Can You Use Creatine and Caffeine Together?One question always seems to pop up from time to time is the issue of caffeine and creatine, and whether or not they can be used together. "I've heard that creatine and caffeine shouldn't be used together," wrote one reader. "Does this mean that I should avoid caffeine altogether, including coffee or tea, when I'm taking creatine? Should I switch to a pre-workout supplement that contains no caffeine?" The concern around using creatine and caffeine together comes from a 1996 study, where researchers from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium showed that caffeine interferes with some of the performance-enhancing effects of creatine [2]. They supplemented a group of nine healthy male volunteers for six days with creatine, creatine and caffeine, or a placebo. Creatine increased muscular performance by 10-23%. However, when creatine was combined with caffeine, the caffeine appeared to "block" the performance-enhancing effects of creatine. Creatine and caffeine taken together both raised creatine levels in the muscle to the same extent as creatine alone. But it was only the latter treatment that improved performance. In a later study, the same research group thinks they've found out why it happens [1]. A group of ten men took part in five different trials. Each trial was separated by five weeks.
Before and after each treatment, the researchers measured the contraction and relaxation time of the quadriceps (the muscles on the front of your thigh) during electrically stimulated muscle contractions. Why is relaxation time important? The quicker a muscle can relax, the quicker it can contract again. This might offer a benefit during certain types of sport, especially those involving sprinting. Five days of creatine loading shortened relaxation time. Three days of caffeine intake, on the other hand, with or without creatine, increased relaxation times by approximately 10%. But a single dose of caffeine had little impact on relaxation time compared to the placebo. But this doesn't mean that creatine and caffeine should never be used together. It's important to remember that both studies used very large doses of caffeine (five milligrams of caffeine per kilogram of bodyweight). For someone weighing 180 pounds (around 82 kilograms), that's more than 400 milligrams of caffeine. To put this figure in context, one cup of coffee contains 65-115 milligrams of caffeine. Soft drinks contain 10–50 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce serving. What's more, previous research has used creatine dissolved in warm caffeinated drinks, such as coffee or tea. In other words, only high doses of caffeine have been shown to interfere with the performance-enhancing effects of creatine. A cup of coffee or tea won't have the same negative impact. SHAMELESS PLUG: If you want a complete step-by-step system that will help you build muscle, burn fat and build the body of a superhero, all while spending less than four hours per week in the gym, click here to download a copy of Muscle Evo right now. P.S. If you enjoyed this post, please do me a favor and use one of the buttons below to share it with your friends and the rest of the free world. About the Author
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