subject: How to take creatine: The top 6 ways to get the most out of your creatine [print this page] How you take your creatine can make a MASSIVE difference as to how it is absorbed. Take it right, and every speck of creatine will be absorbed straight into your muscles to give you more power, more energy and more endurance. Take creatine incorrectly, and it will simply lie on the bottom of your stomach with very poor absorption.
In fact, if you already see little result from taking creatine, or you simply want a better result, then sorting out how you take it could be the key you've been looking for!
1). Take it at the right time. It's important to take creatine at least once a day either before or after your workout to replenish the creatine which has been used. The aim is to slowly build up the levels of creatine stored in your body, so there is more creatine to be used when you work out. This then provides the additional power, energy and strength.
2). Take creatine with some form of glucose sugar. Glucose creates an insulin spike which dramatically increases the absorption rate of creatine into the muscles. A large percentage of your creatine intake could simply pass right through your digestive system if you fail to take it with some sort of glucose such as fruit juice.
3). Avoid certain fruit juices or anything which contains citric acid. Citric acid has been known to break down the creatine into an unusable by-product which will pass through your system and cannot be used by the muscles. Avoid orange juice, grapefruit juice and anything which contains citric acid at all costs!
4). Drink plenty of water. Creatine causes muscles to retain water. Whilst this plumps your muscles up and makes them look fuller, it also means that you need to in-take more water to avoid muscle cramps and further aid absorption.
5). Cycle! Avoid taking creatine for longer than 4-5 weeks in a row, as the body can become used to the increased levels, and the benefits can diminish. It's important to take it for this period of time, and then have a break of 1-2 weeks.
6). Take the right type. Creatine monohydrate was the original and most popular creatine, but now, many more have been designed which provide additional benefits. For example, creatine ethyl ester provides far faster absorption, and creatine malate reduces the chances of bloating.
How to take creatine: The top 6 ways to get the most out of your creatine
