JJ Virgin explains that creatine timing matters most during loading or when stores are low, then becomes irrelevant once saturated. She takes it before workouts mixed with amino acids and electrolytes, and as an afternoon boost on rest days for the cognitive effect. Double-dose on jet lag or high stress days.
Jenny asked, when, how do you take your creatine? Morning? So here's the reality. Ideally, you get your creatine stores up and it doesn't really matter when you take it. When you first start taking it though, your creatine stores aren't all the way up, and so when you take it matters a little bit more. I personally like to take it— I make a big water bottle when I'm going to the gym, and I, since I work out pretty much every day, if I don't work out, I, I do this still. I do my creatine, my shiitake product, I put in my essential amino acid blend, and I put in my Electro Replenishment. And that's what I put and I take to the gym. If I'm missing the gym, then I just have it in usually in the afternoon as like a little boost. Because my brain feels it when I take creatine. I don't know if it's just my perception, but I feel it. So you can take it anytime. It doesn't really— it's not going to make you not able to fall asleep or anything like that. But when you're first starting to take it, or if your stores aren't up, then I would definitely do it around a workout. Especially before or during the workout. And then if you are jet lagged, under a lot of stress, I like to use it a double time that day to help me with the recovering from the jet lag.
