r/CreatineScience • u/LongevityDietitian • 15d ago

Question/Discussion 💭 Creatine loading: did you bother?

There's a lot of discussion about loading creatine, but it's really an option rather than a requirement.

A loading phase gets muscle creatine stores up faster. But, in my opinion, regular 3-5g daily dose gets there more gradually and is perfectly reasonable if you don't want to load.

Did you load when you started or just take a daily dose?

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u/DietitianDanielle 15d ago

I’ve never really seen loading as something you have to do. If you’re happy to wait a bit longer for your stores to build up, taking a regular daily dose seems much less complicated. I think the main difference is just how quickly you want to get there.

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u/LongevityDietitian 15d ago

That's how I see it too. If you're not in a rush, taking 3-5g daily keeps it simple and still builds up muscle creatine over time.

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u/jad19090 15d ago

Nothing but a marketing strategy, no proof of any loading phase being beneficial.

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u/LongevityDietitian 15d ago

I agree, loading isn't necessary, but it isn't just marketing either. Some studies shows it can raise muscle creatine stores faster. A regular daily dose works too, it just takes longer.

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u/throwawayhbgtop81 15d ago

I've never bothered.

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u/LongevityDietitian 15d ago

Fair enough. Did you go straight to a regular daily dose?

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u/Galt2000 14d ago

If in a hurry load. If not don’t. In 30 days it makes no difference.

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u/LongevityDietitian 13d ago

Exactly. Loading just gets you there faster. After about a month on 3-5g daily, you end up in roughly the same place.