How To Start Creatine: What Most People Get Wrong About The Gym’s Most Studied Supplement

You’ve probably seen the containers. Big, clunky plastic tubs with aggressive fonts sitting on a shelf at the supplement store or tucked into the corner of a gym bag. Creatine monohydrate is everywhere. It’s the most researched sports supplement in history, yet strangely, people still treat it like some kind of dark art or a shortcut to kidney failure. It isn't. Honestly, if you’re trying to figure out how to start creatine, you’ve likely bumped into a mountain of conflicting advice about "loading phases," bloating, and whether you need to drink a gallon of water every hour just to keep your organs functioning.

Let's clear the air.

Creatine isn't a steroid. It's a tripeptide—basically a tiny protein molecule—made of three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. Your body already makes it. You eat it every time you bite into a steak or a piece of salmon. But you aren't eating enough of it to saturate your muscles, which is why supplementing matters if you want that extra 5% to 10% boost in the weight room.

The Science of Why You’re Doing This

Before we get into the "how," you should probably know what’s actually happening in your cells. When you lift something heavy, your muscles use a molecule called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP). Think of ATP as the "energy currency" of your body. You use it, it loses a phosphate group, and it turns into ADP. Then it's spent. You’re done.

This is where creatine comes in. It carries a spare phosphate group like a backup battery. It hands that phosphate to the spent ADP, turning it back into ATP instantly. You get more reps. You recover faster between sets. That’s the whole game. It’s not magic; it’s just efficient bio-energetics. Dr. Eric Trexler and the team at Stronger by Science have discussed this ad nauseam—the evidence is overwhelming. It works for about 80% of people. The other 20% are "non-responders" because their natural levels are already topped out.

How To Start Creatine Without The Drama

You have two main paths.

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Path one is the fast way. This is the Loading Phase. For five to seven days, you take 20 grams of creatine a day, split into four doses. It’s aggressive. It saturates your muscles in a week. But—and this is a big but—it often leads to the "creatine bloat" or some rather unpleasant bathroom emergencies. If you have a sensitive stomach, don’t do this.

Path two is the slow and steady way. You just take 3 to 5 grams every single day. That’s it. No math. No splitting doses. It takes about three to four weeks to reach full saturation, but once you’re there, the result is exactly the same as the loading phase. You just get there without the GI distress. Most people should probably just do this. It’s easier to turn into a habit.

Which Version Should You Buy?

Don't get distracted by the marketing. You’ll see Creatine HCL, buffered creatine, liquid creatine, and creatine ethyl ester. They are almost always more expensive and less effective.

Stick to Creatine Monohydrate. Specifically, look for the "Creapure" trademark if you want to be fancy about purity, but any reputable brand’s micronized monohydrate will dissolve better and work perfectly. It’s cheap. It’s stable. It’s been the gold standard since the 1990s.

Timing, Mixing, and The Water Myth

People get weird about timing. "Do I take it before my workout? After? During my 3 a.m. bathroom break?"

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The reality? It doesn't really matter.

Creatine works through accumulation, not acute timing. It’s not caffeine. Taking it 30 minutes before a workout won't give you a "surge." Just take it whenever you’ll actually remember to take it. Mix it with water. Mix it with your protein shake. Mix it with your morning coffee (it’s heat-stable, so it won’t degrade).

And the water thing? Yes, creatine draws water into the muscle cells. That’s a good thing. Intracellular hydration is anabolic. But you don't need to drink so much water that you're practically drowning. Just stay hydrated like a normal human being. If your urine is pale yellow, you’re fine. If it’s dark, drink more. Simple.

Potential Side Effects: Fact vs. Fiction

Let's address the elephant in the room. Hair loss? The 2009 study on rugby players in South Africa is the only one that ever suggested a link between creatine and increased DHT (a hormone linked to balding). It hasn’t been replicated since. Most researchers, including Dr. Jose Antonio of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), consider the hair loss claim to be largely unsubstantiated.

Kidney damage? In healthy individuals, there is zero evidence that standard doses of creatine harm the kidneys. If you have pre-existing chronic kidney disease, talk to a doctor. Otherwise, your kidneys are perfectly capable of filtering the excess.

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Weight gain? You will likely gain 2 to 5 pounds in the first month. This is water weight. It’s inside the muscle. It makes you look fuller, not fatter. It’s not fat. Don’t panic when the scale moves.

Optimizing The Results

If you want to get the most out of your new routine, take your creatine with some carbohydrates or protein. Insulin helps transport the creatine into the muscle cells a bit more efficiently. A glass of juice or your post-workout meal is perfect.

Also, consistency is king. If you miss a day, don't double up the next day. Just get back on the horse.

Actionable Steps To Start Today

1. Buy a bag of Micronized Creatine Monohydrate. Avoid the fancy flavors and "proprietary blends."
2. Skip the loading phase. Unless you have a competition in six days, there’s no rush.
3. Measure out 5 grams. Most tubs come with a scoop, but a level teaspoon is roughly 5 grams.
4. Mix it with your daily habit. Put it next to your toothbrush or in your protein shaker.
5. Track your strength, not just your weight. Look for that extra rep on your bench press or squat after the third week.
6. Keep taking it. Even on rest days. Especially on rest days.

The biggest mistake people make isn't how they start; it's that they stop after two weeks because they don't feel like "The Hulk" yet. This is a long game. Stick with it for a month, and the data says you'll see the difference in your performance.