Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is the single most studied sports supplement in history with over 500 clinical studies. It is safe for long-term daily use in healthy adults. It does NOT cause kidney damage, liver damage, hair loss, or dehydration in healthy individuals. The International Society of Sports Nutrition considers it safe and effective.

Optional. Loading (20g/day for 5-7 days) saturates muscles faster. Without loading, 3-5g/day reaches saturation in 3-4 weeks. The end result is identical — loading just gets you there faster. Most people skip the loading phase to avoid potential GI discomfort from the high dose.

Timing doesn't matter as much as consistency. Taking 3-5g daily at the same time each day is what matters. Some research suggests post-workout may be slightly superior for muscle uptake, but the difference is minimal. Mix with water, juice, or your protein shake.

Yes — emerging research shows creatine improves cognitive performance, especially under conditions of sleep deprivation, stress, and aging. The brain uses 20% of the body's energy and relies heavily on the creatine-phosphocreatine energy system. Vegetarians see the largest cognitive benefit from creatine supplementation (since they get zero dietary creatine).