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Is Creatine Worth the Hype?

Writer's picture: Ryan BradleyRyan Bradley

Creatine is a commonly used workout supplement amongst those who exercise regularly, and it has had its fair share of debate and controversy over the years. So, what exactly is creatine? What does it do? Is it safe?


Creatine is a naturally derived substance found in your muscles, and acts like a source of energy to help your muscles contract. Creatine acts as a “recycler” for your body’s main energy molecule, Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). Typically, creatine can be found in most protein-rich foods, however, it is difficult to naturally intake a sufficient amount of creatine. This is why many exercisers take creatine in supplement form. When taken in sufficient doses daily & over time, creatine has been proven to increase energy levels in your workouts, aid in increasing muscle size due to increased water retention, and improve recoverability between workouts. Creatine essentially allows you to work out harder, recover better, and helps your muscles look bigger!


There is a common misconception that creatine requires a “loading phase” when first taking the supplement. The misconception is that you need to take extremely high doses of creatine daily during your first week of creatine consumption (15-20g), before returning to a “maintenance dose” of a more reasonable amount (3-5g). In recent years, the science reflects that this was mostly just a marketing tactic to promote more sales of creatine, and that you can in fact just take a regular dose of 3-5g/day until your blood saturation levels of creatine increase naturally over time. The loading phase does indeed increase your blood saturation levels of creatine faster, however you end up using lots of creatine during this time.


It’s also important to note that the optimal dose of creatine for you might depend on your individual physical characteristics, mainly your physical size. Research has shown that those who are above 5’10 and 180lbs, for example, would benefit more from daily doses of 7.5-10g/day, whereas those who are under 5'5 and 130lbs will likely be able to take doses of closer to 3g/day. For the average individual, 5g/day is a safe bet.


Creatine has been criticized over the years, but a lot of this criticism is more due to stigma than actual science. When taken in moderate doses, over time, the effects of creatine are mainly positive. If your goal is to add muscle mass to your frame, creatine is a great supplement to add to your daily routine!



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