What is the ideal use of creatine? See experts’ recommendations

If you attend a gym or play sports regularly, you’ve probably heard something about creatine, especially on social media. With various benefits, this substance can be interesting for those who train, but with some caveats. Excessive consumption of a creatine supplement can have direct consequences on training performance and the individual’s overall health. Amid various information and different recommendations for ideal use, InfoMoney sought out doctors and nutritionists to answer all questions about creatine and how it works.
The creatine is a substance produced naturally by the body and also found in foods such as meats and fish. It serves as a ‘quick energy battery’ for muscles, aiding in strength, power, recovery, and training performance. High-intensity activities like weightlifting, sprinting, team sports with directional changes, and combat sports usually benefit from the correct use of creatine. Besides strength and muscle mass gain, the substance can also benefit brain health and even assist in healthy aging, says Renato Zilli, an endocrinologist at Hospital Sírio Libanês and member of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism.
According to Edvânia Soares, a nutritionist at Estima Nutrição and a specialist in Clinical and Sports Nutrition and Sanitary Surveillance, creatine use is mainly recommended for regularly active individuals seeking performance improvement. Clinical cases like sarcopenia, chronic and renal diseases, and muscle loss in the elderly are also indicated, but always with professional guidance. ‘From the age of 25, we begin to lose muscle mass, but creatine consumption should always be accompanied by guidance from a nutritionist doctor,’ she states.
The recommendation is to take 3 to 5 grams of creatine per day. According to Thaís Barca, a sports nutritionist at CliNutri clinic, some articles also suggest consumption according to the athlete’s or patient’s body weight. There isn’t a specific time for consumption, and taking it away or close to meals also doesn’t make much difference in results. ‘To reach the peak effect, continuous consumption of 10 to 15 days is necessary to fully load creatine into the muscle,’ she explains. For athletes needing faster muscle loading, a saturation cycle can be done, where the person takes 20 grams per day for 5 days to achieve the peak faster.