Creatine loading, rest days and water: what the research says
Nutriens editors
Three questions come up with almost every first tub of creatine. Do I need the loading week? Do I take it on days I don’t train? And what’s this about water? Here’s what the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s 2017 position stand says about each, and how it lines up with our label.
Why loading exists
Creatine works by filling a store in your muscles, not by giving a kick on the day you take it. On a typical diet, that store is about 60–80% full. Supplementing raises muscle creatine by about 20–40%.
Loading is simply the fast way to fill it. The ISSN describes the quickest method as about 0.3 g per kilogram of body weight a day, which works out to 5 g taken four times a day, for 5–7 days, followed by 3–5 g a day to keep stores high. Larger athletes training hard may need 5–10 g a day to maintain them.
Two routes to the same place
| Loading | Steady daily dose | |
|---|---|---|
| How | About 20 g a day in four doses for 5–7 days, then 3–5 g a day | About 3 g a day from the start |
| Stores full in | About a week | About 3–4 weeks |
| Early effect | Performance effects sooner | Early effects less supported by research |
| Scale | May rise a little in week one | Changes more gradually |
The ISSN is clear that the slower route works for filling stores, and also that its effect on performance in the first weeks is less supported, because stores aren’t full yet.
What our label says
Creatine Strength follows the loading route. For days 1–5, take one scoop (5,000 mg of creatine monohydrate) in 8 oz of water or juice, four times a day. After that, one scoop once or twice a day. Spread the four loading scoops through the day, for example with breakfast, lunch, an afternoon snack and dinner, rather than taking them together.
The loading week uses 20 scoops, so your first tub lasts about 35 days at one scoop a day afterward. Refills last 50 days.
Rest days count
Take your scoop every day, trained or not. About 1–2% of stored muscle creatine breaks down each day and leaves the body, so the daily dose keeps the store topped up. Our label says one scoop a day on training days and rest days alike.
Timing barely matters, because you’re maintaining a store rather than timing a dose to a workout. Pick a moment you won’t forget: breakfast, a post-training shake, the glass of water at your desk. The ISSN notes that taking creatine with carbohydrate, or carbohydrate and protein, appears to increase muscle uptake, though performance may not end up better than with creatine alone. Juice or a meal is an easy way to do that.
If you miss a day, or a week
Just carry on. Stores fall slowly: once muscle creatine is raised, the ISSN reports it generally takes 4–6 weeks to return to baseline. Don’t double up to make up for a missed scoop. After a long break, some people repeat the loading week; others simply restart one scoop a day and let stores refill over a few weeks.
The water question
Creatine holds a little water with it. That’s where the “water weight” reputation comes from, and there’s some truth to it. Early loading studies saw short-term fluid retention of about 0.5–1.0 liters, roughly in line with the small rise on the scale in the first week. The ISSN notes weight gain is the only consistently reported side effect.
What the research doesn’t support is the idea that creatine dries you out or causes cramps. The position stand found no evidence that creatine increases dehydration or muscle cramping. Drink water as you normally would and more when you sweat. The label already puts each scoop in 8 oz of water or juice.
If a number on the scale matters to you, for a weigh-in for example, know that loading week is when it’s most likely to move.
Food still comes first
Creatine doesn’t replace meals or protein. If busy days leave protein short, read busy days break protein targets. Protein Strength is a whey isolate shake with 22 g of protein; it contains milk and isn’t vegan.
Before you start
Ask your doctor before starting if you have a health condition, take medication, are pregnant or nursing, or are under 18.
The label says Creatine Strength “supports strength, aids recovery & increases training power.*” It’s unflavored, one ingredient, with no allergens listed.
Keep reading
Why monohydrate: creatine monohydrate explained. Common myths: 6 creatine myths. Day to day: Creatine Strength, one scoop a day and the FAQ. The loading week is five days of four scoops, so writing it down helps: the free 14-day planner.
References
- Kreider RB, et al. “International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14:18.
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. “Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.”
- Creatine Strength Supplement Facts panel and directions (the product label).
