Interesting facts about creatine

Do I have to stop taking creatine in between?
Although in the past it was often recommended that creatine should be discontinued temporarily in order to improve the
effect, this recommendation has not proved successful. It is now known that
it is not necessary to stop taking creatine. Instead, creatine should be taken without interruption in a medium dosage, i.e.
between 3-5gr. per day. For one thing, there is no evidence to date
that creatine has any harmful side effects - even when used regularly over many years
. On the other hand, there is no advantage to stopping. The performance-enhancing effect only wears off
after you stop taking it. In addition, the creatine level in the muscles does not fall below the
normal range, even if the product is discontinued.

The reason for the belief that discontinuation is important was the results of a study
with rats, in which extremely high doses were used. The large quantities used
ensured that the body's own production of creatine transport molecules was reduced. The
fewer transport molecules there are, the slower the creatine uptake. Based on
these logistics, various experts suspected that it would make sense to discontinue the substance
in between, as otherwise its effectiveness would diminish. However, the study also showed
that the creatine level remains unchanged and that the transport molecules are formed again
after discontinuation.

In another study, in which 10gr. Creatine per day for 2 months,
no decrease in transport molecules could be detected. Therefore, discontinuation has no
advantages, at least not with regard to the transport molecules.

Creatine & caffeine?
Another recommendation is not to combine creatine with caffeine under any circumstances. The idea
behind this was or is that caffeine dehydrates the body, i.e. removes water. This would counteract the
water storage in the muscle from creatine.
While it is true that caffeine dehydrates the body, this does not last long!
You can counteract this by making sure you drink enough fluids (at least 3
liters/day). If you also drink a lot, you maximize the anabolic effect of creatine.

Loading phases?
When you start taking creatine, you need to do a 2-week loading phase so that the
creatine works properly....! You still hear this recommendation very often today, but it is outdated and not
necessary. Creatine starts to work (almost) immediately after the first application. Most
users usually feel a performance boost in training after a few days.
You should also be aware that during a 2-week loading phase, the creatine is taken in very high doses
so that the kidneys are put under greater strain, as the excess creatine is converted to
creatinine and excreted in the urine.
For the sake of your health and your wallet, you should avoid a loading phase and
start with the standard dosage of 5-10 g/day.

Creatine & carbohydrates?
To improve the effect of creatine, a creatine carbohydrate supplement
may be preferable to a normal creatine monohydrate supplement. Since carbohydrates cause an insulin
reaction in the body, and insulin is the most anabolic hormone in the body, the
creatine molecules are better absorbed. The best time to take a creatine-carbohydrate
supplement is before and after training! Breakfast is also a good time for creatine
supplementation.