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How To Properly Cycle Creatine

Written By Stephanie Contomichalos

Creatine is one of the most common supplements for sports performance. It boasts a list of benefits including increasing the rate of muscle growth, supporting endurance and recovery, and boosting power output. In addition to the physical effects, creatine has also been shown to have neuroprotective benefits such as improved mental performance and concentration, and in some cases even anti-depressive properties.

Some people have naturally higher levels of creatine than others. It is also found in many food sources, such as red meat, fish, and eggs. Despite the fact that creatine is found naturally in the body and in a variety of protein sources, we can boost our levels through supplementation.

But Why Would We Supplement With Creatine?

When we are in the gym lifting weights, we use ATP which is the predominant source of energy for our muscles. The more we train the more we exhaust these stores of ATP until we reach a state of fatigue. Once we reach this point, we are no longer able to carry on training until our ATP stores are replenished.

This is where creatine comes in. It enhances our strength gains by allowing for faster regeneration of ATP.

Creatine has been proven to work and any supplement that is confirmed to assist increase muscle mass will be very popular. When people initially start taking creatine (in conjunction with a consistent training schedule and a good nutrition plan) they will quickly see an increase in weight and strength. Understanding how to correctly consume creatine is extremely important in order to reap the benefits of the supplement.

WHAT IS CREATINE CYCLING?

A creatine cycle is in basic terms a way to boost the efficacy of your creatine. This is achieved by stopping your body from getting accustomed to the supplement. If you were to take it on a regular basis there is a risk that your body will no longer respond to the creatine and would, in turn, invalidate the results. Creatine cycling, however, may not be a necessity for everyone.

The Creatine Cycle:

Loading phase: 1-2 weeks; 10-20g of creatine each day
Maintaining phase: 5-6 weeks; 3-10g each day
Pause phase: 2-4 weeks duration (or more); no creatine supplementation

A single round of the creatine cycle should last between 6-8 weeks, with a break of 2-4 weeks (or longer, if you need) where you do not take any creatine at all.

CrossFit athlete preparing a creatine supplement drink with Recover Surge by PNP Supplements.

CREATINE LOADING PHASE

A well-balanced diet, with adequate amounts of protein, will keep your creatine levels somewhere between 60-80%capacity. Supplementing with creatine can increase this number with the goal of reaching 100% capacity. The loading phase is designed to fill up our creatine tanks.

During the loading phase, the goal is to consume a comparatively large dose of creatine in a short period in order to rapidly saturate your muscles.

Our bodies have a threshold of how much creatine they can store. This tends to be about 3 grams per kilo of bodyweight. Typically, we carry about 2 grams of creatine per kilo of body weight, meaning that we can add 1 gram before maxing out. By introducing a loading phase for a short time period (1-2 weeks) the objective is to get closer to the 3 gram per kilo limit that your body has.

The actual level of creatine dosing will depend on individuals and recommendations vary.

Generally, you will take about 20 grams of creatine a day over a period of five days, this is the fastest way to stockpile the stores in the body. However, some people struggle with such a large dose as creatine can cause some stomach upset and many people suffer from bloating and water retention. If this is the case, the loading period can be slowed down.

For those who do not want to take such a high dose you can take 10 grams a day, but for a longer period of 10-14 days.

Bear in mind that if you opt for the higher dosage and the faster loading phase, it is not recommended to exceed the 20-gram dose for five days straight.

MOVING TO CREATINE MAINTENANCE

CrossFit athlete drinking a creatine supplement drink with Recover Surge by PNP Supplements.

Once the loading period has been completed, you move on to the maintenance period. Again, the doses will vary depending on an individual’s wants and needs. Some will take up to 5 grams a day during the maintenance phase, while for the most part 2-3grams a day will suffice. One variable in this equation is if you eat a diet rich in red meat. Red meat tends to provide relatively high levels of creatine, which in turn cuts the need for additional supplementation.

The maintenance phase is essential to keep your creatine stores full, if you don’t take a daily dose of creatine the levels in your muscles will eventually get back down to the initial level you started with.

This is not dangerous in any way, seeing as your body already produces creatine and you get it through your diet, but it simply won’t have the same benefits as when your stores are full.

CREATINE PAUSE PHASE

Do I need to stop taking creatine? Some may perhaps be a little apprehensive about taking a break. Creatine is working miracles: you’re getting stronger, putting on lean muscle, so why would you stop?

There is however a very good reason to stop. Taking creatine for prolonged periods of time, in this case for more than 8 weeks at a time, diminishes the positive effects that creatine has on you. Effectively your body gets used to it and will no longer see any benefits from it.

If you take creatine for an 8-week period, it will remain in your system while you give your body a break and will possibly lead to even better results as a consequence. But if you continue to take it your body will no longer react to it in the same manner.

IS IT NECESSARY TO CYCLE CREATINE?

Simply put, no, you do not need to cycle creatine.

There are many benefits to be seen from the loading phase, however, there are alternate ways to increase overall creatine levels.

One such way, that can be similarly effective, is to take lower doses of creatine daily. This can take a little longer but leads to the same desired outcome of increased creatine stored in your muscles.

This route might take a little longer to maximize muscle stores versus creatine loading but it ultimately can lead to the same outcome.

There are however pros and cons to cycling creatine:

Pros: You may reap the benefits faster if you load creatine.

Cons: High doses of creatine can have adverse side effects such as cramping and discomfort. One way of trying to skirt this is to split the creatine up into smaller doses taken throughout the day.

If you choose not to load creatine, and consistently take a dose that is greater than your body is using, you will ultimately achieve the same results.

WHEN TO TAKE CREATINE SUPPLEMENTS

Creatine is not a stimulant (it is important to time stimulant usage), it works on saturation. As long as your body is saturated you can take creatine whenever it is convenient for you. So, creatine timing is not as important as say a traditional pre-workout supplement with stimulants.

Taking creatine with food might reduce the chance of an upset stomach for those who suffer from sensitive stomachs.

When loading creatine, it is advised to space it out throughout the day.

For more on creatine's athletic benefits, see our blog post "Creatine: The Athletic Supplement".

WHAT HAPPENS IF I STOP TAKING CREATINE?

When you stop supplementing on creatine, your muscles levels of creatine will start to diminish within two weeks. Within four to six weeks the creatine levels in your body will normalize to pre-supplementation levels, and your body will be back at its baseline of producing about 2 grams a day of creatine. Studies have not shown there to be any ‘down’ period following the termination of creatine. When you stop supplementing there will be a loss of water, but there will be no loss of muscle.

SAFETY AND SIDE EFFECTS

Studies show creatine to be safe for use over both short and long-term periods. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) states that up to 30 grams a day for up to five years can be safe and is generally well tolerated by healthy individuals.

Though infrequent, stomach issues such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea have been reported. Creatine use can also lead to weight gain and/or bloating, as it increases water retention in your muscles.

Generally, creatine is safe when consumed correctly, at recommended doses. It is always best to speak with your physician prior to using supplements if you have any underlying health issues or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

CrossFit athlete mixing a creatine supplement drink with Recover Surge by PNP Supplements.

RECAP

In addition to the numerous benefits associated with creatine, it is one of the most inexpensive and safest supplements on the market. Creatine is a valuable supplement with powerful gains for both sports performance and overall health.

While one can maximize creatine stores progressively over several weeks, a short loading period of a higher dose, followed by lower doses to sustain high levels of creatine is safe and is the quickest way to boost your muscle stores and to experience the benefits.

These benefits can include improved muscle mass and strength, enhanced performance, and a decreased risk of sports-related injuries.

Creatine loading may not be essential, but it is convenient and safe.

For more on how creatine can work as a potential testosterone optimizer see our blog post, "How To Naturally Boost Testosterone Levels".