When Is the Best Time to Take Creatine?

By: Rachel MacPherson, CPT, CSCS, PN-1 

If you've already jumped on the creatine bandwagon after learning about its many benefits and how it works, the next question is usually when to take it. Should you take it before or after your workout? Morning or night? With food or without? The internet has strong opinions, and most of them overcomplicate things. 

Here’s what the research actually says about the best time to take creatine and why the answer might be simpler than you think.

Does Timing Really Matter?

Timing isn't nearly as important as consistency when it comes to many things, and with creatine, that's especially true. Creatine works by gradually building up phosphocreatine stores in your muscles over weeks, and those stores are what fuel your high intensity efforts. There's no perfect window for taking creatine, but skipping doses regularly will definitely prevent you from getting the best results.

So, in short, the best time of day to take creatine is whichever time you'll actually remember to take it. A trial in elite female athletes found no difference in body composition or performance whether they took creatine in the morning or evening, which suggests that the clock on the wall is irrelevant as long as you’re consistent. If stacking it with a daily habit like your morning coffee or post workout shake keeps you on track, that’s your best time.

Best Time to Take Creatine for Muscle Gain

While taking creatine every day is by far the most important factor, there’s some evidence that taking creatine around your training sessions could offer a slight edge (emphasis on slight). The theory is that exercise increases blood flow to working muscles, which may help shuttle creatine into muscle cells more effectively. A few reviews have noted a possible advantage for taking it post-exercise over pre-exercise when it comes to lean mass and strength, but the data are limited and not definitive enough to call it a rule.

Ultimately, taking creatine either before or after your workout is effective for improving strength and hypertrophy, so long as you're taking the right dose. If you’re already in the habit of tossing creatine into your post-workout protein shake, you’re in a good spot. If you find it easier to take it before you train, that works just as well, so take it whenever works best for consistency and don't worry about the rest.

How Long Should You Take Creatine

Creatine is a supplement you should really take for the long haul. It works best when you take it every day and keep your muscle stores topped off, which is why most people don't need to cycle off of it at any point. Decades of research shows that taking creatine at standard doses (3 to 5 grams) is safe for healthy adults in the long term.

So, what happens if you miss a day of creatine? Nothing dramatic. Your muscle creatine stores won’t tank overnight since they deplete gradually over about a month once you stop taking it altogether. Missing a single day here and there won’t undo your progress. Where consistency really counts is over weeks and months, because that’s the time frame over which creatine delivers its strength, power, and recovery benefits.

Read More: Creatine vs. Pre-Workout: What’s the Difference?

Takeaway

The best time to take creatine is the time that fits your routine. Taking it consistently every day at 3 to 5 grams is what will get you results, and no specific hour of the day has been shown to matter. Taking it with a meal and close to your workouts might boost absorption a bit, but those details pale in comparison to simply showing up every day. Pick a quality, third-party tested creatine like Purist® Creatine Plus, and match it with a habit you already have, then give it a few weeks to do its job.

FAQs

What time of day should I take creatine?

Take creatine whenever you know you'll remember to do it consistently, since consistent dosing is far more important than when you take it. In fact, there's not really any solid evidence that a particular time of day is any better than another. Research shows that taking it at any time of day will be just as effective. Some evidence suggests you  might get a slight absorption advantage by taking creatine with a meal, but it's not totally necessary.

When's the best time to take creatine for women?

Creatine timing recommendations are the same regardless of sex. In research on women, taking it in either morning or evening supplementation produced identical results. Women often start with lower baseline creatine stores, which can actually mean a more noticeable response to supplementation. The key is the same as it is for everyone, which is to take 3 to 5 grams daily, be consistent, and don’t stress about the clock.

Creatine before or after workout for muscle gain?

You can take creatine before or after workouts for muscle gain. Some reviews suggest a possible slight advantage for taking creatine after training when it comes to lean mass gains, but the difference is small and not consistent across all studies. The most important factor is taking your 3 to 5 grams every day. If you take it with your pre-workout meal or snack or your post-workout shake, you’re covered either way.

How long before a workout should I take creatine?

Creatine doesn’t work like a pre-workout supplement that kicks in within 30 minutes. It builds up in your muscles over days and weeks, so the timing of a single dose relative to your workout isn’t critical. If you like taking it 30 to 60 minutes before training with a snack, go for it. If you forget and take it after, that’s equally fine.

Can I take creatine on rest days?

You should definitely take creatine on rest days. Creatine needs to be taken daily to maintain saturated muscle stores. On rest days, take your usual 3 to 5 grams with any meal. Skipping rest days will slow down or prevent full saturation, which is the whole point of supplementing.

Rachel MacPherson is a Nutrition Coach and health writer with over a decade of experience sharing science-backed information in the health and wellness space.

This article was reviewed by Rosie Borchert, NASM-CPT, for accuracy.