Should I Take Creatine on Rest Days? What You Need to Know

You started taking creatine and came to the rest day between workouts. Naturally, a question arises: should I take creatine on rest days? I remember searching for the same answers when I started my fitness journey about five years ago.

The short answer is yes, but if you are interested in the why and the how, keep reading.

What is creatine, and why is it popular?

Urtė Gumuliauskaitė, MSci

Author

In this article, I focus on the benefits of taking creatine during rest days, but if you want a guide to creatine in general, my colleague has written an excellent summary that breaks down creatine’s benefits and mechanism of action and debunks some myths.

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in sports nutrition used by professional athletes and fitness enthusiasts alike. It is mainly stored in muscle cells and works by increasing energy production during short, high-intensity exercise. This means that if used correctly, creatine supplements can increase the amount of time the muscle can work at maximal effort. This is beneficial for most sports, from powerlifting to sprinting.

The best part? Unlike others, creatine is entirely legal, not considered doping, and a generally safe fitness supplement.

The main benefits of creatine with the most scientific backing are:

• Improved physical performance
• Building and maintaining muscle mass

The main benefits of creatine are for exercise performance, not just for athletes. I began taking creatine when I was relatively new to fitness and noticed that it helped me push myself harder during workouts. It gave me more energy and contributed to muscle building, even more so than just a good diet, progressive overload, and adequate rest alone. This helped me establish a consistent workout routine of 5-6 days a week, stay active outside the gym, and maintain my commitment as I started seeing results and had the energy for it.

Should I take creatine every day, even on rest days?

The general recommendation for creatine supplementation is to take 3 to 5 g daily. However, some studies indicate that athletes who weigh more may require 5 to 10 g daily to maintain adequate creatine stores. When starting, you can opt for a loading phase of 5 g taken four times a day for 5–7 days to quickly saturate creatine stores in the muscle tissue, although this step is not necessary. It's important to remember that these recommendations are general guidelines. If you are heavier or highly active — particularly if you are an elite athlete — it’s best to consult your nutritionist or healthcare provider for a more personalized dosage.

Once your muscle stores are saturated, whether by building them up slowly or going through the loading phase, you must keep taking the supplements to maintain muscle creatine levels; ideally, you should take creatine daily, including rest days, but if you miss a day occasionally, that is fine.

Think of it like filling a tank. It takes some time to get it full, and you take away some each day (or it evaporates), but once it is full, you only need to add a small amount daily to keep it so. If you forget to fill it up one day, it is not a big deal, but if you consistently keep missing it, the tank will start emptying, and it will take some time to get back to baseline.

In essence, the main point of taking creatine on rest days is to maintain muscle creatine stores. Creatine is not like caffeine or pre-workout that gives you an instant boost; it is more of a long-term supplement.

What are the potential perks of taking creatine on rest days?

Creatine supplementation may offer additional benefits besides maintaining muscle creatine levels.

Improved recovery

A meta-analysis of 23 studies found that supplementing with creatine monohydrate was associated with significantly lower markers of muscle damage and less inflammation 48–90 hours after acute training, compared to placebo.

A systematic review of 200 articles examined creatine and recovery more closely. Several studies have observed better recovery between exercise bouts, possibly contributing to improved athletic performance and delayed fatigue. Furthermore, several preliminary studies have found that creatine intake reduces exercise-related muscle damage, soreness, and inflammation.

Despite some contradictory studies and the precise mechanisms being unclear, the evidence backs up the idea that creatine supports muscle recovery during and after exercise.

What if you only use creatine on workout days?

Not many studies compare the use of creatine on workout days only versus consistent use. A meta-analysis of 16 studies looked at the effectiveness of different creatine supplement protocols. The research shows that supplementing only on resistance training days still significantly increased lean tissue mass and strength compared to a placebo. However, this can be influenced by how frequent the workout and, in turn, supplementation days are and other factors. Overall, the study supports the notion that consistent longer-term supplementation is more important than missing one or two days.

How should I incorporate creatine on my rest days?

There is no evidence for the best time to consume creatine, with some studies suggesting pre-workout consumption and some — post-workout. There is even less guidance when it comes to rest days, so choose a time that is the most convenient for you. I usually take it with my other supplements in the morning, as I keep all of them in the same place, or mix it into my overnight oats. If I forget to do that, I take it later in the day or evening and have not seen any difference.

Similar to timing, there are no strict rules about taking creatine on an empty stomach versus with food. It depends on personal preference, gut sensitivity, and tolerance. I like to mix mine into protein shakes for convenience, but sometimes, I just dry scoop it and then have some water. There is some merit to taking creatine with carbohydrates like fruit or juice, but it is not groundbreaking. Try different approaches and find what works best for you.

Does the initial 'loading phase' impact rest day intake?

The creatine loading phase is an initial five to seven days during which you consume 20–25 g of creatine daily, usually divided into smaller doses, to fill up the muscle creatine stores quicker. Given that the goal is to fill the stores, you should take the same dose, regardless of whether it is your workout or rest day. However, this phase is optional; you can just stick to the maintenance phase dose. It will take longer to start reaping the benefits, but it will also minimize the feared side effects of water retention and bloating.

Are there any downsides to taking creatine when I'm not active?

Like everything in life, creatine has potential side effects and concerns, although most users report none. Occasionally, some individuals experience gastrointestinal side effects or muscle cramps, but the fear that creatine affects liver and kidney function has no concrete proof.

A systematic review looked at short- (five days), medium- (4–9 weeks), and long-term (up to five years) creatine consumption in athletes and found that it had no adverse effects on renal function or liver enzymes. However, just because side effects are unlikely does not mean they are completely impossible.

If you have underlying medical issues, especially those related to the liver and kidneys, consult with your doctor before starting creatine or any other dietary supplement. Furthermore, you should not over-rely on supplements as they should not replace a balanced lifestyle.

Using creatine if you do not train is not inherently bad, but it is not beneficial either. Creatine supports muscle performance and reduces fatigue during bursts of activity, like repping weights; this allows you to push yourself a bit more and thus support muscle growth. Creatine alone will not increase lean body weight.

The bottom line

So, consistency over longer periods is the key to creatine supplementation. You may take the same maintenance dose regardless of whether it is your workout or rest day. It is okay if you miss a day here and there, but if you keep skipping creatine on rest days, you may not reap all the benefits, as your skeletal muscle will not have sufficient levels of creatine stored.

The supplement is safe for most individuals, but it is always best to consult your doctor before starting any supplements.