Creatine Loading Phase Myth

By the third day of a five day loading period up to 60 percent more creatine is lost through urine.

Creatine loading phase myth. The research cited above also suggests that creatine loading may be nothing more than a waste. Once again research is proving that less creatine is needed to deliver results. You might ve heard creatine bashers say you gain nothing but water weight or that your cells inflate like little water balloons while on creatine. It may be avoided.

While this statement is not wrong in it s assertion that loading with creatine will get you good results the fact is so will forgoing a loading phase. During this phase you consume a relatively large amount of creatine in a short period to rapidly. Trainers normally recommend a creatine loading phase to rapidly maximize your muscle stores. The whole idea of rapid creatine loading is to saturate the muscles with the increased creatine levels so that only the maintenance dosage is required after 7 days.

It appears that with a loading dose of 20 grams your muscles reach maximum capacity after about two days. Creatine bloating may occur during the loading phase when you take 20 25 grams of creatine for 5 7 days due to an increase in muscle mass and water intake into your muscles. While the loading phase is not dangerous or unhealthy research suggests after 30 days results from using creatine end up the same for strength gains. You must load creatine creatine loading is essentially the process of taking creatine every day in a dose that is far beyond what is required by the body.

Myth creatine loading is mandatory truth. The creatine pool is full after the first seven days and then the maintenance dosage is just filling the gaps. Typically 20 25 grams divided into 4 5 doses is taken for a period of 7 days to quickly saturate creatine stores in skeletal muscle. 4 so if you decide to load anything after three days may be excessive although this can vary by individual.

According to their research following this plan can increase cr stores inside the muscles by 10 40 with non meat eaters being the most receptive. How much creatine should you take during a loading phase. The issn an optimal loading protocol is 0 3 g kg day of creatine monohydrate for five to seven days 3. Creatine loading is it required.

That said if someone needed faster results. You do gain water weight. Many creatine brands will recommend that you incorporate a loading phase when using creatine which basically means ingesting very high doses over a period of time until you get to a sticking point where you can then maintain on a much lower dose.