Creatine is a well-tested, effective and extremely popular sports nutrition supplement that supports muscle growth, performance and strength.
But despite its widespread use, there’s still a lot of confusion about when and how you should take creatine. One common question among athletes is, “Should I take creatine on my rest days?” The short answer is, yes, but you can skip some days.
“Research has shown that you can maintain high levels of creatine stores without taking creatine every day,” says Paul Falcone, senior scientist at BODi. “But it’s important to take creatine regularly.” Aim for 5 grams of creatine per day for maintenance, and it’s okay to skip a day every now and then.
Read on to review the benefits of creatine and learn why consistency is more important than timing.
When should I take creatine?
“The time of day that you take creatine doesn’t really matter,” Falcone says. The supplement works best when taken regularly, but there’s no benefit to taking it at the same time every day.
“Taking creatine regularly (multiple times per week) is essential to building up creatine stores in your muscles,” he adds.
However, if you’re taking creatine to quickly build up your intracellular stores, timing is more important. At this stage, take up to 20 grams of creatine per day, divided into four doses with water, spaced a few hours apart. After a week, reduce to the recommended “maintenance” amount of about 5 grams per day.
Of course, you could skip the loading phase and continue taking 5 grams per day from the start, but it will take a little longer (about a month) for your muscles to accumulate enough creatine to make a noticeable difference in your training.
Either way, once you are in maintenance mode, you can occasionally skip creatine on your off days if you want.
Why should you take creatine?
“Creatine, when combined with resistance exercise, can help increase strength and muscle mass,” Falcone says.
Creatine, also known as methylguanidinoacetate, is a combination of three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine.
Creatine is stored in muscles and serves as the body’s primary fuel during periods of intense exercise, and remains a reliable fuel source during repeated high-intensity exercise such as lifting or sprinting.
Creatine plays a key role in the body’s adenosine triphosphate (ATP) energy cycle, which provides the energy muscles need to function. When ATP is depleted during exercise, the body accesses its stores of creatine and breaks it down into creatine and phosphate to replenish ATP and replenish energy.
But be careful: not all creatine is the same. The most tested and most effective form is creatine monohydrate.
Is it best to take creatine before or after training?
It doesn’t matter whether you take creatine before or after training – while science supports that combining creatine with strength training provides greater benefits, there’s no magic time.
“With creatine, regular supplementation is most important, not the timing of the day,” Falcone says.
What else to do on a rest day
On your rest days, refuel, get plenty of sleep, and incorporate some active recovery.
“It’s important to take rest and recovery seriously,” Falcone says. “Light exercise, stretching, and foam rolling can help on rest days.”
Continue these healthy habits even on your days off:
Eat enough protein. Healthy, athletic adults need 0.54 to 0.91 grams of protein per pound of body weight per day to support lean muscle growth. Stay hydrated. It is recommended that you drink half your body weight in ounces of water each day, so stay hydrated even if you are not exercising that day. Sleep. Adults should get at least seven hours of sleep per night. This is when the majority of your body’s recovery and repair occurs. On your off days, use the extra time you would have spent weight training to rest instead. You will be able to train harder the next day. Reduce stress. Stress is a natural part of life, but too much of it can hinder your recovery from a tough workout. Incorporate stress management techniques into your daily routine to prevent stress from getting in the way of your strength gains.
