I'm kind of new to this creatine protein stuff, and need help? - Project Sports
Nederlands | English | Deutsch | Türkçe | Tiếng Việt

Project Sports

Questions and answers about sports

I’m kind of new to this creatine protein stuff, and need help?

6 min read

Asked by: Diana Torres

What foods contain creatine?

Creatine can also be located in the diet from milk, steak and some fish. Beef, pork, tuna, salmon, and cod all contain between 1.4 to 2.3 grams of creatine per pound. Herring contains the most creatine at 3 to 4.5 grams per pound. Recently creatine supplementation has become an issue as a performance enhancing product.

When should you take creatine?

Supplements like creatine can boost your muscle mass and help you become stronger. Studies show that the best times to take creatine are before or after your workout. Creatine can help prepare you for large bursts of energy when performing a high-intensity activity.

Is creatine better than protein?

If you are striving for a strength goal, such as lifting a certain amount of weight, then creatine will give you the energy boost you are looking for. For long-term results, protein will be helpful in rebuilding muscle that will continue to increase your strength over time.

When should I take creatine and protein?

To get the most benefit when supplementing with creatine and protein, take it within 30 minutes of finishing your exercise. The post-workout meal is important for muscle recovery and growth and should include protein, carbohydrate and fat.

Are eggs high in creatine?

Eggs are a good source of protein, although protein is not used for the production of energy unless the stored carbohydrates are used up. Therefore the only conclusion that can be arrived at is that eggs will not increase the levels of creatine within the body.

Does creatine raise blood pressure?

Acute creatine loading increases fat-free mass, but does not affect blood pressure, plasma creatinine, or CK activity in men and women. Med Sci Sports Exerc.

How long does creatine take to start working?

Creatine results kick in after roughly 2-4 weeks, depending on dose and personal response. They also begin to wear off, as you establish a new normal within the body, after around six weeks. The difference here is that you’re maintaining levels at a healthy, optimal state, rather than addressing a deficiency.

How quickly does creatine work?

It will take seven to 28 days to see energy effects depending on how much creatine you already have in your body. It may be dangerous to take creatine supplements when you are actually dehydrated or trying to lose weight.

How do you take creatine for beginners?

The ISSN suggests that 5 grams of creatine monohydrate four times daily for 5–7 days is the most effective way to increase your muscle creatine levels, though amounts may vary depending on your weight ( 2 ). You can determine your daily dose for the loading phase by multiplying your weight in kilograms by 0.3 ( 2 ).

What is the side effects of creatine?

Depending on who you ask, the suggested side effects of creatine may include:

  • kidney damage.
  • liver damage.
  • kidney stones.
  • weight gain.
  • bloating.
  • dehydration.
  • muscle cramps.
  • digestive concerns.

Is creatine good for health?

At the end of the day, creatine is an effective supplement with powerful benefits for both athletic performance and health. It may boost brain function, fight certain neurological diseases, improve exercise performance, and accelerate muscle growth.

How long should you take creatine for?

Doses up to 25 grams daily for up to 14 days have been safely used. Lower doses up to 4-5 grams daily for up to 18 months have also been safely used. Creatine is possibly safe when taken long-term. Doses up to 10 grams daily for up to 5 years have been safely used.

How do you know if creatine is working?

If you’ve started taking creatine, you should know if it works for you in about a week. If your training volume increases, it’s working for you. If not, you’re probably a non-responder, and taking the powder isn’t going to help you.

How much water should I drink with creatine?

Creatine and Water



Therefore, proper hydration is essential. As previously mentioned, 6-8 cups of water are the average drinking amount when out of training. However, when supplementing with creatine, you should drink an additional 8-10 cups of water daily, or slightly more, depending on your exercise regimen.

Does drinking more water help creatine?

It’s essential to drink plenty of water when taking creatine to get the most out of the supplements. Creatine might cause you to gain some weight from the water pulled into your muscles.

Who should not take creatine?

Creatine isn’t recommended for people with kidney or liver disease, or diabetes. Others who should avoid taking it are children under age 18 and women who are pregnant or nursing.

Does creatine make you look bigger?

Creatine makes your muscles look bigger, while actually making them bigger as well. First, creatine causes your muscle cells to store more water which causes your muscles to appear fuller and larger. You may notice the size increase a few days or weeks after starting creatine supplementation.

What happens when you stop taking creatine?

When you stop taking creatine your body can take from a couple of weeks to just over a month to return to its pre-supplementation level. During this time, you may feel changes in performance as your body readjusts, such as a loss in water weight, decline in strength, and increased fatigue.

Are you supposed to take creatine everyday?

We recommend using creatine continuously. The recommended daily dose is between 3 and 5 grams. Continuous creatine intake – on exercise and training days as well as training-free days – promotes increased performance and muscle-building.

How much creatine should I take?

The standard dosage recommendation for creatine is 3-5 grams per day. Either of these amounts should be sufficient for all but the largest and most muscular athletes, particularly if they are getting the normal amount of 1-2 grams per day from their diet.

Can you take creatine forever?

When used orally at appropriate doses, creatine is likely safe to take for up to five years. As with any dietary supplement, it’s important to choose a product that follows recommended manufacturing practices and subscribes to third-party testing to ensure the product’s quality.

Can creatine cause hair loss?

In summary, the current body of evidence does not indicate that creatine supplementation increases total testosterone, free testosterone, DHT or causes hair loss/baldness.

Should you take creatine everyday or just workout days?

Should I take creatine every day or just on workout days? Research has shown that taking creatine on both exercise and rest days can bring benefits. The purpose behind supplementing on rest days allows the creatine content of your muscles to elevate.

Should I drink creatine on rest days?

The simple answer is yes, you should take creatine on rest days when you are not working out. The purpose of taking creatine on your non-workout days is to maintain a high level of creatine reserves in your muscle cells. It doesn’t matter what time you take creatine on your off days.

Does creatine affect sleep?

A recent study found that in sleep-deprived athletes, creatine supplementation had essentially the same effect as caffeine in improving athletic performance (5). Perhaps one of the most profound findings with creatine and sleep suggests that creatine supplementation may reduce the amount of sleep needed to feel rested.

What is the proper way to take creatine?


Usually 20 grams a day for a week to load your muscles with creatine. And then you drop down to three to five grams a day to maintain that level you don't need to load.