Creatine monohydrate has been around forever, and as time passes, we continue to see more and more research showing just how amazing it is. The great thing about a creatine supplement is that it can be used at any time of day. However, can you mix creatine with protein powder to get even better results?
In this article, we are going to dive deeper and look at the benefits of creatine monohydrate and protein as individual supplements, as well as if there are any compounding effects if you choose to stack creatine and protein powder together.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any new supplements to your current regimen.
What Are the Benefits of Creatine and Protein Powder?
You use creatine supplementation to boost muscle energy and speed up recovery during your workouts. NutraBio protein powder helps you build lean muscle mass and improve muscle protein synthesis for better strength and gains.
Creatine: muscle power, strength, and recovery
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most researched supplements on the planet. While we can get creatine from food (such as meat), it is recommended that you use the supplement form to ensure you get a daily maintenance dose of 5 grams.
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If you’re looking for physique, fitness, and athletic performance benefits, creatine is something you should have in your regimen.
Creatine can help increase lean muscle mass and strength, support muscle recovery, boost ATP levels, and enhance athletic performance.
Overall, creatine monohydrate can transform all aspects of your training and help you maximize your results.
Protein powder: enhanced muscle growth, repair, and lean mass support
Everyone from bodybuilders looking to enhance their physiques to business professionals who simply want to stay healthy, everyone is using protein shakes these days. NutraBio offers a wide variety of products and is recognized for formulating some of the highest-quality protein supplements on the market.
It may sound repetitive after I just mentioned that everyone should be using creatine monohydrate, but protein is another supplement that should be part of your daily routine. Many people fall short of their protein intake, and protein powders are a great way to boost their daily intake.
Protein supplementation offers numerous benefits, such as improving lean muscle mass and strength, speeding up recovery times, and even helping support weight management and muscle preservation.
Look for protein sources that are a complete protein blend with all nine essential amino acids (EAAs). You should strive to take in around 20 to 25 grams of protein after a workout to boost muscle protein synthesis.
Regular exercisers use 1.5 to 2 times the recommended dietary allowance to boost recovery. Bodybuilders also aim for 1.6 to 2.2 grams per kilogram of body weight for optimal muscle building.
Why both are staples in athletic and bodybuilding nutrition
Creatine supplements and protein shakes fuel your high-intensity exercise and support muscle repair. You get muscle power, strength, and recovery with creatine, while protein powders help rebuild muscle fibers and boost lean muscle gains.
Studies show that both supplements promote muscle building when combined with resistance training and weights, and they remain safe at recommended dosages.
Can You Mix Creatine and Protein Powder Together?
With all the benefits you can experience with creatine supplements and protein powders, you would think stacking them together compounds the effects, right? But can combining creatine and protein powder help you achieve even better results?
Sure, you can stack creatine supplements with protein powders. But the results may not be what you were expecting.
The science behind stacking creatine and protein
I can write an entire article about the benefits of creatine monohydrate and protein powders, but the question still remains: Can you mix creatine with protein powder to maximize your results?
Yes, you can stack creatine supplements with protein powders, but the only benefit would be convenience, where you’re taking them at the same time so that you don’t forget your creatine dose for the day.
The old “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should,” comes into play when mixing supplements.
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When it comes to muscle gain, muscle protein synthesis, athletic performance, lean muscle mass preservation, etc., there’s absolutely no benefit of stacking your creatine monohydrate and protein powders.
Sort of odd, right? You’d expect stacking the two would compound their effects, but that’s not what the research is showing.
One study looked at what happens to performance when you combine creatine monohydrate and protein powders. The result? No increase in performance whatsoever.
Another study specifically looked at the differences between stacking both together and taking them separately, and their findings revealed that there is no significant difference between the two protocols.
How timing affects creatine absorption and performance
While the results we were expecting didn’t pan out with the question of whether you can mix creatine and whey protein powder, there’s another element that we should factor in.
When should you take creatine supplements and protein shakes for better absorption and performance? For starters, we all know that protein shakes are ideal post-workout to help boost the recovery process. But what about creatine?
On non-training days, you can take your daily creatine dose whenever you want. But on days that you train, it may be beneficial for you to take your scoop of creatine monohydrate following your training session to help boost its absorption.
Post-workout, creatine peaks in your blood within 1 to 2 hours. Increased blood flow helps drive creatine into your muscle cells.
Therefore, it may make more sense after training to grab your NutraBio protein and creatine supplements and toss them together in a shaker bottle. You could even add some carbohydrates to your shake or smoothie for better creatine uptake via insulin.
Mixing Creatine and Protein for Maximum Effectiveness
To help prevent any stomach or digestion issues, skip the loading phase with your creatine. All you need to do is take a daily dose of 5 grams. This can be morning, afternoon, or evening. The timing of your creatine monohydrate dose does not change its effectiveness.
When it comes to your protein powders, feel free to use them throughout the day as needed to help you reach your daily recommended protein intake. That said, following high-intensity exercise, consume 1-2 servings of your protein powder to help kickstart the recovery process.
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If you choose to add your creatine to your protein shake following training sessions, you may do so without issue, but as mentioned above, there are no compounding effects from stacking your creatine supplements and protein powders at the same time.
NutraBio Products That Make It Easy to Stack Creatine and Protein
Just to reiterate, when I say, “stack creatine and protein,” I’m talking about using both supplements either together in one shaker bottle or separately throughout the day. If you find it easier to add creatine monohydrate to your protein shake so that you don’t forget to take it, that definitely simplifies things.
What I’ve found to be the perfect stack and recommend to all of my clients is NutraBio Whey Protein Isolate along with NutraBio Creatine Monohydrate Powder.
One scoop of protein provides 25 grams of protein, and one scoop of creatine provides 5 grams. It’s the perfect combination for post-workout or even on non-training days, where I recommend my clients consume a shake between meals to help support their recovery, muscle gains, and satiety.
The easiest way to combine both products is in a shaker bottle with cold water. The unflavored creatine is pure and clinically dosed and mixes easily, while the whey protein isolate provides a delicious treat that is clean and fast-absorbing.
As with all NutraBio products, our protein powders and creatine supplements provide fully transparent labels so that you know exactly what you’re putting in your body, and every product goes through third-party testing to ensure quality and potency.
Conclusion
Can you mix creatine with protein powder? Absolutely.
Is combining both a necessity? Not at all.
The choice is yours as to how you want to take creatine supplements and protein powders. Whether you choose to stack them or take them at separate times of day is completely up to you and your preferences.
Either way you look at it, you’ll experience the same benefit regardless of the timing.
What I would recommend is that you come up with a plan and schedule of when you’re going to be taking both supplements and make it part of your daily regimen so that it becomes a habit. From there, sit back and enjoy the benefits creatine supplements and protein powders have to offer.
