Understanding Creatine Loading Phase and It's Benefits

A creatine loading phase is advertised by fitness influencers and supplement brands in order to bring faster results when it comes to muscle building and an overall well-crafted physique. 

Creatine is a compound that's stored in your muscles as your body naturally produces it. However, foods like meat and fish also contain it. If you're someone who consumes a typical non-veg diet, you supposedly take in about 1 to 2 grams of creatine each day, but the creatine storage capacity of your muscles is only 60-80% full. Consuming creatine supplements can help to maximise your muscle stores. 

Some trainers recommend a creatine-loading phase when you start taking supplements. During this time, you're required to consume a considerably large amount of creatine over a shorter span to rapidly satisfy your muscles and ensure they're in no way devoid of it. An effective approach is to consume 20 to 25 g of creatine on a daily basis, for 5 to 7 days. This dose is further divided into four or five 5 g servings all throughout the day. 

After this creatine loading phase of 5-7 days, you can maintain your regular stores of creatine by taking a 3-5g dose of it every day. Hence, it can be considered that in order to increase the storage capacity of your muscles as you work on your physique more and more, a creatine loading phase is usually suggested for a short span of time. 

With all the being said, let's take a look at what is creatine loading phase, its benefits and other relevant points. 

What is the Creatine Loading Phase?

Now, when the question arises of what is creatine loading phase, the simple answer is that it is very common way of enhancing the storage capacity of your muscles which would be extremely important as you work on your physique more, and build a bigger version of yourself through physical training, gym, exercises, cardio, and so on. 

For anyone who's looking to pack on muscle, recover better, sprint faster, or add some additional weight to their lifting, creatine is certainly one of the most effective supplements available on the market. 

The Science Behind Creatine Loading  

The primary science behind creatine loading is that, most of the creatine you consume, goes to your skeletal muscles which convert creatine into a compound of creatine and phosphoric acid (creatine phosphate or phosphocreatine). Creatine phosphate then helps in the creation of Adenosine Triphosphate which is an important source of energy your cells use when you exercise. 

Some research suggests that an effective creatine-loading dose may help improve muscle stores of creatine by about 20-40%. However, other studies have observed that lower doses of creatine consumed once daily can also prove to be quite effective at boosting your muscles' stores of creatine, though it may take much longer.

A 1996 study in males found that muscles can become fully satisfied after taking 3 g of creatine regularly for 28 days, and it was also proved to be the most effective way to take creatine back then. Even in a 2022 study, it was found that males taking 3 g of creatine on a daily basis for 28 days showed increased creatine store levels in comparison to the participants who didn't take creatine at all. 

However, the best loading cycle for creatine is to consume 20 to 25 g of it regularly for 5-7 days, and then you can normalise the levels by taking only 3 g daily. The method according to the studies conducted in 1996 and 2022 may take an additional 3 weeks to maximise your muscles stores as compared to the recommended 20-25 g regularly for 5-7 days creatine loading dose. 

How to Properly Execute a Creatine Loading Phase?

A typical creatine loading phase would be to consume at least 20 g of creatine a day (5 g × 4) for 5-7 days without any breaks. This is going to be enough to make sure the creatine stores of your muscles are fully saturated, and you're all set to start making increased training gains. After this phase, you can lower your daily creatine loading dose to 3 g per day. 

Now that you know how many grams of creatine per day during your creatine loading phase, you can look for other ways and supplements to boost your body's natural bodybuilding capacity. 

Benefits of Creatine Loading Phase

When you follow the above-mentioned best way to take creatine, these are some of the most prominent benefits that you'll come across:

• Muscle gain- Studies have consistently tied creatine supplements to a significant increase in muscle mass whenever it has been combined with resistance training.
• Muscle strength- After you've completed your creatine loading phase successfully, your strength and power will most certainly increase.
• Injury prevention- In a large number of studies, athletes using creatine have reported fewer spot related injuries and less muscle tightness. 

Potential Side Effects and Considerations

Now that you're aware of what is creatine loading phase, and its benefits, let's take a look at its various side effects.

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, up to 30 g per day for five years may be safe and is typically considered to be well tolerated by healthy individuals. However, in some rare cases, people have reported gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. Creatine may also cause bloating and weight gain as it increases water retention in your muscles. 

Those with existing kidney issues should consult with a healthcare provider before supplementation. 

While it is commonly believed that creatine increases your risk of cramping, dehydration, and heat illness, most of the current research contradicts these claims. 

Creatine Loading vs. Maintenance: What's the Difference?

Some of the basic points of difference you should consider when it comes to creatine loading vs maintenance are as follows:

• Creatine loading can lead to rapid muscle saturation, thereby potentially offering quicker performance gains. Side effects are typically minimal and can occur at both high & low doses, depending on the individual. 

On the other hand, maintenance dosing requires a consistent consumption of creatine over a longer period of time, thereby promoting the gradual and sustained availability of muscle energy.

• The choice between creatine loading and maintenance should be based on personal goals, potential health considerations, and response to creatine.
• Scientific research suggests that maintenance dosing is more suitable for long-term use owing to its lower risk of side effects compared to creatine loading.

Who Should Consider a Creatine Loading Phase?

Any athletes competing in sports, who require quick recovery from repeated sprints, may find creatine supplementation quite helpful. In a study conducted on highly trained football players, those who followed a 6-day loading phase reported an enhanced recovery after 15 sprints with a resting span of only 30s. 

Furthermore, anyone who's interested in increasing their muscle mass and muscle creatine stores, can consume it as it'll help with an enhanced workout performance.

The Bottom Line

Creatine supplementation is a quick and easy way to enhance muscle mass, and several other things like recovery time, enhanced workout performance, and so on. This is usually taken short-term as it can come with certain side effects in the longer run. This is why you should always consult your trainer and a healthcare professional before opting for this. Although it is backed by science, there can be side effects like gastrointestinal issues and kidney problems.

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. What is the purpose of a creatine-loading phase?
   The idea behind creatine loading is to increase the body's stores as quickly as possible. When combined with resistance training, creatine loading can boost muscle mass and performance.
2. What is the recommended dosage for creatine loading?
   The recommended dosage is anywhere between 20-25 g per day for a span of 5-7 days before switching to the normal routine of 3 g per day. 
3. Can I skip the loading phase and still see benefits from creatine?
   Yes, you can see benefits with creatine even without the loading phase. However, when you only consume 3 g of creatine per day, the time it'll take you to reach your desired goals will be 3 time more than when you consider the loading phase.
4. Can women benefit from creatine loading?
   A large 2021 review suggested that creatine supplementation may have various benefits for females, regardless of whether they undergo a gradual approach or a loading phase approach.