How to Use Creatine for Maximum Exercise Performance

As a nutritionist and someone who lives an active lifestyle (I recently conquered the Cactus to Clouds hike in Palm Springs, CA—quite the challenge!), I can confidently say that adding creatine to my routine has been a game-changer. And it’s no surprise once you understand how creatine works to enhance exercise performance. Let’s break it down.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in foods like meat and fish, and it’s stored mainly in our skeletal muscles.

What is Creatines Primary Role?

Creatine is used to fuel the phosphocreatine system, which produces ATP (adenosine triphosphate)—the body’s go-to source for quick energy. This system is vital for powering short bursts of high-intensity activities like sprinting or weightlifting (2).

Creatine is one of the most studied and widely used supplements, especially among athletes. Research shows that it not only boosts strength and power output but also speeds up recovery after intense exercise (4). This means you can push harder during training, leading to greater strength gains over time. In fact, a recent study on older, untrained women found that those who supplemented with creatine doubled their strength gains after a 10-week resistance training program compared to those who didn’t (1). For me, combining creatine with adequate protein intake has been a winning formula for building lean muscle, revving up metabolism, and supporting long-term health. You can check out some of our Functional Nutritionist approved recipes here! 

How to Supplement Creatine?

While some people follow loading protocols, the general recommendation is a daily dose of 3 to 5 grams of creatine. Creatine monohydrate is the most effective and easily absorbed form. Personally, I prefer the Thorne supplement, which you can get for 10% off with Vida at Fullscript. Since creatine has a slight taste, I usually dilute it in 8 ounces of water or mix it seamlessly into my smoothies.

Benefits of Creatine Monohydrate Powder:

• Muscle Performance: Promotes physical endurance, power output, and increased work capacity of muscle.
• Lean Body Mass: Enhances strength and promotes lean body mass.
• Cognition: Supports cognitive function and a healthy body composition, especially in the aging population.
• Cellular Energy Production: Creatine helps the cells of the body more efficiently create energy, thus benefiting exercise capacity.
• Injury Prevention: Promotes a reduction in the frequency of dehydration, muscle cramps, and injuries to the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves.
• Nutritional Support: For individuals who have an increased dietary need, such as athletes, or for those who aren’t consuming enough creatine-containing foods in their normal diet.

When Should I Take Creatine?

As of now, there’s no solid evidence suggesting that timing your creatine intake around workouts makes a significant difference (3).

The key is consistency—taking creatine daily is far more important than worrying about when you take it. That’s the advice I give to my clients: be consistent, and the results will follow.

Citations

1. Amiri, E., & Sheikholeslami-Vatani, D. (2023). The role of resistance training and creatine supplementation on oxidative stress, antioxidant defense, muscle strength, and quality of life in older adults. Frontiers in public health, 11, 1062832. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1062832

2. Buford, T. W., Kreider, R. B., Stout, J. R., Greenwood, M., Campbell, B., Spano, M., Ziegenfuss, T., Lopez, H., Landis, J., & Antonio, J. (2007). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 4, 6. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-4-6

3. Ribeiro, F., Longobardi, I., Perim, P., Duarte, B., Ferreira, P., Gualano, B., Roschel, H., & Saunders, B. (2021). Timing of Creatine Supplementation around Exercise: A Real Concern?. Nutrients, 13(8), 2844. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13082844

4. Wax, B., Kerksick, C. M., Jagim, A. R., Mayo, J. J., Lyons, B. C., & Kreider, R. B. (2021). Creatine for Exercise and Sports Performance, with Recovery Considerations for Healthy Populations. Nutrients, 13(6), 1915. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061915