{"id":19869,"date":"2025-06-06T18:33:41","date_gmt":"2025-06-06T22:33:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whatsgood.vitaminshoppe.com\/?p=19869"},"modified":"2025-07-07T09:10:47","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T13:10:47","slug":"when-should-you-take-creatine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/when-should-you-take-creatine\/","title":{"rendered":"When Should You Take Creatine: Pre-Workout Or Post-Workout?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/creatine\/N-cp99jg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Creatine<\/a> is one of the most popular supplements in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/protein-fitness\/N-cp99ix\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sports nutrition<\/a>. A fan favorite since Olympic athletes started using it in the early 1990s, it&#8217;s a naturally-occurring compound in the body that\u2019s found primarily in our muscles (though smaller amounts are also stored in the brain, kidneys, and liver), and helps our cells produce energy.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How Creatine Works<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Our cells store a form of creatine called creatine phosphate, which helps those cells churn out chemical energy called ATP (adenosine triphosphate). It keeps ATP levels high during quick, high-intensity exercise like powerlifting or sprints. It also helps replenish our cells\u2019 ATP stores during rest periods and after workouts.<\/p>\n<p>Creatine\u2019s long history in the supplement world also makes it one of the most studied supplements out there. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/s12970-017-0173-z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The International Society of Sports Nutrition<\/a> (ISSN), it is highly effective for improving athletic performance and recovery, and safe for long-term use. In fact, supplementing with creatine\u2014specifically a popular form called creatine monohydrate\u2014can lead to an eight percent increase in strength and 14 percent improvement in muscle endurance on average, says <a href=\"http:\/\/www.mariespano.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Marie Spano<\/a>, M.S., R.D., C.S.C.S., C.S.S.D., sports nutritionist for the Atlanta Hawks, Braves, and Falcons.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/creatine-for-fitness\/\">How Creatine Takes Your Fitness To The Next Level<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Creatine doesn\u2019t just benefit athletes and gymgoers, though. It also acts as an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/antioxidants\/N-cp99id\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">antioxidant<\/a>, supports healthy cholesterol and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/creatine-for-bone-health\/\">bone health<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/creatine-brain-benefits\/\">boosts brain function<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s recommended that everyone consume a diet with at least two to three grams of creatine per day, just for the general health benefits,\u201d says <a href=\"http:\/\/directory.cehd.tamu.edu\/view.epl?nid=rbkreider\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Richard Kreider<\/a>, Ph.D., author of the ISSN\u2019s position paper on creatine and executive director of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pFZPRjRyuuY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Human Clinical Research Facility<\/a> at Texas A&amp;M University.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Creatine Timing<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>When creatine first hit the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/performance-supplements\/N-cp99ja\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">performance supplement<\/a> scene, many athletes used it as a part of their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/pre-workout\/N-cp99jb\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pre-workout<\/a> regimen. Just drop a scoop in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/protein-drinks\/N-cp99lp\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">protein shake<\/a> or pre-workout supp, hit the gym, and let the magic happen. Recent insights, however, suggest it may be more effective when taken post-workout.<\/p>\n<p>Though the research on creatine timing is still developing, one 2013 study published in the <a href=\"https:\/\/jissn.biomedcentral.com\/articles\/10.1186\/1550-2783-10-36\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><em>International Journal of Sports Nutrition<\/em><\/a> found that recreational bodybuilders who took creatine after their workouts experienced superior gains in lean body mass and strength than those who took it before.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers and experts agree that creatine gets to the muscle stores more efficiently when taken with carbohydrates as a part of a post-workout meal, when our body is primed to shuttle nutrients to our recovering muscles, says Spano. A spike in blood glucose (the sugar our body turns carbs into) signals our body to produce insulin, the hormone that then shuttles that glucose to our cells. As the glucose gets shuttled into our cells, so does the creatine.<\/p>\n<p>Adding <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/c\/protein\/N-cp99j4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">protein<\/a> to the equation only increases this effect: \u201cSimple sugars ingested with protein increase glucose and insulin to a greater degree,\u201d says Kreider. This carb-protein combo also replenishes muscle glycogen (stored energy from sugar) and stimulates protein synthesis (the process through which muscles repair and grow).<\/p>\n<p>This means that creatine may be most effective when taken alongside a carb- and protein-filled snack or meal after you work out instead of alongside your pre-workout on your way into the gym.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>How Much Creatine You Need<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Kreider recommends eating one to 1.5 grams of carbohydrates and 0.25 to half a gram of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to promote recovery after exercising. (That\u2019s something like a chicken breast, a large banana, and a cup of brown rice for a 170-pound man, and half a chicken breast, a large banana, and half a cup of brown rice for a 130-pound woman.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related: <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/post-workout-snacks\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>The Perfect Post-Workout Snack For Your Fitness Goals<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Then, pair that post-workout fuel with between three and five grams of creatine.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>To Load Or Not To Load? <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The OG information on creatine suggests beginning supplementation with a \u2018loading period,\u2019 during which you take a higher dose to quickly build up the levels in your muscles. A typical loading period looks something like five grams four times a day for five to seven days.<\/p>\n<p>Recently, though, the importance of creatine loading has become a point of contention among experts.<\/p>\n<p>When supplementing to boost your performance, a loading phase <em>can<\/em> help you start seeing positive effects sooner. \u201cIf you only take three to five grams a day, it will take you four to six weeks to increase muscle levels and see significant effects on training,\u201d says Kreider.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Read More: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/creatine-loading-phase\/\">Should You Skip The Creatine Loading Phase?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When supplementing to reap creatine\u2019s general health benefits, though, a loading phase won\u2019t be the end-all-be-all. \u201cAccording to some of the top creatine researchers, you don\u2019t have to load,\u201d says Spano. \u201cIt will build up the creatine stores in your body faster, but it isn\u2019t necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, whether you load or not depends on how quickly you want to see results<em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Takeaway<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>While it can be convenient to take your creatine with your pre-workout, recent studies show that supplementing with it after exercise\u2014paired with carbs and protein in a post-workout snack or meal\u2014may lead to superior gains.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Creatine is one of the most popular supplements in sports nutrition. A fan favorite since Olympic athletes started using it in the early 1990s, it&#8217;s a naturally-occurring compound in the body that\u2019s found primarily in our muscles (though smaller amounts are also stored in the brain, kidneys, and liver), and helps our cells produce energy.<a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.vitaminshoppe.com\/blog\/when-should-you-take-creatine\/\">Read More <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">When Should You Take Creatine: Pre-Workout Or Post-Workout?<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":199,"featured_media":19875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[286,4,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19869","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-editors-picks","category-fitness","category-the-latest"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>When Should You Take Creatine: Pre-Workout Or Post-Workout? | What\u2019s Good blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"One of the most popular sports nutrition supplements out there, creatine supports performance and strength. 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