How to take creatine and protein together effectively?

Creatine and protein are important ingredients to improve your sport performance.

While protein and creatine can be taken separately, combining them provides an extra benefit, as protein promotes muscle synthesis and recovery, while creatine increases strength and performance, creating a synergy that enhances muscle development and improves athletic performance.

What is the recommended dose according to your training type?

When is the best time to take them?

Generally speaking, any time will do, and as we have mentioned in other posts, the important thing is that you maintain a continuous use of these products to get the most out of them.

On the other hand, a recommended option that avoids “forgetfulness” is to consume protein shakes with creatine before or after your workouts, which gives you extra energy and prevents fatigue, allowing you to perform at your best during your workouts or to promote recovery.

Is it safe to take creatine and protein together?

Generally, creatine and protein intake is safe for most people. However, it is recommended to follow dosage instructions and seek guidance from a nutritionist before beginning supplementation activity.

Can this combination be mixed with other supplements?

Not only is it possible, it is also recommended. The combination of creatine and protein can be even more effective when mixed with supplements such as glutamine and BCAAs.

Glutamine, when taken together with creatine and protein, can improve muscle repair and growth after intense training. BCAAs, on the other hand, increase endurance, speed recovery and minimise muscle fatigue.

Benefits of taking creatine and protein together

The combination of protein and creatine brings numerous benefits to your health and physical performance. Not only will it make it easier to get results from your workouts, but it will also improve your overall fitness.

Creatine and protein in vegetarians

Protein supplements, whether vegan, whey, egg albumin or meat protein, are recommended to supplement your daily requirement of this nutrient.

If your daily diet does not provide enough protein, the combination of protein and creatine can be an effective supplement. This does not guarantee instant results, but it can fill nutritional deficiencies and needs during your training.

In particular, creatine monohydrate can boost your creatine stores, which is an important part of protein synthesis in your body for vegetarians and vegans.

You can also consider casein, which is a slow-digesting protein ideal for taking before bedtime to feed your muscles while you sleep.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and glutamine can also be valuable supplements, as they promote protein synthesis and help prevent muscle breakdown during intense exercise routines.

Bibliographic sources

• National Institutes of Health – Office of Dietary Supplements. (2021). Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Creatine. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Creatine-HealthProfessional/
• International Society of Sports Nutrition. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Protein and Exercise. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0177-8
• Hultman, E., Soderlund, K., Timmons, J. A., Cederblad, G., & Greenhaff, P. L. (1996). Muscle Creatine Loading in Men. Journal of Applied Physiology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8828669/
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. (2021). The Nutrition Source: Protein. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/protein/
• Buford, T.W., Kreider, R.B., Stout, J.R., Greenwood, M., Campbell, B., Spano, M., Ziegenfuss, T., Lopez, H., Landis, J. and Antonio, J. (2007). International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Creatine Supplementation and Exercise. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-4-6