Over the last 40 years, hundreds of supplements have been introduced into the fitness and bodybuilding industry that were purported to assist with gaining muscle, boosting strength, enhancing power, and augmenting one’s health. And while most of them have failed to deliver, both in the laboratory and the real world, one has stood out from the rest, producing positive results in just about everyone that tries it—creatine

Gaining mainstream popularity in the early ‘90s, mostly due to the endorsement of Olympic athletes at the time, creatine has been one of the most utilized and scientifically studied compounds around. To this day, it’s unsurpassed in its effectiveness when implemented properly into a well-designed workout and diet plan.

If you haven’t started taking this amazing supplement yet, here are six reasons why it’s time to include it in your pills, powders, and potions arsenal. 

**Usage Recommendation

If you have never taken creatine before, you can begin by taking 5 grams five times per day with meals for one week. This will help saturate muscle cells quickly. After this, a maintenance dose of just 5 grams per day should be consumed with your post-workout meal on training days, and with breakfast on off days. While there is no proven need to cycle creatine use. I have personally had the best results (over time) by cycling 16 weeks on and 4 weeks off (entering back into a loading phase after each 4 weeks of nonuse). See what works best for you.