Creatine Monohydrate Loading Phase

Is creatine loading necessary.

Creatine monohydrate loading phase. Skeletal muscle has a limited capacity to store creatine. Creatine should be taken with a high carbohydrate meal or beverage but high fructose components e g. 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. Fruit juice should be avoided because fructose does not elicit a significant insulin response.

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. Muscle creatine store will be fully saturated within a few weeks regardless of whether you load with a high dose first. An initial loading phase may help to increase total creatine stores at a faster rate than a lower dose but the difference between a loading phase or just a regular dose of 3 5 grams will be negligible after one month. Due to the fact though that creatine can cause bloating in many people along with some gastric upset some choose not to pursue the loading phase to quite this extent preferring to sacrifice time over water retention.

The creatine loading phase yes you can start using creatine mono at 3 5g per day without a front load. Most of the manufacturers and health practitioners recommend a loading dose until at least 5 days before you start to take creatine so that your muscles completely saturate with creatine. These people then can use a lower dose of only 10 grams per day but load this over a period of 10 14 days. The only benefit in doing so would be that you d reach saturation levels slightly quicker but it s not necessary.

A creatine loading phase is usually about 7 days long. It has to be understood that recently developed forms of creatine don t require loading. 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.

That said if someone needed faster results. It may be avoided. If you have never taken creatine before especially if you follow a diet load in creatine vegan or vegetarian loading creatine for one week can help maximise your results. How often should you load creatine.

After the loading phase creatine can be taken once daily at a dosage of 0 029 g kg bodyweight to maintain muscle levels. This loading dose ranges from 20 to 30 grams per day or you can also calculate the dose according to your body weight you should take around.