Creatine - when to take it

[Jasonhannen]

Hi

I get up at 5.50am and hit the gym about 6.20am on workout days.

I currently use whey protein to hit my protein goals and I am considering adding creatine to my diet but have the problem that my training starts pretty soon after waking.

I wan tthe benefit of Creatine but as far as I can see its best to take creatine an hour before I workout which is impossible

Is it worth me adding Creatine to my diet if I cannot take it an hour before a workout? If so why?

Thanks

[Deviation]

You're going to get quite the varied response on that one.

I do like creatine...as a recovery aid. So post workout for me.

[Jasonhannen]

You're going to get quite the varied response on that one.

I do like creatine...as a recovery aid. So post workout for me.

Cheers, Creatine is the one product which does not seem to be a fashion and everyone swears by it so I figure it needs to be part of my nutrition especially as I feel exhausted after a gym session.

To be more specific regarding my question will using Creatine throughout the day benefit my AM gym sessions or do you only get an immediate hit when you take it meaning I will only get the recovery benefit?

[Deviation]

The exhaustion can be helped with carbs and/or an intraworkout supplement too. I don't load or take it during the day. I take it postworkout on training days only. That's only if any supplement I'm taking at the time doesn't already have it. Several pre-workout supplements contain it.

[Jasonhannen]

Cheers bro,

I eat porridge (oatmeal) for breakfast right after a workout so that should be my carbs hit

[BrianV]

I would say take it as soon as you wake up and then again after you workout. Do you eat before you hit the gym?

[Jasonhannen]

I would say take it as soon as you wake up and then again after you workout. Do you eat before you hit the gym?

Hi Brian,

No I straight hit the gym 20 mins after waking up.

Even if I eat before the gym there wouldn't be enough time for my body to absorb and utilise the food. I appreciate this goes against what a lot of people practise by eating a specific meal to fuel their gym session but working out AM before I start my job really works well for me for the following reasons.

I never miss a session because there are no interruptions or commitments AM (family get togethers etc)
The Gym is reasonably quiet so its much easier to complete my routine without waiting for equipment or switching to an alternative exercise because the equipment I want is unavailable
I have more energy in the morning before work
I have more energy at work throughout the day after an AM session.

I get my S*it ready the night before, get up scrub teeth and go.

[BrianV]

Well if it works for you then that's cool but I wouldn't be able to go all night with no food and then get up and go to the gym. I don't have much energy working out if I don't eat first. I know that has nothing to do with creatine. I was just curious.

[Deviation]

Well if it works for you then that's cool but I wouldn't be able to go all night with no food and then get up and go to the gym. I don't have much energy working out if I don't eat first. I know that has nothing to do with creatine. I was just curious.

I'm an early guy as well. It helps that I eat something before bed (granola, nuts, oatmeal, shake, etc) and drink a shake ~20 mins before the workout. It was tough in the beginning, but you do learn to adapt.

[Jasonhannen]

I think i might try a shake pre-workout and monitor the results, I was worried about feeling bloated whilst exercising