Can you mix creatine with milk?

In this brief guide, we will answer the question, “Can you mix creatine with milk?” and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of mixing creatine with milk, as well as how long creatine lasts in the milk. 

Can you mix creatine with milk?

Yes, creatine can be mixed with milk. Creatine Monohydrate is a food supplement generally recognized as safe (GRAS) by the Food and Drug Administration (1).

Besides, mixing it with milk or in the form of a supplement ingredient in other foods, such as protein bars and shakes can improve the bioavailability of creatine and favor its absorption.  

However, before taking any dietary supplement, it is recommended to search for medical supervision (3). The intake of creatine in large doses is related to an increased risk of liver damage and therefore it is not safe to take creatine for everyone. 

Can you mix creatine with milk powder?

Yes, you can mix creatine with milk powder and with other foods and drinks. As mentioned earlier in the article, creatine is a food ingredient commonly added to protein bars and protein dry mixes, as well to shakes (1). 

However, it is recommended to consume the prepared mixture of milk and creatine right after preparation. Studies showed that creatine is not stable upon storage after being solubilized in the milk and during thermal treatment and storage, the levels of creatine in the milk can drop over 30% (2).

How long does creatine last in milk?

This mixture may last several days in refrigeration, when the mixture has been submitted to thermal treatments, such as pasteurization (2). During storage, the amount of creatine drops fastly after a few days and over 30% after 3 months of refrigerated storage.

Other factors affecting the stability of the mixture of milk and creatine are the pH of the milk and temperature of storage.

However, when mixing milk with creatine at home, the shelf life is unknown. It depends on several factors, such as the type of milk (if it is a fresh, pasteurized or shelf stable milk), the previous storage conditions of the milk, how long it has been stored prior to the mixture preparation and the handling and hygiene practices during the preparation of the mixture (4). 

What should you not mix with creatine?

You should not mix creatine with coffee or other caffeine containing food or drink. 

Although there is no scientific evidence that the mixing of coffee and creatine result in a diminished muscle improvement after exercising, it has been reported that the muscle contractions could be altered by the co-ingestion of creatine and caffeine when compared to creatine alone or when compared to the ingestion of creatine and caffeine in different times of the day (5).

What are the benefits of mixing creatine with milk?

Mixing creatine with milk can improve the capacity of the body to absorb the supplement. According to studies, creatine is better absorbed when present in the food by the mouth mucosa and adding creatine as an ingredient in foods is an efficient method to improve its bioavailability (1).

The creatine supplementation is recommended to vegans and vegetarians or elderly individuals who cannot take the necessary amount of creatine from the diet. In addition, it is beneficial for athletes and individuals who have increased body mass, as it is a readily available source of energy for the muscle.

Athletes may be favored by the ingestion of creatine to ensure the necessary storage of this compound in the body during energy and endurance exercising. As a result, it can support muscle growth in combination with exercise (2). 

What are the drawbacks of mixing creatine with milk?

The possible drawbacks of taking supplements of mixing creatine with milk are related to the possible drawbacks of creatine, which are (3,5):

  • Possible damage to liver and kidney when taken in large quantities
  • Increase of total body water and body water retention
  • The supplementation of creatine can cause cramps after exercising

However, with exception of the increased body water, there is no concluding scientific analysis about the adverse effects of creatine. 

Other FAQs about Milk that you may be interested in.

Can lactose intolerant babies drink breast milk?

Can lactose intolerants drink goat milk?

Benefits of boiled milk

Conclusion:

In this brief guide, we answered the question, “Can you mix creatine with milk?” and discussed the benefits and drawbacks of mixing creatine with milk, as well as how long creatine lasts in the milk.

References

  1. Kreider RB, Jäger R, Purpura M. Bioavailability, Efficacy, Safety, and Regulatory Status of Creatine and Related Compounds: A Critical Review. Nutrients. 2022;14(5):1035. doi:10.3390/nu14051035.
  2. Uzzan, M., J. Nechrebeki, and T. P. Labuza. Thermal and storage stability of nutraceuticals in a milk beverage dietary supplement. J food sci, 2007, 72, E109-E114.
  3. Antonio J, Candow DG, Forbes SC, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):13. doi:10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w.
  4. Velázquez-Ordoñez, Valente, et al. Microbial contamination in milk quality and health risk of the consumers of raw milk and dairy products. Nutrition in Health and disease-our challenges Now and Forthcoming time. 2019.
  5. Candow DG, Forbes SC, Roberts MD, Roy BD, Antonio J, Smith-Ryan AE, Rawson ES, Gualano B, Roschel H. Creatine O’Clock: Does Timing of Ingestion Really Influence Muscle Mass and Performance? Front Sports Act Living. 2022;4:893714. doi:10.3389/fspor.2022.893714.

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