There has been countless studies done on creatine over the last 15 years and these studies continue every day. The results of these studies have enlightened us about important thing like getting the maximum benefit, side effects and cycling which is all something that is been studied on an on-going basis.
Creatine is something that your body makes and it is mostly stored in your skeletal muscles. However studies show that your body can increase muscle repair by adding more creatine and many studies have seen that there is certainly a specific limit that your body cannot handle any more creatine.
Loading your body with more creatine than you need is not only expensive but can cause side effects like nausea and diarrhea etc. There is no evidence supporting a best time to take creatine. But taking it post workout is a logical and convenient time.
Creatine stacks well with post-workout waxy maize and whey protein. There is evidence revealing that taking creatine with a 1 to 1 ratio of carbs to proteins can increase creatine absorption. When loading creatine, it is best to take creatine at the following times:
Morning – 5 grams with grape juice
Pre-workout – 5 grams of creatine with waxy maize
Post-workout – 5 grams of creatine with waxy maize and whey protein
Evening – 5 grams of creatine with grape juice
Water intake could also make a great difference to your results as any dehydration going on in your muscles will be directly affected by your muscle strength and muscle growth that you get from taking creatine. It is also important to note the point mentioned above about cycling.
Creatine is naturally made by your body and when you suddenly start overloading your muscles with creatine you certainly will get the benefit which you will feel having more energy. The problem is that your body will stop its own production of creatine as there is no need for it.
It is for this reason that any good quality real creatine supplement will advise you strongly to cycle it. That simply means going on the supplement for a month and then going off it completely for two or three weeks. You may at first feel tired and listless when going off creatine but this quickly passes.
Creatine Guide