement can in some situations help increase the creatine content of the muscle.
Why use creatine as a dietary supplement?
When you take creatine as a dietary supplement, it can increase the amount of creatine in the muscles beyond what you typically get through your diet. For many people who train, this can be relevant in connection with short-duration, high-intensity training.
- Can help support performance during repeated, short, intense efforts
- Can be relevant if you work with heavy sets and explosive training
- Typically used in sports with repeated sprints, jumps, and changes of direction
Over time, more consistent and higher-quality training can contribute to:
- Development of strength as a result of targeted training
- Muscle building as a result of training and sufficient energy and protein intake
- A better overall return from your training when diet, recovery, and programming work together
Creatine should be seen as a supplement that can support your training. It does not replace planned training, sleep, and a varied diet.
If you want to keep it simple, a classic creatine monohydrate in powder form is an easy way to hit your daily dose.
How creatine works during training
During short, hard efforts such as heavy lifts or short sprints, the body primarily relies on the ATP-creatine phosphate system, which delivers energy quickly for a short period.
Creatine can contribute by:
- Increasing the muscles’ stores of creatine
- Supporting rapid regeneration of ATP in connection with short-duration, intense efforts
- Contributing to performance during repeated, short, high-intensity loads
That is why creatine is often used in connection with training such as:
- Strength training with moderate to heavy weights
- Sports with repeated sprints such as football, handball, padel, or basketball
- Explosive training such as jumps, sprinting, or Olympic lifts
- High-intensity interval training such as HIIT
Creatine is also being researched in relation to energy metabolism in the brain, including during mental strain or sleep deprivation. The field is still developing, and the effect can vary from person to person.
Dose, timing, and how quickly creatine works
The most well-documented form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. For many active adults, 3 to 5 grams daily is often used as a maintenance dose.
You can start in two ways:
- Without a loading phase with 3 to 5 grams daily. It can typically take a few weeks to build up the muscle’s creatine content, and many prefer this approach because it is often experienced as gentler on the stomach.
- With a loading phase of around 20 grams per day divided into 4 doses of 5 grams for 5 to 7 days, followed by 3 to 5 grams daily. This strategy can increase creatine content faster, but it can also cause stomach discomfort in some people, especially with large single doses.
For many, a daily routine without loading is sufficient. Choose an approach you can maintain over time.
Timing is often less important than regular intake. For example, you can:
- Take creatine with breakfast
- Mix it into your shake after training
- Schedule it at a fixed time you know you can remember every day
Some choose to take creatine with carbohydrates, for example in a shake together with protein powder for recovery after training, because it fits into their routine. The most important thing is that you get your daily amount consistently.
If you want to avoid powder and measuring, you can choose creatine capsules with easy dosing, where you take the number of capsules that matches your daily dose.
Which form of creatine fits your everyday routine?
Creatine is available in several practical formats that can work as long as you get the intended daily amount. The choice is mainly about what fits into your routine.
- Powder is flavor-neutral, flexible, and easy to mix in water or a shake. It can be a good choice if you already use other powder products. One example is creatine monohydrate in powder form.
- Capsules require no mixing and are easy to carry in your bag. They can be practical if you are often on the go or do not like powder. Here, for example, you can choose creatine capsules with easy dosing.
- Gummies with creatine can make it easy to remember daily intake. One gummy typically corresponds to 1 gram of creatine, as in creatine gummies as gummy sweets.
No matter what you choose, it is about finding a solution you can be consistent with over time.
Is creatine safe, and what about weight, fluid, and the stomach?
Creatine is one of the most studied dietary supplements, and for healthy adults, research generally indicates that it can be used within the recommended doses.
Even so, there are some things you should be aware of:
- A small change in weight may occur in some people at the beginning. This can be related, among other things, to changes in the body’s fluid distribution when the muscle’s creatine content increases.
- Stomach discomfort may occur in some people, especially if large doses are taken at once. The risk can often be reduced by splitting the dose or choosing a lower daily dose without loading.
- Fluid intake is relevant during training, especially if you sweat a lot. During longer or hot training sessions, you can consider electrolytes as a supplement to fluids, for example via electrolytes for training and hydration.
If you have kidney or liver problems, are pregnant, breastfeeding, or take medication, you should talk to your doctor before using creatine or other dietary supplements.
If you want to read more about safety, myths, and precautions, you can dive into the blog post is creatine healthy?
Who benefits most from creatine, and who should be extra cautious?
Creatine can be used by many active adults, and it is often used by:
- Strength trainers who want to support training focused on strength and volume
- Athletes in sports with repeated sprints and explosive movements
- People in a calorie deficit who want to support their training level
- Vegetarians and vegans, who typically get less creatine from their diet
You should be extra cautious and talk to a doctor first if you:
- Have known kidney or liver problems
- Are pregnant or breastfeeding
- Are considering creatine for young people or children
- Take medication that can affect the kidneys or fluid balance
For you, if you train with purpose and work with diet and recovery, creatine can be a simple supplement. Use it as part of an overall plan with training, sleep, and a varied diet, and always adjust intake according to your needs.