Do I Need To Cycle Creatine? (2024)

FAQs

Do I Need To Cycle Creatine? ›

To maximise results with creatine, cycling is recommended. Remember to have a break between cycles and increase daily water intake when using creatine.

However, remember that if you're going to keep taking it and continue to reap the benefits of this well researched and widely used supplement year-round, you can. There is no need to cycle creatine.

The loading phase typically lasts for 5-7 days with higher creatine intake. The maintenance phase follows the loading phase and lasts for 4-6 weeks with lower creatine intake. After the maintenance phase, it is recommended to take a 2-4 week break from creatine supplementation.

Normally, people take one daily serving of creatine for as long as they need to reach their goals. However, it is believed that, by changing up the dose every few weeks—or cycling—you can speed up and even enhance the benefits of creatine supplementation.

The maintenance phase involves taking about 5-10 grams of creatine daily for about 4-6 weeks. Finally, the last phase involves taking a break from creatine for about 2 weeks. In total, your entire creatine cycle should last about nine weeks, with the last two weeks of that cycle being rest weeks.

When used orally at appropriate doses, creatine is likely safe to take for up to five years. As with any dietary supplement, it's important to choose a product that follows recommended manufacturing practices and subscribes to third-party testing to ensure the product's quality.

Stopping creatine intake can result in varying outcomes among individuals. Some may observe potential effects such as a reduction in muscle mass, strength, or endurance, while others may report no observable side effects at all.

Doses up to 25 grams daily for up to 14 days have been safely used. Lower doses up to 4-5 grams daily for up to 18 months have also been safely used. Creatine is possibly safe when taken long-term. Doses up to 10 grams daily for up to 5 years have been safely used.

When you stop taking creatine, your body will resume its normal production of creatine. You may experience a decrease in strength, endurance, and performance, but this difference likely won't be drastic. A proper diet, structured training routine, and recovery can support your training goals even without creatine.

However, as mentioned above, you may lose water weight when you stop taking creatine. As a result, your muscles may not look as "full" and you may notice the number on the scale drop. But as long as you're maintaining a healthy body weight, this drop shouldn't be a cause for concern.

Do you build a tolerance to creatine? ›

Your body doesn't build up a tolerance to creatine. It is possible that you may no longer consciously register the boost it provides, but this is simply because you are now operating optimally at each session. Just because you don't notice the impact of creatine supplementation, doesn't mean you aren't benefiting.

No, going off of creatine will not make you look more cut. Creatine increases muscle mass but does not increase body fat. The weight gained from taking creatine is from water retention in the muscle cells. But this only causes the muscles to potentially look bigger and does not appear as added weight to the body.

Yes, you can take creatine on non-workout days. Maintaining consistent creatine levels in your body can help support muscle recovery, cognitive function, and other benefits unrelated to exercise. It is generally recommended to take a smaller maintenance dose on non-workout days.

If you don't cycle off creatine, your body may become accustomed to constant supplementation, potentially reducing its effectiveness. However, research on this topic is limited, and many experts believe that continuous supplementation at a moderate dose is sufficient for most individuals.

There is a very good reason for it though. Taking creatine for an extended period of time, meaning longer than 8 weeks, lessens the positive effect creatine has on your body. Essentially it becomes pointless to continue to supplement with creatine.

You should take each 5-gram dose of creatine with at least 8 ounces of water. As for total daily water intake, you should aim for 3 to 4 liters, or 12 to 16 cups, per day. Remember: 1 L equals 1000 ml of water and 1 cup equals 8 ounces of fluid.

If you miss a day here and there, don't stress it. Creatine builds up in muscle tissue over time, so a few missed days over time won't make that drastic of a difference. But, if you're consistently skipping, you definitely won't reap all of the benefits.

A creatine loading phase isn't strictly necessary. Evidence shows that supplementing with a smaller dose will have the same effect, but it'll just take a bit longer to maximise creatine storage, which can be achieved by a daily dose of 3-5g.

The supplement works best when it's a regular habit, but there's no advantage to taking it at a precise time each day. "Taking creatine regularly — multiple times per week — is essential to increase creatine stores within the muscle," he adds.

Experts recommend creatine cycling: After taking creatine for a maximum of 8 weeks, you should stop, allowing your body to self-regulate its normal production. As long as you keep working out, you won't lose your muscle gains. Take a 2-week break, and if you'd like, you can continue supplementation.