A 21-year-old male asked:
What does creatine do?shud i take it b4 or after my workout.i've also tried some supplements lyk mass gainers and whey proteins.which shud i take when
3 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Reid Blackwelderanswered
Family Medicine 39 years experience
In general nothing!: Creatine is highly touted supplement used as a performance enhancer. In general, any such ped carries some risk, even over the counter. I recommend you not take anything!eat well, maybe add more protein and be cautious with carbs, and stay well-hydrated.You can get strength and mass with a good, well-designed work-out without supplements.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Sireesha Vemurianswered
Family Medicine 19 years experience
Quick energy: Creatine is a quick energy source for the muscle, esp helpful for short bursts exercises like a sprint but recent studies suggest that in endurance exercises it can help in weight gain and muscle building by decreasing utilization of glycogen and protein in the muscle fiber, in short you use creatine instead of muscle protein hence greater muscle mass.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Sireesha Vemuri commented
Family Medicine 19 years experience
Provided original answer
dose 12g/day for 15 days with 5day break after every 15 day cycle shown to be effective. over dose might cause side effects.
Mar 1, 2013

Dr. David Hettingeranswered
Podiatry 38 years experience
Gain muscle mass: A single 5 g (5000 mg) oral dose in healthy adults results in a peak plasma creatine level of approximately 120 mg/l at 1–2 hours post-ingestion. Creatine has a fairly short elimination half-life, averaging just less than 3 hours, so to maintain an elevated plasma level it would be necessary to take small oral doses every 3–6 hours throughout the day. Follow directions!
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Mar 23, 2015
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