If a young, healthy guy takes 5 grams of creatine with just water, his body absorbs it faster than if he takes it with carbs or with a mix of protein, amino acids, and carbs — and you can see that in his blood 15 minutes later.

If you take creatine with a lot of sugar, your body holds onto more of it instead of peeing it out, compared to taking creatine by itself.

If young, healthy guys take creatine with a sugary drink or a special mix of sugar and amino acids, their insulin levels spike faster than if they take creatine with just water.

If young, healthy guys take creatine with sugary drinks or a special mix of protein and sugar, less creatine comes out in their pee over 24 hours compared to taking it with just water.

If young, healthy guys take a lot of creatine with a high-carb diet after a tough workout, their muscles store more creatine within just a few days — and it keeps going up the longer they take it.

Taking 20 grams of creatine a day for five days boosts the amount of creatine in young men's muscles, even if they don’t work out or eat a lot of carbs.