Creatine Monohydrate
Most-researched performance supplement — strength, power, and cognition.
- Typical dose
- 5 g
- When to take
- Anytime
- Onset
- 2–4 weeks to fully saturate muscles; optional 5-day loading phase of 20 g/day speeds it up
What it does
Benefits
- Increases strength and power output by 5–15%
- Supports lean muscle mass gains over time
- Improves high-intensity exercise capacity
- Emerging evidence for cognition, especially under sleep deprivation
- Most-studied sports supplement — extensive safety record
The science
How it works
Creatine is stored in muscle as phosphocreatine, which rapidly regenerates ATP during short, intense efforts. Supplementation saturates these stores beyond what you get from diet.
Getting it right
Dose & timing
Dose guidance
5 g daily, every day. Loading (20 g/day for 5 days) is optional — same end result, just faster. No cycling needed.
Best time to take
Anytime. Post-workout with carbs may slightly boost uptake but consistency matters far more than timing.
Is it for you?
Who should (and shouldn't) take it
Good for
- Anyone doing resistance training
- High-intensity interval athletes
- Vegetarians/vegans (low baseline muscle creatine)
- Older adults for muscle preservation
Skip or ask a doctor if
- You have significant kidney disease (talk to your doctor)
- You have creatine sensitivity (rare — GI discomfort)
Know before you start
Side effects & safety
- 2–4 lb weight gain from water inside muscle cells (not fat, not bloat)
- Mild GI upset if you take too much at once
- Does NOT cause hair loss, kidney damage, or dehydration in healthy people
Shopping guide
Forms & what to look for
- Monohydrate
Gold standard — cheapest, most researched, most effective
- Micronized monohydrate
Same thing, finer powder — mixes better
- HCl, ethyl ester, buffered
Marketed as better absorbed — evidence does not support paying more
Combining
Stacks well with / avoid pairing
Stacks well with
Common questions
FAQ
Do I need to cycle creatine?
No. There's no physiological reason to cycle off. Take it daily indefinitely.
Will it make me bloated?
The weight gain is intracellular water in muscle (makes you look fuller), not subcutaneous bloat.
Is it safe for women?
Yes — benefits apply equally, no masculinizing effects. It's not a hormone.
Monohydrate vs HCl?
Monohydrate. It's much cheaper and works identically.
References
Sources & further reading
Educational only, not medical advice. Check with a clinician before starting anything new, especially if you're on medication or pregnant.
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