Are Creatine Loading Phases Required for Each Cycle?

By Christian Duque

Creatine remains one of the most talked about & perhaps least appreciated supplements. It many ways it resembles an anabolic steroid, but it does so without being hormonal. One thing I love about our Deca-Creatine product, for example, is that it provides three powerful creatine blends in one for maximum gains. That having been said, there’s much debate over the loading phase. Initially, when creatine first hit the market, I believe companies wanted to show just how fast creatine could increase size on a lifter. This is why loading phases became so popular. Imagine gaining upwards of 10lbs in a week?!?! That’s insane; however, it’s also unnecessary. I’m of the firm belief that the lifter will gain that weight, make those strength increases, & have an edge that consistently aids in recovery over time anyways.

The beauty of creatine is that you don’t ever have to cycle off of it. You can use creatine all year, because creatine is non-hormonal. Furthermore, so long as you drink plenty of water, there’s no real danger to your kidneys – at least not as far as this gymrat is concerned. That having been said, strength gains on creatine are not based on how much you take, either. Most studies have been conducted for dosages of 3g – 10g & from what I gather, there aren’t stark differences. 3g is the bare minimum you should consume, based on my personal experience & what I’ve read over the years. Anything beyond 10g per day is way too much.

Now don’t get me wrong, if you’re after making fast size gains, the loading phase will come in handy for a week, but by no means prolong it or make it your routine.