Creatine might help your muscles store more glycogen, but only if you first do a workout that drains your energy stores — otherwise, it doesn’t do much for glycogen.

Taking creatine for five days boosts creatine in muscles, but doesn’t change how much glycogen (energy) is used during intense cycling in healthy young guys — so more creatine alone doesn’t help save energy stores during endurance workouts if muscles weren’t already drained.

Taking creatine for 5 days doesn’t boost muscle fuel stores in healthy young guys who aren’t working out or eating extra carbs — it needs more than just the supplement to make a difference.

If young, healthy guys take 20 grams of creatine every day while eating a super high-carb diet after intense exercise, they rebuild their muscle fuel 82% faster in the first day compared to just eating high carbs alone.

Taking creatine supplements may help your muscles store more glycogen, which is like a sugar reservoir, and since glycogen holds onto water, your muscles end up holding more water too.

If young, healthy guys take sugar supplements for 5 days, their muscles store more energy, but taking creatine doesn’t do the same — so sugar seems to fill up muscle fuel better than creatine when not working out.