When we talk about supplements on this blog, we spend a lot of time talking about when to take them. Timing your supplements can be almost as important as which ones you choose to take. Sometimes, you’ll want to pair supplements together to get the most benefits (like vitamin D and vitamin K). Other times, you need to space out different supplements so they don’t interfere with each other.
Creatine is a popular supplement among athletes and workout enthusiasts. Studies show that creatine is effective at improving muscle gain, power, and performance for high-intensity and resistance exercises, such as weightlifting and sprinting. Caffeine is also a popular supplement, widely used to improve alertness and energy. If you want to take both creatine and caffeine, is there anything you need to know about timing?
What Studies Say
You’ll often see advice that says not to take caffeine and creatine together. This is based on certain studies that suggest caffeine may blunt creatine’s performance benefits if taken simultaneously. Based on these studies, it’s assumed that separating them by a few hours may preserve the advantages of both.
However, newer research shows no interaction between creatine and caffeine. The participants in this 2017 study reported increased gastrointestinal discomfort when taking creatine and caffeine together, but no other downsides. Further research is needed to examine the potential impacts of taking caffeine and creatine together.
A Cautious Approach
If you want to play it safe and avoid the potential gastrointestinal side effects, separate creatine and caffeine by several hours.
For most adults, it’s safe to take 400 mg of caffeine each day. However, the Mayo Clinic warns that taking creatine with more than 300 mg of caffeine per day may worsen Parkinson’s disease. Further research is needed on that claim as well, but if you have Parkinson’s, be sure to check with your doctor before taking caffeine and creatine together.
Other Timing Considerations
Because caffeine is a stimulant, it can interfere with sleep. As a general rule, it’s best to avoid caffeine in the 8 hours leading up to the time you plan to go to bed. If you’re taking caffeine to boost your workout, the best time to take it is 30-60 minutes before exercising.
Creatine can be taken before or after a workout as long as you take it within a couple of hours of your workout. If you’re trying to separate creatine and caffeine while getting the workout benefits of both, you could try taking caffeine an hour before working out and then taking creatine one to two hours after working out. For advice that’s specific to you, schedule an appointment with our nutrition coaches.