Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist and associate professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, periodically takes a "creatine washout"—a break from creatine supplementation—every four months. This practice has prompted questions about whether athletes and fitness enthusiasts need to do the same.
A 2004 study titled "Effects of repeated creatine supplementation on muscle, plasma, and urine creative levels" found that muscle phosphocreatine levels did not return to pre-supplementation baselines even after a 30-day washout period. Eric Rawson, PhD, FACSM, Chair of the Department of Health, Nutrition, and Exercise Science at Messiah University and co-author of that study, says the findings remain valid more than 20 years later. He notes that "four to six weeks is a typical response and depends on dietary creatine, response to supplement, etc."
However, the physiological need for a creatine washout appears limited. Rawson observes that "there appears to be a lingering concern about long-term creatine supplementation that is not supported by data." He compares the situation to other supplements, questioning whether people have washout concerns about multivitamins, calcium supplements, or whey protein in the same way they do creatine.
The value of taking a break may be behavioral rather than physiological. Rawson notes that some athletes feel overwhelmed by the demands of maintaining fitness and benefit from stepping back. "Taking 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," he says.