Should i load creatine bodybuilding

Next, dieters are often questioning themselves as to whether or not creatine would be a good idea for them to be using. Typically creatine is associated with 'bulking' periods since it is designed to help with the muscle building process as it allows you to work harder for longer while you are in the gym. When it comes to dieting, since you're more focused on fat loss rather than strength and muscular gains, it doesn't seem to quite fit.

This is not the case though. Creatine still can actually be quite advantageous to the dieter as it can help to keep the intensity of their workout sessions up there.

When you go on a low calorie diet, your gym sessions will need to be reduced in volume and you may find strength starting to lag as a result of the diet, so making sure your CP stores are full will really help offset these negative side effects. Do note though that generally carbs are reduced when dieting which will mean the creatine will take longer to be absorbed and may not be absorbed to the same extent as if a high dose of carbs were fed to the individual, but they will still get into the muscle.

In this case, taking the creating straight with water or protein in conjunction with a meal to reduce stomach upset is the protocol to follow. If you happen to be training for a bodybuilding or fitness competition though, you will want to remove creatine from your supplement intake at a certain point out in order to prevent any water retention you experience while taking it.

Talk to your specific coach with regards to when you should be doing this though, as each will have their own preference. Finally, the last topic to touch on is whether or not creatine is beneficial for women. For most women, yes, creatine is a supplement to consider. A large part of this is because even more so than men, women tend to cut red meat out of their diet quite frequently, thus their natural stores do tend to be more reduced. Studies have shown though that women may not hold as much creatine in their muscle cells as their male counterparts, thus the effect of creatine on lean muscle mass may be slightly higher in men, but this is not a reason for females to think that the supplement has no benefit to them.

So, if you're currently taking creatine but are not following a correct formula for use, or if you've never taken it before but have been curious, now might be the perfect time to give it a try. It has been proven time and time again that there are no harmful side-effects apart from the bloating and potential stomach discomfort described above as long as it is taken in the manner as instructed. Shannon Clark is a freelance health and fitness writer located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

View all articles by this author. About the Author. This will lead to a better pump, with your muscles also looking fuller. This swelling effect could have other potential benefits too. It may also be the case that this will lead to the triggering of muscle protein synthesis, which is the process where your body builds muscle. In your body, creatine combines with the chemical compound phosphagen to form phosphocreatine PCr , which is used for muscle contraction. Your ability to perform at a high intensity is reliant on your muscles having a supply of ATP.

PCr helps your body generate this vitally important ATP, enabling you to perform at the required intensity for longer. During explosive movements, such as weight training or sprinting, your body also uses PCr as fuel.

This increased quality of work over a long period of time will lead to greater training adaptations such as increased muscle mass, greater strength, and faster sprint times. Creatine loading means taking a larger amount of creatine than the maintenance dosage 3g for several days, which will enable you to maximise your creatine storage as quickly as possible.

A typical loading strategy would be to consume 20g creatine a day 5g x4 for days. The following article will discuss the effectiveness of a loading phase and look into various ways in which creatine supplementation can benefit your physique and performance levels. If you have a competition looming or are eager to start seeing muscle gains as quickly as possible, you could miss out on 3 vital weeks of training at your full potential that would otherwise be provided by optimised creatine storage.

Whilst all provide slightly different benefits, creatine monohydrate is the most heavily researched. Creatine can come in powder or tablet form. Neither makes a difference when it comes to effectiveness, so this choice is down to personal preference. Creatine is a highly effective supplement for building muscle and increasing strength and power. A creatine loading phase of 20g a day for 7 days should be enough to fully maximise your storage and help to improve your performance in the gym.

Get over a gaining slump with these tips and tricks for the hardgainer diet. Our articles should be used for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be taken as medical advice. Find out more about Liam's experience here. We cannot search for an empty value, please enter a search term.

Jump to: Benefits of creatine Pros of creatine loading What does creatine do? What is creatine loading? Types of creatine supplements Looking for info quick? Discover the best time to supplement for the best results. How do I load creatine? Once you finish the loading phase, you take less to maintain those levels.

Is creatine loading safe? Creatine loading is safe with very limited side effects, mostly stomach discomfort. You can also reduce the dosage if you experience any side effects. How long should the creatine loading phase be? And they are, in fact, one of the most studied supplements on the planet. Do not exceed 5, mg per serving. For maintenance, take 1 serving 5, mg immediately after training.

So, what exactly? Does this avalanche of creatine do something magical to my muscles? Or is this all a ploy by the supplement companies to have me ingesting more creatine than I need to and thereby buy more? To help alleviate my confusion self-imposed insanity? That said, if someone needed faster results e.

In other words, if you needed to, say, look hulked for a high school pool party in a week, the loading phase might be a good idea. Your body actually makes its own creatine, by way of your kidney and liver, after you eat meat.