Investigating the Creatine Loading Phase Myth

Alongside supplements like beta alanine, whey protein, and caffeine, creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied, and consistently validated, workout enhancers. It exists in small amounts in animal meats, but it’s not enough to enhance a workout. Just like protein, creatine is composed of amino acids that your body breaks apart to use in muscle cells. 

What Does Creatine Do?

Creatine’s main claim to fame is that it helps the body produce more Adenosine Tri-Phosphate (ATP) which is a type of energy that your cells create. During high-intensity exercise, your body burns through its ATP reserves in under 10 seconds. Supplementing with creatine increases phosphocreatine stores in muscle cells, allowing for faster regeneration of ATP from its precursor ADP, refueling your muscles between sets or sprints.

As a result, you’ll have more muscular energy, your lifts will be stronger and you’re more likely to gain muscle mass at a faster rate. But that’s not all creatine accomplishes. It also helps your muscles store more of the raw materials they need to generate a muscle contraction: water and glycogen. 

When creatine draws water into your muscle cells, a process called cell volumization, it creates a more favorable environment for muscle growth. It actually triggers a signaling mechanism that boosts nutrient delivery and muscle growth. Proper hydration within muscle cells also helps maintain electrolyte balance, allowing you to boost endurance to perform one more rep or run just a bit longer. 

Pairing it with strength training will allow you to reap the most benefits. When you take creatine and regularly lift weights, it increases the signalling that tells your muscle to grow and produce more mature muscle fibers. It also reduces soreness for quicker recovery after a lifting session. 

Some additional perks are improvements in cognition, reduction in age-related bone density loss, and improved resilience of muscles, bones, and ligaments. 

When Should I Take Creatine?

Studies show that the most effective time to take creatine is directly after strength training, when muscle protein synthesis is highest. Pair that with some lean protein or a shake, and it’s a recipe for muscle growth. 

On your rest days, timing isn’t as important, but taking it with food may reduce any digestive symptoms you have. Recommendations detail that taking it with 50 grams of protein and 50 grams of carbohydrates may increase absorption. 

What is the Loading Phase of Creatine Monohydrate?

As useful as creatine is, it’s probably one of the most high-maintenance supplements to keep up with. You need to take 3-5 grams every day, preferably after strength training. Missing even one dose leads to a drop of the amount of creatine in your muscle cells, so it’s important to be diligent. You will only feel a difference in your strength and endurance if you can maintain “creatine saturation” which is the amount of creatine the muscle can hold while providing the gains you’re looking for. 

The idea of creatine loading is to increase your body’s creatine reserves quickly, so you can start leveraging those benefits right away. The loading phase typically lasts 5-7 days, during which you consume 20-25 grams of creatine per day, split into 4 or 5 doses throughout the day. It’s important to spread the doses out because the body can not absorb that much creatine in one sitting. 

Is Creatine Loading Safe?

For the most part, yes, creatine loading is safe. There are some studies from the 1990s that refer to large amounts of creatine causing stress to the kidneys and liver. The assumption was that if there was far more creatine in the blood, the workload on our filtration organs would increase, causing damage. Newer studies have since disproven that assumption, indicating high doses for up to 5 years will not lead to adverse effects. 

This doesn’t mean that creatine supplementation carries no risk. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to speak with a doctor before starting a new supplement, especially if you have any medical conditions. 

Moving on to side effects, they’re generally quite mild and only occur when you’re taking the loading dose at the beginning of your creatine regimen. Many of these can be mitigated by ensuring that you remain hydrated. Some people report:

• Dehydration
• Upset stomach 
• Water retention
• Dizziness 
• Muscle cramps 

These side effects typically don’t persist long term, but if they don’t cease after a few weeks, it’s possible you have a slight intolerance to creatine. 

Our Recommendations for the Best Creatine Supplements

Though creatine pyruvate raises blood levels of creatine more than creatine monohydrate, research shows that creatine monohydrate increases strength, performance, and lean body mass more effectively than creatine pyruvate. With that said, here are some of our favorite creatine supplements: 

Premium, Third-Party Tested Formula: Klean Creatine

Klean Creatine by Klean Athlete delivers 5 g of pharmaceutical-grade CreaPure® creatine monohydrate per serving, standardized for purity and consistency. It’s NSF Certified for Sport®, which means every batch is screened for banned substances, appropriate for collegiate or professional athletes. The formula is gluten-free, non-GMO, and vegetarian-friendly, helping athletes maintain optimal muscle energy and performance even in high-intensity training cycles.

Effective, Budget Option: OIAM Performance Creatine Monohydrate 

If you’re not a professional athlete and are looking for a simple, effective, and budget-friendly option, Creatine Monohydrate by OAIM Performance will deliver an effective dose of micronized creatine, which boosts absorption and makes it easier to mix with a liquid of your choice. This formula suggests a creatine loading phase initially. 

For the on-the-go Athlete: Creatine Monohydrate Stick 45 Pack

While the formula for the Creatine Monohydrate Stick 45 Pack is the same as OIAM Performance’s tub-based creatine formulation, this one comes in pre-measured stick packs. If you’re constantly on the go or just have a small gym bag, the stick packs will allow you to take your supplements with you easily, rather than lugging around a big tub. 

The Verdict on the Creatine Loading Phase Myth

What we can say is this: the creatine loading phase myth is not truly a myth. You do not have to do a loading phase for creatine to be effective. Doing a 5-7 day loading phase of creatine will help you reap the benefits faster, but it also brings a higher risk of bloating, digestive upset, and other side effects. So if you tend to have a more sensitive stomach, we wouldn’t recommend jumping right in with 20-25 grams of creatine per day. 

Here’s what you can expect for a timeline for when you’ll see performance and recovery improvements:

• If you complete a loading phase like the one detailed above, you can achieve creatine saturation in 5-7 days. As soon as your stores reach saturation, you should begin to notice some benefits, like improved strength, power output, and lower fatigue. 
• If you want to bypass the loading phase in favor of a slower approach, taking a maintenance dose of creatine (3-5 grams depending on your weight), you will reach the same saturation level in 3-4 weeks. So while you won’t see the fast results, you may notice perceptible differences by the end of the saturation phase. 

Noticing enhanced muscle growth after this takes more time than performance improvements. Even when the concentration of creatine reaches saturation level, visible muscle growth will depend on the consistency of your training stimulus and recovery. Creatine simply enhances the conditions that make growth possible through higher training volume, better recovery, and superior nutrient delivery and storage in muscle cells. The rest is up to you. 

Creatine is a Low-Risk, High-Reward Supplement

Creatine is one of the safest, most effective, and well-researched supplements available for enhanced performance, muscle hypertrophy, endurance, and recovery. Its efficacy has been demonstrated across hundreds of clinical trials in both athletes and older adults. 

Because it’s naturally produced by the body and found in small amounts in animal proteins, supplementation helps you maintain optimal levels that support muscle energy metabolism. With such mild side effects and no long-term health concerns in otherwise healthy individuals, creatine is one of the best supplements you can invest in. 

Whether you choose to do a short loading phase or stick with a consistent daily dose, you have to be consistent in your training and your supplementation for it to work. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the creatine loading phase a myth?

The myth is that you MUST do a creatine loading phase. You can effectively reach baseline therapeutic levels without loading, it will just take longer. 

Do I need to do a loading phase for creatine monohydrate?

Not necessarily! If you want to reap the benefits sooner, start with a loading phase. If you tend to experience digestive upset, it’s recommended that you begin slowly. 

What are the best creatine supplements?

Klean Creatine by Klean Athlete is a premium, third-party tested formula. OIAM Performance also makes two great creatine supplements on the cheaper side, one is a stick pack and the other is a classic tub of creatine with a scooper.