What Does Creatine Do? a Guide to Creatine Supplementation

Before searching for the best creatine on the market, individuals interested in the supplement should first be able to answer the seemingly simply question - what does creatine do? There are a few major misconceptions about the supplement, what it is, how it works, and how it should be taken properly.

First, creatine does not build muscle. It's not a steroid, and it's not an artificial compound. Creatine is an organic acid, composed of nitrogen, oxygen and hyrdogen, and it is naturally produced in the human body, as well as in the bodies of all vertebrates. The compound has been known about for over 175 years, dating back to 1832 and the French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul.

What Does Creatine Do?

If creatine doesn't build muscle, then the question remains... what does creatine do? Creatine supplies more energy to our muscles, and it does so by helping in the regenerating process of ATP. ATP, as you might remember from a high school biology class, is the main energy source for our muscles. With more ATP available for your muscles to utilize, there's more energy.

What that means is that when you hit the gym, your muscles will be more apt to churn out another repetition or two, or to keep on working harder, for longer periods of time. This, in turn, is what will help you to build more muscle. But make no mistake about it, creatine itself does not build muscle.

Creatine also works in a number of other ways within our bodies and our skeletal muscles, where roughly 95% of the creatine we have is stored. For example, creatine has been shown to improve recovery rates, improve muscle maintenance and repair, and also improve nutrient delivery to the muscles.

How to Take Creatine

Creatine supplementation is an ongoing, daily process. The best time to take creatine is immediately after a workout, within 30-60 minutes. This might seem counterproductive considering that when the question "what does creatine do" was answered above, the verdict was supplying energy to our muscles.

However, creatine does not work instantly, like caffeine might, to give you a jolt. Instead, it needs to be built up and stored within your system, ready to be called upon when needed. Taking creatine post-workout maximizes its presence when your muscles need it the most for growth, maintenance, repair and recovery.

Keep in mind, some of the best creatine supplements are actually pre-workout supplements which include a wide range of different ingredients, one of which just happens to be creatine. Therefore, you should use any product as the manufacturer recommends, but creatine on its own is for post-workout usage.

Continuing to take creatine daily builds up its presence, and makes it accessible down the road. For this reason, many people utilize a "loading phase" while taking creatine. This means that for perhaps a week, creatine is taken 3-5 times daily, in order to maximize and hasten its buildup. However, this is not something you need to do, and will be more of a personal preference or judgment call.

Another way to take creatine is to cycle the supplement. For creatine supplementation, this refers to using the product daily for 6-8 weeks, before stopping its use for two weeks or more, and then starting another cycle. Just as with creatine loading, this is not a "must-do", but instead is something you might want to consider as you use the supplement and see your body performs and adjusts.

Sources:

Creatine Facts & Myths; Creatine Effects; How to Take Creatine