If I want to grow muscles, is taking creatine a must or can I take whey protein only?
Last Updated: 03.07.2025 01:09
Creatine has better benefits for the money than any other muscle building supplement. I buy 500 grams of micronized creatine monohydrate for $40 and it lasts for 100 days. Just take 5 grams every day. It doesn't even matter what time of day you take it.
What I've noticed from creatine is that it enables me to tense my muscles harder for some reason. I notice the biggest benefits when I deadlift or bench. I'm able to get more tense at the start of the lift and it enables me to hold more weight. Being able to tense more allows me to lift more which allows me to give a bigger stimulus for my muscles to grow.
I don't know all the particulars of the research but I've also heard that creatine has cognitive benefits that might actually be greater than the muscle building benefits. Personally I have a history of concussions so I continue to take creatine for that benefit.
Neither creatine or whey protein are a must but creatine is the most well researched supplement and has clear benefits and not just with muscle building.
First and foremost you need to get in the good workouts and eat a healthy diet with excess calories and plenty of protein. If you have any difficulties with getting in enough protein then taking whey protein or even casein protein can be useful. But if you are able to get in your protein macros through food alone then that would be fine.