What Happens If You Miss a Week of Creatine? Here’s What To Expect  

Over the last couple of years, creatine has shifted from a supplement that only gym bros talked about to one that everyone raves about. And it’s absolutely worth the hype. 

Hundreds of studies conducted over the last 20, 30, and even 40 years consistently show that daily creatine supplements1 (alongside strength training) enhance lean muscle mass, strength, and even bone health more so than exercise alone.* 

Most of creatine’s muscle- and brain-supporting benefits are traced back to the compound's role in energy production. 

Creatine is stored in both the muscles and the brain as phosphocreatine. The body uses phosphocreatine during times of high-energy demands—like during workouts or cognitively complex tasks—to regenerate cellular energy (ATP) quickly. 

So the goal of supplementation is to make sure your body’s creatine stores are always full (or saturated). It’s this creatine saturation, which is typically achieved after four weeks of taking 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily. 

Why? Because while the body is able to produce some creatine on its own (from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine), and eating some animal products (like meat, poultry, and fish), it’s only enough fill your stores 60% to 80% of capacity2. That’s likely lower if you follow a plant-based diet. 

What if you are inconsistent with creatine supplementation? If you aren’t consistent with creatine supplementation right off the bat, then you won’t achieve muscular saturation of the compound and won’t reap the full benefits of the compound. 

What if you miss a week of creatine supplementation after being consistent for 1+ months? Your creatine stores will start to decline. The drop in creatine availability is steeper in the first week or too, and then you will gradually approach your baseline levels again after about a month3.

You won’t lose the muscle you gained from creatine supplements (as long as you keep up with your workouts), you just won’t have the energy and recovery support to give you an edge during following workouts. 

So the message here is: staying consistent with your creatine supplement is vital to maximizing muscle growth, strength, and cognitive benefits.* 

That’s taking 3 to 5 grams of creatine monohydrate every single day. For even more muscle and brain health support, we recommend a supplement that pairs it with taurine, like this one. 

While you shouldn’t panic about missing a day here or there (life happens), once you find the right routine with creatine, taking it daily will become second nature. 

Creatine is a supplement that should be taken daily (even on days you don’t work out and when you’re traveling). Try adding it to your coffee or using a drink mix you can take anywhere with you.