{"id":950849,"date":"2026-10-29T16:42:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T16:42:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/950849\/"},"modified":"2026-10-29T16:42:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T16:42:15","slug":"what-is-a-creatine-washout-experts-explain-creatine-breaks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/950849\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Creatine Washout? Experts Explain Creatine Breaks"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Estimated3 min read<\/p>\n

CREATINE IS THE prom king of social media\u2014everyone\u2019s talking about it. And not always nice things, either. Because for all the (very warranted) complements about how creatine can help you grow stronger, there\u2019s also some (baseless) behind-the-back whispers about how it can make your hair fall out<\/a>, poison you with heavy metals<\/a>, and yes even kill you.<\/p>\n

Between this polarization, there\u2019s the seemingly reasonable personal stance of Andrew Huberman, PhD<\/a>: Take creatine, but also take a creatine break.<\/p>\n

Just in case you\u2019re unfamiliar, a Huberman<\/a> is a neuroscientist and associate professor in the Departments of Neurobiology and Ophthalmology at Stanford University School of Medicine. And he only hosts one of the most popular health podcasts of all time, Huberman Lab<\/a>. When Huberman says anything about anything, people listen.<\/p>\n

So when Huberman posted<\/a> that he does a \u201ccreatine washout\u201d every four months \u201cjust to see what effect it continues to have over time,\u201d you have to wonder.<\/p>\n

What is a \u2018creatine washout\u2019 phase?<\/p>\n

IT\u2019S THE TIME period after you stop supplementing with creatine. The term is used frequently in scientific research that assesses the effects of creatine supplementation, often in athletic performance studies.<\/p>\n

But, admittedly, there aren\u2019t that many studies that look at the creatine washout phase itself. The most recent goes all the way back to 2004: \u201cEffects of repeated creatine supplementation on muscle, plasma, and urine creative levels<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

In that study researchers found that levels of muscle phosphocreatine\u2014that\u2019s the amount of creatine stored within muscle cells\u2014did not return to pre-supplementation baselines even after a 30-day washout period.<\/p>\n

Since that 2004 study, there hasn\u2019t been any supportive\u2014or contradictory\u2014science, but the lead author says the findings hold up more than 20 years later.<\/p>\n

\u201cFour to six weeks is a typical response and depends on dietary creatine, response to supplement, etc.,\u201d says Eric Rawson, PhD, FACSM<\/a>, Chair of the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Science at Messiah University, and a co-author of the 2004 washout study.<\/p>\n

Should you occasionally do a creatine \u2018washout\u2019?<\/p>\n

MAYBE, BUT NOT for reasons you might think.<\/p>\n

\u201cQuestions about creatine washout and\/or cycling supplementation are best handled from both physiological and behavioral perspectives,\u201d says Rawson. \u201cWhen I am asked about washout and cycling, I always ask people if they have similar concerns about their multivitamin<\/a>. Or their calcium supplements. Or whey protein<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meaning, do you have the same washout concerns about creatine<\/a> as you do your other supplements? Probably not.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere appears to be a lingering concern about long-term creatine supplementation<\/a> that is not supported by data.\u201d<\/p>\n

That said, Rawson says that some people, including many athletes, can feel overwhelmed<\/a> by demands of maintaining their fitness edge\u2014to the point where it\u2019s good to take a break for mental health.<\/p>\n

\u201cTaking an off-season break from some of the usual routines, which includes, training, meal frequency, macro-nutrient intake goals, and the daily dietary supplement routine, can provide a break and perhaps some relief from the usual routine,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

How long a break is sort of up to you and your long-term goals. But let your body and brain be the judge of that\u2014not whatever you hear on social.<\/p>\n

\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Paul Kita is a Deputy Editor at Men’s Health, where he has covered food, cooking, nutrition, supplements, grooming, tech, travel, and fatherhood at the brand for more than 15 years. He is also the author of two Men’s Health cookbooks, Guy Gourmet and A Man, A Pan, A Plan, and the winner of a James Beard Award.<\/p>\n