Creatine is one of bodybuilding's best supplements for good reason. It can drastically increase lean muscle size in merely a couple of weeks. It is also responsible for enhancing performance in high-intensity workouts, escalating energy levels, and speeding up recovery rates. That is why it is the most popular and effective bodybuilding supplement on the market today. It's no doubt athletes who use it have such of an advantage over those who do not.
Creatine Dosage - How to Calculate Daily Dose Amount for Maximum Results
The creatine dosage you choose depends on your weight, percent body fat, fitness goals, and the type and intensity of training. Just keep in mind that no single creatine dose is right for everyone.
Typical dosage for pure creatine monohydrate cited in scientific studies range between 2 - 25 grams per day for an average sized male (70 kilograms / 154 pounds). If your particular creatine product contains additives the recommended serving size would be accordingly greater. Just make sure you read the label carefully.
As far as creatine is concerned, more isn't necessarily better. The actual amount of creatine taken in a single day should not exceed 25 grams for an average framed male. How to accurately choose your creatine dosage is described below.
Creatine Dosage Instructions: Calculating Your Daily Dose Amount
Your creatine dosage should be typically divided into three stages, loading, maintenance and wash-out. These are described in more detail below.
- Loading - For the first few days of supplementation take no more than 0.3 grams of creatine per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of body weight. Divide this amount into four equal parts. Take one part every four hours. This is known as the loading phase. Loading for more than five days consecutively is most likely a waste of cash.
- Maintenance - Afterwards, the dosage can be reduced to just a few grams (0.03grams/kilogram body weight) a day for no longer than one month. This is known as the maintenance phase. The maintenance amount just needs to replace the amount of creatine degraded on a daily basis.
- Wash out - Following the loading and maintenance phases, a washout period is advised. Such a lay off period allows the body to recover from abnormally high creatine levels that it normally wouldn't encounter. One month is typically advised for complete wash out.
Practical Terms - A 154 pound person would take 21 grams for their creatine dosage per day during the loading phase and 2 grams per day during the maintenance phase.
Periodize - The cycling between loading, maintenance, wash out and subsequent loading has been termed periodizing in the fitness literature.
Is Loading Necessary?
A loading phase may not be absolutely required. As little as 3 grams a day for a few weeks has been shown to increase muscle creatine levels sufficiently to detect a difference in physical performance.
When to Take Creatine Before or After a Workout?
Use the powder about 1 hour before your workout because that is the time needed to be absorbed into your bloodstream. From that point, you have about 1.5 hours to use it or you'll lose it.
Exactly How Long Does It Stay in My Body?
If you use the powder form, it is in your blood stream for about 1 - 1.5 hours. For muscle growth to occur, it must be absorbed into the muscles. If you are working out and you deplete your supply in your muscles and you have it available in the blood stream, your muscles can replenish their supply from your blood.
Here is the important point. If your muscles are fully saturated and you are not working out (you are not depleting your stores) then after 1.5 hours the creatine in your blood will be converted into creatinine and excreted.
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