I'm about to begin my second bout with creatine after a four month hiatus, and was just curious as to the best time to take it. Last time around I was taking it an hour before my workout, but I've read that the best time to take it is post workout.

I would think that if the purpose of creatine is strength gains, it would be best to take it before workout, but apparently I'm wrong? If post workout is in fact the best time to take it, is it okay to mix it in with my whey protein?

Just curious. Thanks.

I always assumed it was best taken post workout. But dont quote me on that. Thats when I take mine. Then an 45 mins to an hour later I have my meal.

I've had best results with creatine PWO - no loading phase - with a sugar source (gatorade powder works great with plain creatine) and 100~200 mg's of ALA.

I am going to try something new - taking 5g's before workout and 5g's after. The 5g's before will be straight creatine, the 5g's after will include a protein source, dextrose and creatine. We'll see what comes of it.

-R

I've got 3g capsules, my trainer at 24hr told me to take one before, one after workouts, and one on off days, FWIW.

I am going to try something new - taking 5g's before workout and 5g's after. The 5g's before will be straight creatine, the 5g's after will include a protein source, dextrose and creatine. We'll see what comes of it.

-R

This is what I've done when adding mass and what I've heard works best. Worked well for me. Think it would've worked even better but my calories were too low for a true bulk. But why no loading bluestreak?

PWO works well for me

The only loading I do now is a dbl dose (10 grams) for 3 days, that's it. Then I cut back to 5 grams per day.
Last year I ran a 5 day loading phase, as well as no loading, and 5g before and after training. The results from my last 28 day run, using the guideline above, were as good as any I got last year, loading or using 10g per day. The only thing I'd have to decide at this point would be before or after...which seems to be leaning more towards after.

"Creatine supplementation is typically initiated with a loading dose of 20 g/day (or 0.3 g/kg) for 5 days, followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5 g/day (or 0.03 g/kg) (me). Although a 5-day loading period is typical, 2 days of loading has been shown to yield similar muscle creatine concentrations (11). Without loading, however, 3 g/day for 28 days results in muscle creatine concentrations similar to 5 days of loading (10). Skeletal muscle has a storage capacity for creatine of 150 to 160 g (normal is 120 g) (2, 6), which makes over-supplementation unnecessary. Even though the maintenance dose is often unnecessarily exceeded (8), any creatine ingestion in excess will not further increase muscle creatine but will simply increase urinary creatinine excretion. Upon discontinuing supplementation, muscle creatine and PCr concentrations return to pre-supplementation levels in approximately 28 days (3, 10)."

But why no loading bluestreak?

Kino's italicized paragraph says much of what I believed to be true from empirical evidence. Supplemental to that...

Creatine upsets my stomach even when taken in small doses. If I am to believe the more common formula I've seen for loading dose calculation, my loading dose would be 20-grams. Since I have a hard time stomaching 5-grams pre-workout and 2-grams post now, who knows what 20-grams all-at-once might do to me.

And I don't believe the loading phase is necessary. 20-grams is overkill. For the strength and size gains I saw last year using a steady dose of 5-grams per day, I simply don't believe that a dose as large as 20 grams per day (that's 140 grams per week!) is necessary, when compared to the gains I've seen using only 35-grams per week. To me, it's wasteful - that's 105-grams that your body will simply bypass. And 105 grams of product you'll shell out the cash for again.

-R

Loading will just saturate the muscles faster. I have been told that it is just something they came up with to sell more creatine. After they are saturated all you need is a few grams a day to maintain.

Thanks for the loading information, guys. It makes sense to me. I have also had some stomach problems in the past during a 20g loading phase. This time when I start my bulk, I'll try the 10g 3-day loading.

Yeah thanks! All my questions answered and more.

I too got an upset stomach last time around just from taking 5g pre-workout. I began my new cycle today by taking 5g post-workout, and no stomach issues to speak of yet.

I'm different. :)

I like doing it pre-workout. My post-workout shake already has too much in it that I don't like adding more to the mix.

I'm about to begin my second bout with creatine after a four month hiatus, and was just curious as to the best time to take it. .
Hey we are in the same boat. I just started loading 2 days ago. I am skeptical about the loading phase and I think Kino's comments are probably true, but I decided that I was going to do this by-the-book this time, since I did not do so my first time (1 year ago). I was also not eating enough back then, so any effects I might report about the creatine's effectiveness are "squishy".

Let's compare notes on this as we go. How long do you expect to be cycling?

How long do you expect to be cycling?

It's varied a little, but mainly, I used to do 3 months on, 1 month off. Now I've reduced that significantly to 3 [i]weeks[/b] on, 1 [i]week[/b] off. I get better results with that method.

-R

Hey we are in the same boat. I just started loading 2 days ago. I am skeptical about the loading phase and I think Kino's comments are probably true, but I decided that I was going to do this by-the-book this time, since I did not do so my first time (1 year ago). I was also not eating enough back then, so any effects I might report about the creatine's effectiveness are "squishy".

Let's compare notes on this as we go. How long do you expect to be cycling?

Yeah, I didn't do a loading phase either time. I guess I'm somewhat afraid to, LOL. This time around I plan on doing 3 weeks on, 1 week, off, 3 weeks on again, and then I'll start cutting for summer. Last time around I was on it for way too long. Something like three months.

I am going to post some long overdue pics in my progress thread (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=4200&page=2&pp=20&highlight=brian%27s+progress) tonight so I can better document my bulking progress.

...and then I'll start cutting for summer. Last time around I was on it for way too long.

I've never had problems cutting fat while on creatine. You just retain extra water - though I never retain more than a few pounds at most. In fact, if anything, I've noticed I tend to feel better on a cut and get more out of my lifting while taking creatine and dropping body fat. I have no real, verifiable proof of this - I never tracked creatine use other than in my food logs, so I can see when I was or was not on it... it's just an observation I've noticed over time when using creatine and cutting.

-R

I've never had problems cutting fat while on creatine. You just retain extra water - though I never retain more than a few pounds at most. In fact, if anything, I've noticed I tend to feel better on a cut and get more out of my lifting while taking creatine and dropping body fat. I have no real, verifiable proof of this - I never tracked creatine use other than in my food logs, so I can see when I was or was not on it... it's just an observation I've noticed over time when using creatine and cutting.

-R

hmm. interesting. Although I'm nearing the end of my cut, I did just get creatine from Kent. But I think I'll finish the cut without it this time. But that's useful information. Maybe I'll use it during my next cut except for the very end when wanting to get rid of water retention.

I have one more question pertaining to this. Today is my day off of lifting. Should I be taking creatine today, or should it only be taken on lifting days?

I take it every day, same time of the day as best I can, without failure when I'm on it. I never stop taking it regardless of what day it is or whether or not I can make it to the gym. As I understand it, this is the correct method of creatine use to maintain the supplemented level in your body.

-R