I LOADED On CREATINE For 14 Days

Introduction

The Beginning of the Journey

A rapid increase in muscle size, strength, physical performance, and even mental acuity—these are just some of the countless benefits users claim to experience with one of the most studied, reputable, and effective sports supplements of all time: creatine. That's why, after five years of being creatine-free, I decided to load on creatine for two weeks straight to see if I would notice any of these benefits. Here's my two-week journey.

Before the Experiment

I took my before measurements, warmed up, and tested my performance in a few exercises. This was my first time taking creatine in over six years. But what is creatine, and why is it significant?

Understanding Creatine

The body stores creatine as creatine phosphate, mainly in the muscles. This substance helps regenerate ATP (adenosine triphosphate), our primary energy source for muscle contractions. As the creatine phosphate system depletes, the body switches to its anaerobic system, and eventually, to its aerobic system. Each switch results in less efficient muscle contractions, generally slower and weaker. The idea is, having more creatine phosphate in your muscles enables more rapid and stronger movements, potentially allowing an extra couple of reps, consistent jump heights, or holding a max sprint for longer.

Additionally, creatine can increase water in the muscle cells, thereby increasing muscle volumization, making your muscles appear bigger quickly.

Beginning the Experiment

Day one involved taking my first dose of creatine monohydrate, a trusted and pure form. There is something called a creatine loading phase, usually consisting of multiple servings up to 20 grams a day to fully saturate the muscles in about a week. However, I planned to run this experiment for 10 days, so I decided on taking two servings of five grams a day.

I used creatine monohydrate by MRM, a micronized and tested pure form to ensure better dissolution and digestion. After taking the first five-gram dose, I experienced no digestive issues.

Day Two and Beyond

Day two involved taking my first serving pre-workout to test for any performance benefits or ill effects. I felt average; nothing was significantly different. Fast forward to day five, I noticed an increase in muscle size, especially in my legs.

However, I also experienced noticeable constipation approximately every other day. This is likely due to creatine drawing extra water from the intestinal tract.

Mixing Creatine with Coffee

Controversially, I mixed creatine with my coffee on day seven to test any interaction between caffeine and creatine. Many believe caffeine and creatine can cancel each other out due to their conflicting hydration effects. However, I noticed no significant changes.

Potential Brain Benefits

Some studies suggested that creatine supplementation might improve cognitive functions and conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, Huntington's disease, and more. While I felt my work went smoothly and I got a lot done, it could have been a mere coincidence.

Experiment Continues

By day 12, weighing my heaviest, I felt a marked increase in energy and body control during workouts. My vertical jump felt improved, and I performed muscle-ups, which I hadn't attempted in a long time, with minimal struggle.

The Final Assessment

Did creatine loading for 14 days lead to measurable differences? I continued taking 10 grams a day until the final test day. I felt bigger, especially in the legs and overall muscle fullness. Push-ups and pull-ups had decreased and felt heavier; however, my bench and squat showed slight improvements.

After the Experiment

Ten days after stopping creatine, I reflected on the entire experiment. The noticeable side effect was constipation, and my calisthenics performance suffered due to increased body weight. Though I felt marginally stronger, it came with extra body weight and discomfort. I looked noticeably bigger, especially with a pump in the gym, but that wasn't my primary goal. For sheer bodybuilding purposes, creatine seems beneficial. However, it might not align with goals requiring mobility and lightness, like calisthenics.

Keywords

Creatine
Muscle Size
Strength
ATP
Performance
Creatine Monohydrate
Loading Phase
Constipation
Brain Health
Caffeine
Cognitive Benefits
Physical Fitness

FAQ

Q1: What is creatine?

A: Creatine is a substance stored in the muscles as creatine phosphate, helping regenerate ATP for rapid and strong muscle contractions.

Q2: What is the loading phase of creatine?

A: The loading phase typically consists of consuming multiple servings daily (up to 20 grams) for a week to fully saturate the muscles.

Q3: Did you experience any side effects from creatine?

A: Yes, I experienced noticeable constipation, likely due to creatine drawing extra water from the intestinal tract.

Q4: Can creatine be mixed with coffee?

A: While many believe caffeine and creatine can cancel each other out, I noticed no significant changes when mixing them.

Q5: Are there any cognitive benefits to creatine?

A: Some studies suggest creatine might improve cognitive functions and conditions like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and more.

Q6: What were the physical results after 14 days of creatine?

A: I noticed increased muscle size, especially in my legs, slight improvement in bench and squat performance, but decreased push-up and pull-up performance due to feeling heavier.