Fitness Articles

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most extensively researched sports nutrition ingredients. Used in conjunction with regular weight training, over time, it can help you develop bigger, stronger muscles. Here are some suggestions for optimizing its use.

It’s a common misconception that unflavored means flavorless. The term has a much more literal meaning: no flavoring was added. So mixing creatine powder into water isn’t going to provide the best experience – especially since even micronized creatine doesn’t stay suspended in solution very long.

Stacking Creatine

To mask the natural taste of the powder and help keep it suspended in liquid longer, try adding a teaspoon (5 grams) of creatine to a flavored protein shake. Combining two or more supplements like this is known as stacking.

Creatine & Carbs

Another good option is mixing a teaspoon of creatine powder into fruit juice. This helps with flavor and keeping the powder suspended in solution. It’s also been suggested that carbohydrates might play a role in creatine uptake.

A Teaspoon Every Day

To be effective, creatine should be consumed on a daily basis, whether you are training or not. The generally recommended daily dose is 5 grams, which is equivalent to one teaspoon of the powder. It really doesn’t matter what time of day you consume creatine, as long as 5 grams is consumed every day for an extended period of time.

Although whey and casein are both dairy proteins made from cow’s milk, they have very different properties. Whey digests rapidly compared to casein’s slow rate of digestion which can deliver amino acids to recovering muscles for hours. This makes casein ideal for between meals and right before bed when nutritional support won’t be available for some time.

Compared to whey powder, casein mixes into a much richer, thicker shake. That’s why we suggest using 10 to 12 ounces of liquid compared to the 6 to 8 ounces typically used for mixing a scoop of whey. Using a shaker cup will produce a smooth consistency, or mix casein in an electric blender to use it as the protein ingredient in fruit and vegetable-based smoothies. 

Casein’s thickness also presents you with a unique opportunity to enjoy it as a protein pudding. Mix a scoop in a bowl using half the recommended amount of water or milk (5 to 6 ounces), place in the freezer for about 10 minutes and use a spoon to eat the end result like ice cream.