Here is a little something I put together to help answer the everyday creatine questions with generally agreed "facts." Please PM me if you think anything needs to be added or edited.
Creatine FAQ
Is creatine safe?
Creatine is a substance naturally found in the human body and in certain foods—especially meat. Dozens of studies have found no adverse effects from supplementation with creatine monohydrate.
However, there is no guarantee that creatine is completely safe, as there are no very-long-term clinical trials yet. Supplementation with 5 grams of creatine monohydrate will roughly double to triple the amount of creatine in your body, although ingestion of X amount of creatine does not necessarily entail an X increase in serum and muscular creatine levels.
Side effects of creatine include a gain in water weight (which is, in part, how creatine achieves its beneficial effects), gastrointestinal upset, and, anecdotally, cramping. Those who supplement with creatine should be sure to drink copious amounts of water—preferably at least one gallon per day.
Who should take creatine?
People looking to gain strength and muscle size may very well benefit from
creatine supplementation. There is little evidence that creatine is beneficial for activities such as marathons and other “duration” sports. Creatine is the standard supplement of choice for those looking to gain strength and size because, unlike many other flash-in-the-pan supplements, creatine works for most people.
It’s possible that people who consume no meat would benefit most from creatine supplementation, as there is little to none in a vegetarian diet. (Keep in mind that your body does produce some creatine on its own.) All commercially available creatine supplements are synthesized and strictly vegetarian.
How does creatine work?
During exercise, your muscles take a number of compounds and create a substance known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). You might remember ATP from biology class as “containers of energy.” ATP is broken down to produce the energy for muscle contractions to take place. After a “container” of ATP is used for energy, it loses a phosphate group and becomes adenosine diphosphate (ADP). Without getting too technical, creatine supplementation provides your body with one of the chemicals needed to synthesize more ATP.
This is where a bit of debate comes in—specifically a chicken-and-egg routine regarding how creatine makes you bigger and stronger. Do you improve because the creatine allowed you to work more, thereby making you bigger? Or because creatine made you bigger, thereby allowing you to work more? Or because it helped you recover more quickly, thereby allowing you to work more? Regardless, it is generally agreed that the size increase achieved with creatine supplementation is not merely cosmetic “water weight”; in other words, your muscles are growing and you’re getting stronger.
How should I take creatine?
This is where things get interesting.
Powders, serums, or systems?
Creatine monohydrate is generally available as a pure powder, in a liquid form, and in a powdered mixture of creatine, sugar, and various other add-ins like flavoring and coloring.
It’s safe to say that liquid is not the way to go. Creatine is not stable in liquid form, and usually the only people who claim that serum works are the people selling it.
Pure creatine powder (a container of nothing but creatine) is the standard, inexpensive way of obtaining the supplement. It is mixed in a liquid—although it doesn’t really dissolve—and consumed immediately. Most instructions recommend a “loading” phase wherein you consume four servings per day for five to seven days, before going down to the standard one serving. This is not absolutely necessary, since supplementation with 5 grams of creatine daily will achieve proper muscle saturation within a few weeks. However, pure creatine powder is inexpensive and there is nothing wrong with loading to achieve saturation more quickly.
It is commonly agreed that creatine should be consumed immediately
after exercise, as this is the time frame when your muscles most need replenishment. If you take creatine only once per day, as is generally recommended in package instructions, this is the time to do it. Creatine is
not an “instant energy booster” like energy gels and bars.
Regarding postworkout replenishment: this is where the “systems” come in. Most creatine transport systems use sugar to boost insulin levels and help shuttle creatine into your cells. It is generally agreed that this is effective, but systems are expensive and the sugar is really the only added component proven to do anything. You can purchase plain dextrose online, at a good food store, or from a home-brewing store and make your own creatine transport system very inexpensively. Simply add dextrose to your pure creatine in the ratio found in whichever off-the-shelf system you wish to emulate (you might start with 40 to 80 grams of sugar).
You can also achieve a similar effect by adding creatine to sweet fruit juices such as grape juice. It has been claimed that adding creatine to highly acidic juices such as orange or grapefruit will diminish creatine’s effects, but there are no studies as of yet to confirm this.
Some transport systems use insulin-like or -boosting agents such as alpha-lipoic acid. This may or may not be effective, but is it not likely to be any more effective than boosting insulin with sugar.
Note: if you are also taking a weight gainer or other postworkout shake with simple carbohydrates, keep track of your sugar intake. You might elect to add creatine directly to the shake if there is sufficient sugar to serve as a transport system.
Which brands are the best?
Because creatine monohydrate is a simple, identifiable compound, this is an easy question. Any brand that uses pure creatine monohydrate is good. There are a few “certifications” for pure creatine: anything with a Creapure, SKW, or Pfanstiehl certification on the label is fine. (Creapure and SKW are one and the same.) You can shop by price.
Is it OK to take creatine with X?
Inasmuch as we consider creatine itself to be safe, it’s safe to take it with your other supplements. There is no evidence that creatine “competes” with proteins, vitamins, or fat burners.
What else works like creatine?
The mechanism of action of creatine (see How does creatine work? above) is unique; there is no other supplement that does exactly the same thing.
Anabolic steroids are known to be effective when used correctly, but they are illegal and the side effects are very serious. If you’re looking for other supplements to help gain mass and strength, it’s hard to go wrong with protein supplementation and a multivitamin (both as adjuncts to quality diets). Add plenty of rest and water, and you’ve pretty much covered your effective, safe bases.
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