CREATINE

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound our bodies produce to fuel high-intensity workouts and activities. Creatine supplements, like Animal’s micronized creatine monohydrate, are commonly taken by athletes of all skill levels and disciplines to supercharge workouts, accelerate recovery, amplify muscle growth, and even elevate cognitive function.

When consumed, creatine targets your skeletal muscles, which then convert it to phosphocreatine (AKA creatine phosphate), which produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP equals energy. This widely studied process makes creatine supplements some of the best sources of energy available to bodybuilders.

While our bodies generate creatine on their own, production starts to decline by roughly 8% every decade after about age 30. Building creatine supplements into your workout regimen boosts creatine stores by 10-30%. That means 10-30% more fuel to push harder and lift heavier. 

Supercharging performance isn’t the only benefit of supplements like creatine monohydrate. Creatine supplementation is directly linked to explosive gains in:

• Fat-free muscle mass. Consuming creatine monohydrate has been shown time and again to help stimulate muscle growth and singe body fat.
  
• Strength and power. Serious progress not just in mass but in strength is typical with daily supplementation of creatine pills or powder in alignment with your workout schedule.
  
• High-intensity performance. Creatine supplements significantly contribute to performance in weightlifting, sprinting, cycling, and other physically demanding physical pursuits.
  
• Brain boost. A very recent study shines light on the impressive increase in cognitive function of test subjects who took recommended doses of creatine supplements. The results are impressive, to say the least: heightened cognition and memory, as well as more positive responses to muscle dystrophy, TBIs, anxiety, and depression.

To maximize gains, most bodybuilders take creatine in two phases:

1. Loading Phase
During the loading phase, you want to aim for 20-25 grams per day of creatine powder per day for 5-7 days. It doesn’t matter if you use creatine powder, or prefer pills or tablets. The point is to flush your body with enough creatine to amp up your stores and saturate your muscles to fast-track your gains.
2. Maintenance Phase
After 5-7 days of creatine loading, reduce to 3-5 grams daily to maintain those stores. This keeps your creatine levels topped up so that instead of constantly replenishing them, you can put your supplementation to work building muscles and fueling recovery. So stick with it. Get your gains.

Do you have to do the loading phase with Animal creatine powder? No, creatine loading is not necessary; it’s just faster. Alternatively, you can take Animal creatine in any form on a daily basis. After 30 days your muscles should be well saturated.

The most important thing is that you consume creatine on a regular basis. However, research does suggest that the best creatine dosing times are pre- and post-workout, with recent studies pointing to post-workout as somewhat more optimal. However, way more studies are needed to really say when creatine monohydrate has the maximum impact on muscle mass and recovery. Get your 5 grams daily and you’ll be on your way to gains.

When is the best time to take creatine on your rest days? Like training days, just getting your creatine in is the most important. However, the research shows that taking creatine with a meal may help absorption.

If you kick off your creatine regime with a loading phase, you may start to feel and see results in as little as a week. If you go straight to the maintenance dose of 3-5 grams daily, expect to see results in 2-4 weeks.

Yes, but not in a bad way. Creatine monohydrate can cause an initial weight gain of 1-3 pounds due to water retention in your muscles. This isn’t fat—creatine pulls water into your muscle cells, allowing them to grow.

But the added bulk isn’t “just water.” The flush of water into your muscles signals your body to produce muscle growth. Your gains are real. The new weight is highly functional, lean muscle mass and means your creatine supplements are working and your muscles are primed to break your PR.

While creatine monohydrate refers to creatine that can be in the form of supplements or whole foods, micronized creatine refers to creatine supplements that have been micronized (or broken down) by a factor of 20. As such, micronized creatine is almost always taken as creatine powder. However, Animal offers micronized creatine monohydrate tablets and capsules, so you never have to worry about the benefits of creatine pills vs powder vs chews. Pick what works for you and stick with it.

Yes. Our creatine supplements stack perfectly with other Animal products. Here are some combinations we recommend for maximizing results:

Pre-workout: Combine any Animal creatine powder with Animal Primal for sustained energy throughout your training.
Post-workout: Mix Animal creatine powder with Animal Juiced Aminos for a well-rounded recovery after every session.
Custom combinations: Our creatine supplements also combine well with Animal Pak, Animal Immune, Animal Flex, Animal Greens, or Animal PM.

There’s no need to worry about whether you should have creatine pills vs powder vs tablets. Animal makes high-quality micronized creatine monohydrate in all three forms. So the best way to take creatine really comes down to personal preference and convenience.

Mixing creatine powder into your water or protein shake is a popular choice for bodybuilders who combine hydration with their supplementation regime. Capsules and tablets are the obvious choice for those who don’t want to slam a bottle of water with their daily creatine.