Research

Energy balance

Creatine monohydrate supplementation (loading phase of ~20g/day for 5-7 days followed by maintenance of 3-5g/day) increases intramuscular creatine stores by ~30% and enhances performance in high-intensity exercise lasting less than 150 seconds.

Load with 20g of creatine monohydrate daily (split into 4 doses) for 5-7 days, then switch to 3-5g daily. Take it with a meal containing protein and carbs for better absorption. Expect a 1-2kg weight gain from water retention, which is normal. This will improve your performance in short, high-intensity efforts like sprinting or weightlifting.

StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
creatine supplementation can increase intramuscular creatine stores by ~30%... identify performance benefits in single (+1–5%) and repeated bouts (+5–15%) of high-intensity exercise of <150 s in duration
Peter Peeling et al. · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · 2018

Why this rating

Supported by numerous reviews and meta-analyses showing consistent benefits in high-intensity tasks.

Source

Evidence-Based Supplements for the Enhancement of Athletic Performance

Peter Peeling et al. · International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism · 2018

narrative_reviewCited 208×
Read the paper

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →