Creatine Loading Debate: Is Creatine Loading Necessary For Muscle Gain?

One of the most popular supplements and probably the very first supplement most of you have likely heard of and tried is creatine: but is creatine loading necessary? Creatine is widely popular among the muscle building supplements on the market and will provide benefits when used properly.

Creatine works by making sure that the creatine phosphate stores in the muscle cells are fully saturated. The muscle cells, through the organelles mitochondria, form the high-energy compound ATP. ATP is what powers intense muscular contractions. If your creatine phosphate stores are running low in your muscles, fatigue is going to kick in a lot more quickly and your exercise performance will begin to rapidly decline. Creatine phosphate is depleted by high intensity activity so by using the creatine supplement immediately after your workout you ensure that you are resaturating your stores.

Refilling your creatine phosphate stores will then allow you to push yourself harder during the workouts you do perform and handle a slightly higher volume. These are the two key components that are necessary for good results from your workout sessions.

You should note that if you decide that creatine loading is necessary for you and once you begin taking it, there is a good possibility that you will start to retain water. You should brace yourself for the number on the scale to jump. Some people mistakenly attribute this muscle gain to them building extreme amounts of muscle mass, but this is not the case. It is simply water the body is now holding due to the fact you have an increased creatine intake.

When you start taking creatine, you should typically perform a loading period where you take in 20 grams (spread out over 4 doses) for five days straight. This is to get those depleted stores fully saturated before you move into maintenance. Once the five days are up, then you decrease your intake down to a single 5 gram per day serving over the long term.

There is ultimately no need to cycle creatine like some people believe, but if you personally feel like you want to do this then it is not harmful either. You should make sure that you drink plenty of water while on creatine, especially during the first loading week, in order to reduce the chances that you end up retaining water and becoming slightly bloated.

Finally, creatine is best absorbed by the body when taken with a quick source of carbohydrates (to spike glucose levels and drive it into the muscle cells) so aim to take your creatine with the simple post workout carb you're using as well. Some creatine products will already come pre-mixed with simple carbohydrates but these do tend to be pricier so if you're watching your budget, choose a straight creatine product and just do the mixing yourself.

Before running out and buying creatine in bulk it is important to determine whether or not it will actually be beneficial to you. If you find that you do not have enough creatine from natural sources, then it could be that creatine loading is necessary for you. One of the main natural sources of creatine is red meat, especially lean meat. Other great sources of natural creatine are from fish like tuna and salmon. These sources have properties in them such as methionine and Omega 3 fatty acids that aid in creatine synthesis. A small amount of creatine can be found in milk and cranberries.

Also when considering whether or not creatine loading is necessary for you, you need to contemplate which brands of creatine you should buy. Cheap or off-brand creatine supplies might have harmful “filler” substances. Be sure to check the track record of the brand that you are considering using before you commit yourself to creatine loading. Also, some of the not so pleasant side effects of using creatine include gas, diarrhea, dizziness, stomach upset, or weakness.

In conclusion, you should assess your work out schedule, usual intake of creatine, and reviews of brands you are considering buying. Creatine can be a valuable addition to your workout regimen when used properly. If you are lacking it in your diet and need to refill your creatine stores in order to get the maximum benefit, choose wisely. Assess yourself carefully before you decide that creatine loading is necessary for you.