How to take creatine
Creatine (also called creatine) dietary supplement
Creatine supplementation has been proven to have positive effects on energy supply in muscle cells during and between training sessions for athletes – without side effects. But what dose is appropriate? We recommend taking 3 to 5 grams of creatine per day. The most common and best-researched form of creatine is the dietary supplement creatine monohydrate. It can be stirred into drinks or taken in other forms such as bars, capsules, or tablets. When taking creatine, ensure adequate fluid intake, for example, 3 grams of creatine monohydrate in a glass of water.
Is creatinine harmful?
If more creatine is ingested than the body needs, most of the excess is excreted in the urine. However, higher levels of creatine in the body also mean that more creatine is broken down into creatinine. This can cause the creatinine concentration in the blood and urine to rise slightly. For the same reason, people with greater muscle mass may have higher creatinine levels compared to those with less muscle mass. This is not a cause for concern, as the higher creatinine levels are within normal limits and creatinine has never been proven to be harmful.
Taking powder
Creatine monohydrate is often sold as a powder that dissolves in water, juice, or other liquids. Warm water or tea makes it easier to dissolve. Creatine monohydrate also dissolves in cold drinks, it just takes a little longer. However, this doesn't make it any less effective for muscle cell growth. After ingestion, it has a bioavailability of more than 95 percent. It is certainly beneficial to take creatine with sugary drinks, such as grape juice, or with a meal, as muscle cells absorb creatine more quickly in the presence of insulin. However, taking creatine without sugary drinks is just as effective. It is not recommended, however, to consume large amounts of simple carbohydrates together with creatine.
Creatine and caffeine
It is suspected that there is a negative interaction between pure caffeine and creatine, although the study results are still incomplete. The studies used between 5 and 7 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight, which equates to between 350 and 490 mg of caffeine for a 70 kg person. No negative effect on creatine storage or muscle growth was observed; however, there may be effects on performance in sprinting or explosive power development. Whether coffee consumption should therefore be restricted cannot yet be definitively determined. As a precaution, caffeine intake should be avoided immediately before exercise.
Creatine intake – capsules and chewable tablets
Creatine is just as effective when taken in capsule and chewable tablet form. However, a capsule typically contains only 750 mg, while a tablet usually contains about 1 g. The recommended daily dose is 3-5 g.
Other forms of creatine
Even today, creatine monohydrate is the best-researched and most reliable form of creatine. Aside from creatine monohydrate and common salts like creatine citrate or creatine pyruvate with improved solubility, there are other forms and methods of creatine intake. However, these are far less researched and not approved in many countries. They are also usually more expensive than monohydrate. There is no scientific evidence that new creatine compounds are in any way more effective than creatine monohydrate. One example is creatine ethyl ester (CEE). Unlike soluble creatine salts, this compound is not broken down into creatine and the salt component when ingested. While creatine monohydrate is almost completely absorbed by the body, scientific studies show that CEE is rapidly degraded in the gastrointestinal tract into the ineffective and easily confused creatinine.
