The right amount of creatine to take for weight loss and muscle growth

From whey protein to creatine, the sports nutrition world is full of supplements to help you bulk up and reach your fitness goals. But, what about dropping your weight down? Can creatine supplementation help you lose weight and gain muscle mass?

The short answer is yes: supporting fat loss is one of many potential benefits of creatine. The longer answer requires an understanding of your metabolism and how building muscle mass can make a difference to your weight.

We're breaking it all down for you here, including:

• Explaining creatine and how it works
• How creatine supports muscle growth and fat loss
• The amount of creatine you can take per day
• Plus, answering FAQs on whether creatine supplementation is safe for the long-term

What is creatine and how does it work?

Creatine is a natural substance that is made by your body and found in food. It can also be taken as a supplement.

In the body, creatine is made by your kidneys and liver. It’s created by synthesising 3 amino acids – arginine, glycine and methionine [2].

In food, it’s usually found in meat and dairy. While those are the most common sources, there are other creatine-rich foods to know, such as seafood, nuts and soy products.

Almost 95% of your creatine stores are found in skeletal muscle, with the other 5% supporting your brain and testes [1]. This means the effects of creatine on your muscles are some of the most important.

How does creatine work?

The main job of creatine is to give your cells energy, especially your muscles. Both natural sources and creatine supplements have the same effects [3].

When creatine reaches your muscles, it is converted into a different substance called phosphocreatine. From there, it produces another substance known as adenosine triphosphate, or ATP [4].

ATP is a key source of energy for your body, helping increase your capacity for short, sharp bursts of exercise and build lean body mass [1][4]. This extra energy typically means you can lift more weight or work out for longer.

Research suggests that creatine can help improve athletic performance by up to 30% and increase muscle mass by 7% [5].

How creatine supports muscle building

Before you get too excited, taking creatine supplements is not a magic trick for muscle growth. You still need to put in some effort.

But, you can think of it like a shortcut. There are 2 key benefits of creatine, which support muscle growth, are that it helps you work harder and recover faster.

Helping you work harder

Every time you exercise, your muscles are lightly damaged. It might sound strange, but this is a good thing. After a workout, your body repairs this damage by building new muscle fibres. This is what leads to bigger and stronger muscles over time [6].

There are a lot of factors that decide how quickly you build muscle mass, from your age to diet and genetics. But another important factor is how hard you work out.

The harder your muscles work, the more repairs your body has to do, which means the bigger your muscles could grow [4]. Creatine supplements give your muscles an extra boost of energy to push that little bit further.

Just to be clear here: we’re referring to regular, light damage from exercise. It’s about pushing slightly beyond your comfort zone, not working so hard that you’re injured.

If you’re new to exercise, working with a personal trainer or fitness professional might be helpful. They can ensure you have great technique, which lowers your risk of injury. 

Improving recovery times

Another way that creatine can support muscle growth is through recovery times. The typical recovery period for any muscle group is 48-72 hours [6]. However, if you take creatine daily, it could be less.

Multiple studies have shown that creatine can help reduce inflammation, which promotes faster muscle recovery after exercise [1]. This means you can get back to the gym sooner.

While we’re on exercise recovery, it’s also important to mention sleep. Your muscles are working their hardest on repair while you sleep. So, if you want to achieve muscle growth, remember to get at least 7 hours of quality shuteye each night [6].

How creatine supports fat loss

The basic recipe for body recomposition is building muscle and losing fat. So, if creatine helps with the first half of the equation, can it complete the task?

It’s a question that science is asking too. But the results are mixed. In a review of over 140 studies, researchers found that creatine alone was only slightly effective for fat loss [9].

The best results for reducing body fat percentage came from studies where creatine was used alongside resistance training or other exercise.

It's no secret that intense exercise has a part to play in losing weight. What you may not realise is how building muscle can help with fat loss. Don’t worry — we’re about to explain it.

Lean muscle and your BMR

Whether you’re on a run or resting at home, your body is using energy. Your metabolism is what determines how much energy is being used. Your basal metabolic rate, or BMR, decides how much energy your body requires for basic functions, like breathing or digestion [8].

For the most part, your metabolism (including BMR) is based on factors like genetics and age. For example, we know that everyone’s metabolism slows down as they get older, with significant changes happening after 40.

However, we also know that this has a lot to do with losing muscle mass around this time. This is because your BMR is highly affected by the ratio of muscle to fat in your body [7].

To put it simply, the more muscle you have, the higher your BMR is likely to be. People with a higher metabolic rate burn more energy both at rest and during exercise than those with a slower metabolism. This means that building muscle is key to increasing your BMR. Having a higher BMR can help you burn more calories while at rest, which in turn helps maintain a healthy weight.

Some of the best ways to increase your lean body mass include strength training and high-intensity exercise, such as high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

As we mentioned earlier, taking creatine supplements can also support your muscle-building goals by giving you extra energy during a workout and helping with muscle recovery for the next session.

So, while creatine supplements are not a direct path to fat loss, they can give you a helping hand on the muscle-building train, which plays an important role in your metabolism. 

The scientific approach to body recomposition

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How to take creatine

Creatine is one of the most no-fuss sports supplements out there. Most people mix around 5g of creatine daily in a glass of water or a protein shake [4].

The best advice is to check the directions on your supplement packaging, as these will help make sure you’re taking the recommended amount.

If you want an extra hack, adding creatine to a drink with sugar or carbs (think fruit juice or a sports drink) has been shown to help increase its uptake into your muscles.

Some people prefer a warm drink to help the creatine dissolve completely. While this can make it easier to take the whole dose, it’s not always necessary. Creatine supplements work the same whether they're fully dissolved in your drink or swallowed whole [2].

Creatine powder, pills or pre-workout?

There are a lot of different types of creatine out there, so we wanted to give you a few tips on choosing the most effective supplements.

Almost all experts recommend using creatine monohydrate. This is because it’s the most studied form of creatine. In other words, we have the most evidence that creatine monohydrate is both safe and effective [2][4].

When it comes to the ideal formula, most experts recommend using creatine powder [4]. Other forms, like liquids or ethyl ester, can break down in your blood, which may lower their effectiveness.

Pre-workout formulas usually don’t have high enough doses of creatine in them for great results. Pills have a similar problem – you have to take quite a few of them to reach the recommended dose of creatine.

To sum it all up: your best bet is taking creatine monohydrate as a powder because it’s effective, well-researched and easy to use.

How much creatine per day?

The amount of creatine you should take each day depends on your body weight and fitness goals. If you’re looking to increase muscle mass quickly, you might also benefit from a creatine loading phase. 

Explaining the creatine loading phase

A creatine loading phase is a short period, usually 5-7 days, where you have a high dose of creatine to build up your body’s stores quickly [2]. Once this phase is complete, you move to a daily maintenance dose.

In one study, reaching a high level of creatine saturation took up to 28 days on the maintenance dose but only 6 days on a loading dose [2]. Once your creatine levels are high, it’s easier to keep them there. 

During creatine loading, your daily dose could be as high as 20-25 grams. Comparatively, a maintenance dose is much lower – usually around 3-5 grams of creatine per day.

To avoid taking too much at once, the creatine loading dose should be spread out across the day, typically in 5g increments.

Calculating your recommended daily creatine

During creatine loading, the standard dose is 0.6 grams per pound (or 0.3 grams per kilogram) of body weight [10]. For example, a person weighing 11 stone (70kg) would take 21 grams of creatine per day. Remember, the loading phase is short and the full dose is spread throughout the day.

For maintenance, the standard dose of creatine is 0.075 grams per kilogram of body weight [10]. For a 11 stone person that equals around 5 grams of creatine per day. This is generally considered a safe dose to take for the long term.

Are creatine supplements safe?

Since the 1990s, there have been over 1,000 studies completed on creatine supplementation, with most focusing on creatine monohydrate. This means we have a lot of good evidence that tells us it is safe and effective.

But, as with any supplement, individual experiences can vary. Some people have mentioned minor side effects like muscle cramping, dehydration, and stomach upsets while taking creatine [1].

A good rule of thumb is to make sure you’re taking the recommended dose of creatine. That means following the directions on your supplement packaging or the advice of a health professional.

In general, experts recommend keeping a single dose of creatine below 10 grams to minimise gut issues [2].

If you do experience any side effects, the best person to speak to is your healthcare provider, who can offer personalised advice about your health.

Is creatine supplementation safe for your kidneys?

There’s a long-standing myth when it comes to creating supplementation that it could be harming your kidney function. In good news, there is not much evidence to support this theory. It seems to be a misconception based on creatine vs creatinine.

Creatinine is a waste product that passes through your kidneys. It also happens to be a by-product of creatine. A lot of people worry that excess creatine in the body could increase the creatinine in your kidneys, making them work harder and causing damage over time.

Thankfully, multiple studies have shown this is not the case. Taking creatine supplements at recommended doses doesn’t raise your creatinine above normal levels or impact kidney function [2].

Though if you have any existing kidney issues, we highly recommend speaking with your doctor before considering creatine supplementation.

Can creatine cause weight gain?

Some people notice their weight increases soon after they start consuming creatine. When you're taking creatine to help with weight loss, that probably seems like the wrong direction.

Let's start with a basic fact: creatine contains zero calories, so it shouldn't lead to weight gain or increased fat mass on its own [4].

What you might be experiencing is an increase in water weight. This often happens in the first 7 days of consuming creatine and may not last [2].

Even if it does last, it's usually nothing to worry about. The main side effect of water weight is that it makes your muscles appear fuller and bigger, which is one of the goals of creatine supplementation. It's also a very small amount of weight – around 1-2kg [4].

If you notice big changes in your body weight after starting creatine supplementation, we highly recommend a chat with your doctor to rule out other causes.

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