You’ve likely heard of creatine – it’s a supplement that bodybuilders and athletes often take to help with strength and muscle growth.
But is it good to take creatine before bed? And what happens if you take creatine before bed?
Some people believe that this timing can lead to better results, but is there any truth to this claim?
Here, we’ll explore the research on taking creatine before bed and discuss whether or not it’s a good idea.
Without further ado, let’s dive right into the topic!
Let’s Talk Creatine
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound in the body that helps supply energy to cells throughout the body, primarily in muscles.
It’s created when three amino acids (arginine, glycine, and methionine) are combined.
Usually, athletes and bodybuilders sometimes take supplemental forms of creatine in order to increase strength and muscle mass.
But what about other benefits of creatine? Let’s talk about creatine’s effects on the brain!
Creatine, Cognition & Sleep
If you’re like most people, you probably associate creatine with beefy guys in the gym.
But did you know that this humble supplement can also have an impact on your cognitive abilities?
A study conducted in 2018 concluded that oral creatine administration could potentially improve short-term memory and intelligence/reasoning in healthy individuals. [1]
Another study from 2006 explored creatine’s effect on individuals with sleep deprivation.
It stated that following a 24h sleep deprivation, creatine supplementation had a positive impact on mood and also led to better performance in tasks that place heavy stress on the prefrontal cortex. [2]
For context, the prefrontal cortex is mainly involved in cognitive function.
But is drinking creatine before bed good?
A recent study from 2017 found that oral creatine supplementation reduces sleep need. [3]
Though the study did not involve humans as test subjects, it concluded that creatine might be a candidate to reduce the negative effects of insufficient sleep.
This is, well, this is quite common nowadays.
While there is a hint here that creatine may be viable for cognition and sleep, remember – it’s not a miracle drug, and it won’t make you into a genius overnight, nor will it solve your insomnia issues.
Creatine Timing – Does It Matter?
When it comes to creatine, timing is everything – or so they say.
The idea is that by taking creatine before bed, you can reap all the above-stated benefits.
But the truth is, it doesn’t really matter when you take creatine – as long as you’re taking it consistently, you’ll see results.
So, whether you take it first thing in the morning, before bed, or right before you hit the gym, just make sure you’re taking it on a regular basis.
And if you’re still not convinced, just ask any top athlete – they’ll tell you that the timing of your creatine doesn’t matter as long as you’re taking it regularly!
Is It Good To Take Creatine Before Bed?
If you’re looking for a way to boost your workout performance, you may have heard that there are benefits of taking creatine before bed.
But as we already mentioned – creatine timing doesn’t make as big of an impact as total intake does.
Nevertheless, when taken as a supplement, creatine can help to increase muscle mass and strength.
This is why we mostly advise people to get in 3-5+ grams of creatine per day and reap all the benefits!
Night Time Creatine & Carbs
If you’re like me, you love to train first thing in the morning.
But getting up early can be tough, especially if you didn’t get enough sleep the night before.
“I can’t train in the morning, I simply don’t have energy…”
Does that sound familiar?
Well, luckily, there are a few things you can do to make sure you have enough energy for a killer workout, even in the early morning hours.
First, make sure you’re taking creatine, and second, eat some quality carbohydrates before bed.
Contrary to popular belief, eating carbs before bed is not, in fact, bad.
Even more so, eating carbs at night will make your body store them as an energy reserve (glycogen), so you’ll have plenty of energy for your early-morning workout.
And finally, make sure you get enough sleep!
Getting enough sleep is essential for any workout, but it’s especially important if you’re working out first thing in the morning.
So follow these tips, and you’ll be sure to have a great workout, even if you have to get up early!
Creatine Dose Recommendations
If you’re looking to bulk up, there’s no doubt you’ve considered creatine.
As you already learned, this popular supplement is known for its ability to help build muscle and improve athletic performance.
But what’s the recommended creatine dose?
Generally speaking, the widely recommended dose is about 5 grams per day.
Optionally, if you want to see the initial results faster, you can opt for a loading phase.
The loading phase usually consists of 20g/day for 5-7 days and simply helps saturate the muscles with creatine faster.
All in all, though, for most people, 5g/day consistently is a sufficient amount to see significant increases in strength and muscle mass.
So, is it good to take creatine before bed?
So what happens if you take creatine before bed? And is drinking creatine before bed good?
Well, creatine seems to have positive effects on sleep needs, as well as cognition, besides its innate ability to increase physical performance.
As for the timing, it appears that it doesn’t matter as much as total intake does.
So is it good to take creatine before bed? Well, there aren’t apparent benefits of taking creatine before bed, but it doesn’t seem to have negative effects either!
This means, again, that you should mainly focus on getting in the recommended 5g/day, consumed at a time of your choice!
Do you have any other questions regarding this popular sports supplement? Drop a comment, and we’ll get to you!
