I TRIED CREATINE FOR THE FIRST TIME, AND HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED

Let me be really honest for a moment… I was never a big believer in sport performance supplements during my early years as a dietitian. Hang tight while I explain. Are you shocked? A dietitian who works for one of the most well-known sport supplement companies saying I wasn’t a believer! Yes, me too. I am surprised to admit it, but I want to be authentic. Don’t worry though, my views changed before I joined GNC! During school I wasn’t exposed to the supplement industry until I became a sports dietitian a few years after I graduated and passed my Registered Dietitian (RD) exam. Just like any profession, on-the-job training supplements your textbook knowledge (see what I did there!).  

While working with athletes, questions about sport supplements, such as pre-workouts, creatine, and more were always asked. Initially I absolutely stood by the philosophy food is fuel and supplements weren’t needed. I would suggest protein supplements as an easy, convenient way to meet protein goals but I’d say the others weren’t necessary. Luckily, I am a curious person and I’d do my due diligence as an RD and dig into the science. A whole new world was opened to me! I started coaching my athletes on ways to use supplements to improve performance, like power, strength, recovery, and promote a healthy foundation. Always ensuring the supplements had been tested for banned substances before I would give my approval. It was a game-changer! I am so thankful for my athletes asking those questions and helping me learn more.  

Now I am going to be transparent again with you all… I only ever used a basic multivitamin and protein supplements before starting with GNC! I believed the science behind the sport performance ingredients but were not necessary for me. I was not an elite athlete, running a marathon, power lifting, or trying to maximize my vertical jump! I was just trying to stay fit for everyday life. But after diving more into the research of creatine, I was curious how it would change my workouts.  

I workout 6-7 days per week with one of those days being a light, active day. The other 5-6 days include weightlifting, circuits, and high-intensity intervals…. ALL the styles of exercise that would benefit from creatine supplementation. Now again, my personal goals are to just maintain my weight (maybe lean out a little more but not be shredded) and push my body a little harder every workout. After reading A LOT of creatine research… I was convinced! I had to try it personally. There was too much science to support the outcomes. And as an RD, I am all about the scientific evidence! So, I told my colleagues I was going to drink the “kool–aid”… well actually drink the creatine!  

Starting My Creatine Supplementing

My journey with creatine monohydrate supplementation started with a loading phase for 7 days then a maintenance phase. This is the standard protocol to achieve muscle saturation in both men and women. There is no specific protocol for creatine dosing for women. Curious about creative dosing guidelines? Check out our Ultimate Guide to Creatine Dosing article. 

During my loading phase, I consumed 20 grams of creatine daily, divided into 4 doses of 5 grams each. I used our Pro Performance Creatine Monohydrate. While we offer a large variety of creatine supplements, I chose the single ingredient, unflavored creatine from Pro Performance. Each scoop was 5 grams, where others were 2-3 grams or had additional ingredients added. I really wanted to see how adding just creatine to my normal routine would possibly change my fitness.  

During my loading phase, I had to set a reminder on my phone to take the creatine and not forget. What I found most difficult was drinking the full amount of water with the creatine. I had to sip on it instead of just gulping it down like a pre-workout supplement. One thing to keep in mind is creatine needs to be mixed with a good amount of water.  

The Creatine Phases and My Experience

During the loading phase, I found myself being able to push a little harder on my last few reps or sprints. I also noticed a little more “bloating” but that is typical from retaining more water. A function of creatine helps provide hydration to cells in the muscle and water retention appears at first but long-term no changes to our total body water weight occurs. I wasn’t overly concerned about this feeling. Again, it might have been a placebo since I know the science!  

After 7 days, I began a maintenance phase with 5 grams per day. During the month of maintenance, I did find myself being able to push harder during my workouts and ultimately, I feel like I have gained strength. I did not weigh myself before and after this mini experiment, but my workout efficiency improved. As I continue taking creatine daily, I tracked my workouts and the weight I pushed in the gym. I increased the total volume of my training and increased the weight I was squatting, dead lifting, and bench pressing. Now, creatine may not have contributed to these new strength gains, but being able to push through more volume helped improve my strength.  

I also found I was able to sprint longer at my max speed and go an extra round in my circuits. Of course, these are just observations I made myself and tracked throughout the month. It should also be noted, I eat a well-balanced diet which helps support physical activity.  

After drinking the “kool-aid” for a couple months now, I can certainly say I am officially a crea-liever! Creatine monohydrate has now become part of my normal routine.  

Supplements: What Else is Part of My Creatine Routine

After a month of creatine monohydrate supplementing, I began adding in other supplements. Here is a roundup of my daily supplements: 

• GNC’s Women’s Ultra Mega Active Multivitamin  
• Most days my diet is not perfect and a multi helps fill nutritional gaps. 
• GNC’s Fish Oil  
• I am not a huge fan of seafood but know the importance of, fish oil, EPA and DHA, healthy fats found in fish 
• Vital Proteins  
• I have a hard time meeting my daily protein needs and this is an easy way to start my morning with a source of protein, I add 1 scoop of collagen to my morning coffee 
• GNC’s Pro Performance Creatine Monohydrate + Beyond Raw Precision BCAAs 
• I like combining 1 scoop creatine of each and drink it on my way to the gym. I found the BCAAs helps the creatine dissolve and taste better! Plus, BCAAs help fuel muscles!  
• Amplified Hydration 
• This is my recovery drink after working out because it has electrolytes and Boswellia which has been shown to reduce muscle soreness. 
• Ghost Coffee Ice Cream Protein Powder  
• This is my favorite protein powder to mix in with an afternoon iced latte, it’s extra coffee flavor and a boost of protein 

Overall, my sport supplement routine as a dietitian has changed significantly from my early days as a newbie. I like to get creative with incorporating my daily maintenance dose of creatine into my routine and a current favorite is a Creatini at night! Check out this recipe: Crea-Tini Mocktail  

If you want to start a creatine routine, my advice… try it and see how your body responds. You might just feel like you can sprint a little longer, and ultimately feel stronger!