If we look at the pharmacokinetics of oral creatine supplementation alongside creatine blood clearance rates, volume of distribution and accumulation within the body – here’s what we know.
A one-off dose of creatine 5-10 grams is cleared out of the body rather quickly (within two hours), before any chance of uptake by muscle can occur. However, frequent doses reduce creatine clearance rates and increase distribution of creatine within the body.
This science suggests that effective creatine accumulation only effectively occurs from small but frequently repeated doses. That means that a loading phase, using small but frequent doses throughout the day, is needed for maximizing creatine accumulation within muscle.
That’s why the shorter term loading phases I describe in creatine cycling are so effective. For the same reasons, I don’t recommend using larger dosages (eg, 10 grams) as more will be wasted and less will accumulate in muscle.
Increasing muscle creatine stores is key to maximizing this supplement’s awesome anabolic potential.
