A lot of people take creatine for fitness and health to improve their performance. If you are one of those individuals, one of the best way to take creatine is with a meal. You will get less bloating and stomach pain if you take it with food because creatine works better when your stomach is full. There is more than one best way to take creatine and within this article, we’ll talk about them all for you to decide.
Moreover, taking Creatine with food makes it easier to deal with the possibility of stomach cramps that you may experience as a side effect. As long as you do not get too much creatine, you will be okay.
If you want to take Creatine, make sure that you are taking less than 20 grams a day, or else you could develop diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues.
In the end, if you need an extra boost in your fitness program or if your energy levels are low, then taking creatine is a good step in the right direction but do it wisely so that your gains will not be compromised.
For other people, they would rather take Creatine with just water. It is not as filling as eating a meal. Moreover, you’ll have fewer issues of stomach cramps when taking creatine with just water. It is also important to remember that Creatine works best if you are active with your muscle training.
Don’t expect too much from the product if all you do is take it and then sit or lay down doing nothing. As long as you exercise consistently while taking creatine, it will be more effective in helping your muscles grow and develop instead of sagging under your weight due to old age or due to weight loss programs and diet regimens that did not work out for you in the end.
If your creatine does not dissolve in the water properly, drinking it can make you feel sick. Thankfully, there are different ways to take creatine.
Creatine in Coffee
Creatine and caffeine can be taken together. Nevertheless, each person is unique and may react differently.
Taking creatine and caffeine together can cause some problems with the digestive system.
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) power may be maximized when caffeine and creatine are consumed together. Studies have shown that creatine and caffeine when combined with high-intensity interval training lead to improved sprinting capabilities, VO2max, and lean body mass. (1) So, if you want to maximize your performance, creatine with coffee can be the best way to take creatine.
According to one study, creatine and caffeine did not impair the performance, and only four men out of 54 athletes reported mild digestive discomfort. (2)
We should also note that:
According to some scientists, caffeine’s purported effect on creatine may actually be a result of your level of hydration rather than specific interactions between the two. (3)
In people who consume little to no caffeine on a regular basis, caffeine may act as a diuretic – something that encourages urination. However, caffeine is not as diuretic as for people who drink it regularly. Still, creatine can lead to water retention.
These opposing impacts on hydration can negatively affect performance. It’s particularly important to drink enough water during a workout because dehydration can quickly result from losing too much body fluid.
Creatine with Milk
According to MedlinePlus, combining creatine with simple carbohydrates increases its absorption in the muscles. (4)
The simple carb found in lactose, a natural sugar in milk, may support your body’s ability to absorb creatine. As long as you are not lactose-intolerant, taking creatine with milk is not a problem and can be considered as one of the best way to take creatine. Still, you may experience gastrointestinal issues as a result of taking the supplement with milk.
Capsule Creatine
When choosing between creatine tablets and powder, consider your dose. Five grams of creatine powder make up one tablespoon. It depends on the manufacturer how much creatine is in a capsule, but it usually ranges between 0.7 to 2.5 grams.
Taking a premeasured pill might be easier than mixing and measuring powdered creatine, which is messy and inconvenient.
With regard to digestion, the gel capsule contains protein and should break open once it collides with the acidic contents of the stomach. The creatine contained should also follow the same digestion process as the powder.
CNSix eliminates excess subcutaneous water weight, stomach issues, and cramping by making use of the high absorption ingredients creatine HCl and betaine. ZERO WATER RETENTION!
Increasing lean muscle size and reducing muscle breakdown with Creatine HCl per serving of four capsules helps to build muscle.
Each serving contains 400 milligrams of betaine anhydrous to help boost your energy levels.
Creatine at Night
As a natural substance produced in the body and consumed in daily diets and as a supplement, creatine can be taken before bed. However, some suggest that taking creatine after a workout has helped them with their performance.
Researchers examined whether consuming five grams of creatine before or after exercise was more effective for adult men. Researchers asked participants to weight train five days a week and to take creatine after exercise or before exercising for four weeks.
The group taking creatine after exercise did better in terms of gaining lean mass and decreasing fat mass over the course of the study. (5)
Some research reports that it does not make a difference whether it is taken before or after exercise. (6)
Based on the research available so far, it is not clear whether creatine taken before or after exercise makes any meaningful difference. So, stick to what you think works.
Do you want to learn if you should take creatine on rest days? Click the link below:
Should You Take Creatine on Rest Days or is it Unnecessary?
Conclusion
We’ve given suggestions on the best way to take creatine and as every individual differs; we can say that there is more than one solution.
Let us know in the comments, what do you like mixing creatine with?
Some say that creatine has helped them with weight loss, let’s learn if there is any truth to that:
Is Creatine Good for Weight Loss? Real Scientific Answer
Thank you for reading.
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