Does muscle growth stop after creatine stops

Muscle growth may still occur after stopping creatine supplementation, but the rate of growth may slow down. The role of creatine is mainly reflected in improving exercise performance and short-term muscle gain efficiency, while long-term muscle growth still depends on training intensity, protein intake, rest quality, hormone levels, and genetic factors.

1. Training intensity:

The core stimulation for muscle growth comes from resistance training. If progressive overload training is maintained after stopping creatine, muscle fibers will still suffer minor damage and repair thickening due to mechanical tension. It is recommended to use a weight range of 8-12 RM and train 2-3 times a week for the large muscle group.

2. Protein intake:

Daily intake of 1.6-2.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is required to maintain muscle synthesis. High quality protein sources include chicken breast, fish, whey protein, etc., which should be evenly distributed between 3-5 meals. After stopping creatine, it is even more important to pay attention to leucine intake, which should be at least 2-3 grams per meal to activate the mTOR pathway.

3. Creatine metabolism: After discontinuing [SEP], the body's phosphocreatine reserves decrease to baseline levels for about 4 weeks, which reduces the rate of ATP synthesis during anaerobic exercise. But muscle cells still retain creatine transporters, and the accumulation rate after replenishment will be faster than the initial use.

4. Hormone regulation:

Testosterone and growth hormone have a much greater impact on muscle synthesis than creatine. Ensuring 7-9 hours of deep sleep can promote pulsatile secretion of growth hormone, and controlling body fat percentage at 10-15% can maintain optimal testosterone levels. These factors are more important than creatine supplementation.

5. Individual differences: About 30% of the population has a weaker response to creatine, and these trainers do not show significant muscle changes after discontinuation. Individuals with a high proportion of fast muscle fibers may rely more on creatine to enhance explosive power. After discontinuation, it is necessary to adjust the training plan and increase the duration of eccentric contractions to compensate for differences in energy metabolism.

It is recommended to increase the intake of compound carbohydrates during the cessation of creatine to maintain muscle glycogen reserves, and adopt a periodic training mode to avoid plateau periods. Performing high-intensity interval training twice a week can increase mitochondrial density and compensate for changes in energy metabolism caused by a decrease in creatine. Maintain a daily calorie surplus of 300-500 calories, conduct regular body composition testing, and objectively evaluate muscle growth through changes in skin fold thickness and circumference. For those who have been experiencing muscle growth stagnation for more than 3 months, it may be considered to reactivate the creatine cycle or adjust training variables.