- You do not need to load creatine every time you start taking it, but there may be benefits to doing so.
- Creatine will work just as well without loading, but it will take longer for you to see results from it.
- You can load creatine during just the first week of usage, or at the beginning of each week.
Whether you’re skinny, fat, muscular, or not-so-muscular, “loading” creatine at the beginning of your consumption of the product is often recommended. The reason for this is not that it’s necessary for the supplement to work, but that it can help it reach your muscles faster.
If loading creatine is not an option for you or doesn’t fit with your plan or your specific diet, the creatine supplement will still work just as efficiently. You’ll find it will just take a little longer for your muscles to absorb the new treatment.
Creatine is typically a waiting game whether you load it in the beginning or not. What is creatine, and how does it work in your body? Check out this video for a quick tutorial:
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What Does “Loading” Creatine Mean?
The “loading phase” of taking creatine is typically the first week of use when you are stacking doses. This is done in order to quickly get the muscles of the body used to the new treatment.
While a recommended dose of creatine may be five to ten grams a day, in the “loading phase” users may use up to 20 grams or more in order to get the body quickly adapted to the consumption of creatine.
Although 20 grams per day may seem like a lot, the doses can be broken up into a variety of segments. A person could take the creatine five or six times a day in order to meet the desired loading dosage.
In order for the loading phase to be effective, you should also perform your workouts in coordination with taking the doses.
It may be difficult to keep up with the doses and the workouts each day, but if you work out twice a day, you would consume a load of creatine two hours before your first and last workout of the day.
This will ensure the energy from the creatine is being put to good use while the muscles in your body are getting used to the new contractions.
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How Long Is the Loading Phase?
Some people recommend using the loading phase as an introduction to the supplement. Other bodybuilders and athletes use the loading technique at the beginning of each week to get their muscles working faster than the rest of the week’s workouts.
Many athletes and bodybuilders rely on shocking the body with new treatments. If the body is used to the same dosage of creatine each day, it will fall into a habit of increasing muscle growth and repair at the same rate.
However, if the body is shocked once a week into taking an extreme dosage of creatine to load the muscles, it will help the body react accordingly.
For the average user of creatine who is starting their loading phase, they may only stay in this phase for the first week in order to get their muscles ready for the long road ahead.
If you are consuming the creatine supplement in pill form, it may be easier to get through the loading phase. However, if you decide to try consuming creatine through shakes or drinks, it may be more difficult to keep up.
What Are the Risks Associated With Loading Creatine?
The human body can only take so much muscle growth, dehydration, and performance. If the body is beginning to be worn down from excessive energy in workouts, which may increase dehydration in the body, a user of creatine may want to think about decreasing the dosage.
Loading creatine at the beginning of each week can be dangerous. If an athlete is focused on loading the creatine five times per day with two workouts, the number of calories that need to be consumed in order to replenish the amount lost may exceed each other.
The amount of water that needs to be consumed while you are taking creatine increases due to the risk factor of severe hydration. Many users in the loading phase may become dehydrated due to a lack of time to drink water.
If you take creatine with water, it may be more effective. Again, if you load creatine in the form of pills, it will also be an easier approach.
It’s always important to do your research before starting any supplement like creatine. You can find good information online, such as this article covering “12 Most-Pressing Questions About Creatine.”
And don’t forget to balance your supplement regimen with a good fitness program. Check out our PRO plan today to see how we can help you stay motivated and focused all year long!