How long does it take creatine to kick in

If you’ve considered trying creatine to pack on some muscle, you might be wondering, “how long does creatine take to work?”

The good news is, that creatine can kick in after a few weeks, or in some cases after just a few days!

In this post, I’ll explain how your dosing strategy plays a role in how long creatine takes to work. I’ll also talk briefly about how to know which dosing protocol is best for you.

But first, let’s just talk quickly about what creatine is, for those who aren’t familiar.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a substance that helps your muscles create more energy during exercise by helping your body create more of a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

ATP is your body’s most readily available energy source during intense exercise. And unfortunately, you burn through your stores of it after just a few seconds of hard effort (say, a heavy lift).

Creatine gives your muscles more stamina by donating some of its molecules to another molecule called ADP–a process that generates more ATP.

Higher creatine levels mean more energy for your muscles. Your body produces some creatine (about 1 gram per day), and omnivores can get another gram or so by eating meat, poultry, dairy, and other animal proteins.

But studies suggest that supplementing can increase the amount of creatine in your muscles quite a bit, allowing you to work a bit longer and a bit harder in the gym. And a large body of research has shown that regular supplementation can help increase exercise capacity and muscle mass when combined with resistance training.

(And here’s another fun fact. Small studies have linked creatine supplementation with other health benefits, like better blood sugar control and brain health. I shared my thoughts on that here).

How Long Does Creatine Take To Work?

So now that we’ve talked about why creatine is helpful for CrossFitters and strength athletes, let’s get to the question at hand.

How long does creatine take to work?

Like any supplement, it takes a bit of time. You can’t expect to hit a massive PR in the gym by taking one dose right before you lift.

Some of this will also come down to outside factors, like your sex, age, and diet preferences.

But for most people, the amount of lag time between starting creatine and seeing results depends on whether or not you load.

Creatine loading involves taking 5 grams of creatine four to five times per day for the first 5-7 days to really saturate your muscles.

After a few days of loading, you can transition to taking a smaller daily dose to maintain your intramuscular creatine levels. This dose depends on your size but generally ranges from 3-10 grams.

So just to summarize, loading allows you to maximize the amount of creatine in your muscles within just a week.

An alternate approach would be to simply jump to around 5 grams per day (a little more if you’re larger and a little less if you’re smaller). This method should help you reach your peak within 4 weeks or so.

Is Creatine Loading Right for You?

When it comes to fitness, I think it’s natural to want to see gains as quickly as possible.

Still, I don’t think most recreational CrossFitters or weightlifters need to load.

Creatine is generally safe, but diarrhea, bloating, and other side effects are more common with higher doses.

At the end of the day, you’d need to decide if that risk of discomfort is worth it. It might be if you are training for a competition or other event! Otherwise, the slow route is probably just fine.

Hopefully, this gives you some idea of how long it’ll take to start reaping the benefits of creatine. But if you need help with a supplement plan (or nutrition in general), I’d love to help!

When you take a creatine monohydrate supplement you do need to make sure to take it at the right time. This supplement takes a certain amount of time to get into your system, so timing it before a workout is important.

It really depends on what kind of creatine you’re taking and whether it is in a powder, gum, liquid, tablet, or capsule form. You want to read the label to see when the manufacturer suggests you use the supplement.

When starting a new supplement or regimen it’s important to do your research and contact your health care professional, especially if you have any underlying health concerns. Once you’re ready to get started, sign up for an Exercise.com PRO account to access workout builders, workout plans, goal trackers, and more!

What Do Scientific Studies Suggest About Taking Creatine Monohydrate?

Studies have found it’s beneficial to take the powder form of creatine monohydrate before and after a workout. This way, the creatine is available for your muscles to take up.

It’s more effective to take the powder supplement of creatine monohydrate over the other forms.

You should split your supplement intake into two phases: loading and maintenance. 

During the loading phase, you want to split your creatine monohydrate into four servings of five grams apiece. These should be taken throughout your day, including one before your workout and another one afterward.

During the maintenance phase, you should use the creatine monohydrate as long as you want to see results. Also during this phase, the servings are only about one-tenth of what you were using during the loading phase of your creatine monohydrate usage.

How Long Does Creatine Monohydrate Stay in Your Bloodstream?

When you use the powder form of creatine monohydrate, keep in mind that it’s in your bloodstream for about one to one and a half hours. This period of time is essential for muscle growth because this is when the creatine is absorbed into your muscles.

When working out, think about how long it takes for creatine monohydrate to be ingested and then to be absorbed by muscles.

Once ingested it takes about one hour to reach your bloodstream and then your muscles. With this knowledge, you can plan your workouts accordingly so that your muscles have the creatine supply they need.

Also, keep in mind that after your workout you should replenish your creatine store by ingesting more creatine supplement. If you take your creatine at 10 am it becomes effective at 11 am and will be in your system until 12:30 pm.

Hopefully, your workout will only be for an hour, that way you’ll have an extra half hour where your muscles can replenish their creatine supply. You can replenish the store with another serving after your workout as well so that you do not deplete your body of creatine.

Get More Out of Your Exercises. Go PRO!

Is Creatine Beneficial in Resistance Training?

Studies have reported that alongside resistance training, diet, and creatine supplementation, total cholesterol levels can be substantially lowered compared to just resistance exercise alone.

Not only is creatine great for lowering cholesterol, but it is beneficial with resistance training and other high-intensity workouts.

When Should You Stop Taking Creatine Monohydrate?

You can keep taking creatine monohydrate as long as you want to see the benefits of it and as long as you’re working out. There have been several studies done, and none have proven any long-term adverse health effects.

Creatine monohydrate — used properly and in conjunction with regular workouts — will do nothing but benefit you.

One long-term side effect of taking creatine appears to be a slight increase in gastrointestinal upset. This side effect has been shown to be more prominent during the loading phase rather than the maintenance phase.

If you stop taking creatine your muscles will slowly drop down to their normal creatine levels. It will take approximately four to five weeks for this to happen.

With or without creatine monohydrate supplementation it’s a good idea to keep up a healthy exercise regimen that suits your lifestyle and needs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I have to take supplements?

Unless your doctor has instructed you to take certain supplements, you do not have to take them.

Are supplements safe?

Whether or not supplements are safe to take depends on a number of factors. Learn more about the safety of supplements here.

What supplements do I need to take?

No one can answer that aside from your doctor. To learn more about the various supplements that doctors commonly recommend, check out this article.

Finding the right exercise routine is important along with keeping your healthy diet high in protein. Check out our PRO Plan today to see how we can help you stay motivated, focused, and fit all year long!

Will creatine work instantly?

How do you know if creatine is working?