Creatine: Pre or Post workout?

[Disarmed]

Afternoon all.

At my disposal I have Jack3d, Creatine and Protein. What I'm looking for is some clarification on when I should be taking the Creatine. Since Jack3d is pre-workout, can I stack Creatine with it or would it be better to save it for post workout and stack it with Protein?

I'm also aware Jack3d has creatine already in it, about 1-2 grams I've read. I'm loading right now so stacking Jack3d and Creatine shouldn't be a problem. It's just the time to take it is what I'm confused about.

[Disarmed]

Gym in 15. Bump

[Disarmed]

Gym in 15. Bump

I LIEK PP

Going to the gym. Someone answer this for me before I get back and I'll kiss you.

[chimeranD]

Pretty sure timing doesn't matter, just around 3 grams daily is all you need, no need to load either.... also no kisses please

[FJRod]

Afternoon all.

At my disposal I have Jack3d, Creatine and Protein. What I'm looking for is some clarification on when I should be taking the Creatine. Since Jack3d is pre-workout, can I stack Creatine with it or would it be better to save it for post workout and stack it with Protein?

I'm also aware Jack3d has creatine already in it, about 1-2 grams I've read. I'm loading right now so stacking Jack3d and Creatine shouldn't be a problem. It's just the time to take it is what I'm confused about.

No need to load, but usually what I would suggest its to take 15 grams a day during the first week to build the total pool. After the first week take 5 PWO, just dump it in your shake. I believe this is the best time to take it.

[miamibodybuilder]

well i usually do creatine pre and post. i currently use AAEFX's KRE-ALKALYN creating product and i take 2 caps before and 2 caps after, unless i'm also taking their pre-workout drink KOTIC which already has the KRE-ALKALYN in it then i'll take that pre workout and just the 2 caps post-workout. other than that, those are the only times i take my creatine on training days.

[Theriault0039]

Sometimes in the morning, sometimes preworkout, sometimes post. Doesn't really matter to me, as long as I take it at some point in the day.

[Hyruliangoat]

sigh.



stop loadng its not doing you anything

add 1 or 2 extra grams of creatine into jack3d and your fine. just take it with the jack3d no need to take it any other time.

[AlphaTauMuscle]

timing is irrelevant as is taking creatine on off days

[motiv8td]

I add it to my pre-drink if I take one. Otherwise, I don't worry about when I take creatine, I just make sure I take some that day. I think the consensus is it doesn't matter, if it does and I'm doing it wrong then oh well, my bad. It is what it is.

[Disarmed]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'll stick it with my post workout shake then. I've been told you need to take it pre-workout, you need to take it post-workout, take it on off days ect. A lot of misinformation on my part.

[Disarmed]

sigh.



stop loadng its not doing you anything

add 1 or 2 extra grams of creatine into jack3d and your fine. just take it with the jack3d no need to take it any other time.

How does loading not do anything? It's increasing the concentration of creatine and I haven't actually been on monohydrate in years. What's so bad about that?

[AlphaTauMuscle]

How does loading not do anything? It's increasing the concentration of creatine and I haven't actually been on monohydrate in years. What's so bad about that?

loading only hastens creatine saturation, by a few weeks. You will achieve the same level of saturation from 3-5g's on workout days or 3-5g's for 1-2 weeks in just a little bit of a longer time as a load period

[Trauma5951]

Just a side note about putting it in your actual shakes.

You never get all the liquid out when you drink a shake as they are naturally sticky and like to hold on to the walls of your shaker cup.

You will lose some of your dose to this. I prefer to drink my shake and fill a small cup on the side with water for my creatine. Drink the water, refill drink again to get the rest.

[Hyruliangoat]

loading only hastens creatine saturation, by a few weeks. You will achieve the same level of saturation from 3-5g's on workout days or 3-5g's for 1-2 weeks in just a little bit of a longer time as a load period

Thank you, beat me to it



Your muscles have a carrying capacityfor the creatine. Just cuz ur taking 20g doesnt mean its going to keep it. Saturation is saturation and will be reached regardless.

[Dmitriy23]

Take 3-5 grams post workout and 3-5 later on in your day this way your body will absorb the creatine at a faster rate

[BobBaugh3]

as long as you take it at some point in the day, it doesnt matter.

[caseymercil]

5 grams after my workout.

[Darknessss]

I've always taken it before and felt the best results. As long as it is in your system it shouldn't matter though. If you have a fast metabolism, take it every morning.

[My_Legacy]

Just take creatine whenever throughout the day - there is no beneficial time!

[seafunk]

Sorry, too lazy to format this. Can't hurt to take 5g pre and 5g post workout I'd say.


J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2013 Aug 6;10(1):36. [Epub ahead of print]
The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate on body composition and strength.
Antonio J, Ciccone V.
Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Chronic supplementation with creatine monohydrate has been shown to promote increases in total intramuscular creatine, phosphocreatine, skeletal muscle mass, lean body mass and muscle fiber size. Furthermore, there is robust evidence that muscular strength and power will also increase after supplementing with creatine. However, it is not known if the timing of creatine supplementation will affect the adaptive response to exercise. Thus, the purpose of this investigation was to determine the difference between pre versus post exercise supplementation of creatine on measures of body composition and strength.
METHODS:

Nineteen healthy recreational male bodybuilders (mean +/- SD; age: 23.1 +/- 2.9; height: 166.0 +/- 23.2 cm; weight: 80.18 +/- 10.43 kg) participated in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: PRE-SUPP or POST-SUPP workout supplementation of creatine (5 grams). The PRE-SUPP group consumed 5 grams of creatine immediately before exercise. On the other hand, the POST-SUPP group consumed 5 grams immediately after exercise. Subjects trained on average five days per week for four weeks. Subjects consumed the supplement on the two non-training days at their convenience. Subjects performed a periodized, split-routine, bodybuilding workout five days per week (Chest-shoulders-triceps; Back-biceps, Legs, etc.). Body composition (Bod Pod(R)) and 1-RM bench press (BP) were determined. Diet logs were collected and analyzed (one random day per week; four total days analyzed).
RESULTS:

2x2 ANOVA results - There was a significant time effect for fat-free mass (FFM) (F = 19.9; p = 0.001) and BP (F = 18.9; p < 0.001), however, fat mass (FM) and body weight did not reach significance. While there were trends, no significant interactions were found. However, using magnitude-based inference, supplementation with creatine post workout is possibly more beneficial in comparison to pre workout supplementation with regards to FFM, FM and 1-RM BP. The mean change in the PRE-SUPP and POST-SUPP groups for body weight (BW kg), FFM (kg), FM (kg) and 1-RM bench press (kg) were as follows, respectively: Mean +/- SD; BW: 0.4 +/- 2.2 vs 0.8 +/- 0.9; FFM: 0.9 +/- 1.8 vs 2.0 +/- 1.2; FM: -0.1 +/- 2.0 vs -1.2 +/- 1.6; Bench Press 1-RM: 6.6 +/- 8.2 vs 7.6 +/- 6.1.Qualitative inference represents the likelihood that the true value will have the observed magnitude. Furthermore, there were no differences in caloric or macronutrient intake between the groups.
CONCLUSIONS:

Creatine supplementation plus resistance exercise increases fat-free mass and strength. Based on the magnitude inferences it appears that consuming creatine immediately post-workout is superior to pre-workout vis a vis body composition and strength.