As a backbone to your story,

I've been taking Creatine monodrate (powder from) for about 20 years. I don't think I've ever skipped more than a couple of weeks over that entire period.

My intake was always until today 3-5 gram once a day, I weigh 87Kg.

I never really buffered creatine or cycled it.

Always I have used it with an as healthy as possible whole food, high protein diet. Honestly, in my earlier days I my diet included also nightly weekend drinking... Which I found never to have had an negative effect.

I must say that I've always drank enough water too, and never experienced any problems whatsoever.

For me, creatine seems to provide a small advantage for lets say too get an extra push out. (I never competed or so, I have always considered this as self experimenting)

Nowadays more quality evidence appears to be telling creatine monodrate has positive effects on brain functioning too. (Arguably perhaps due to the combination of weight training)

I'm glad to see these kinds of studies popping up more often.

I'm a person glued to his habits. Creatine supplementation and high protein intake were always in my repertoire and will stay there a bit longer, perhaps for ever.

Thanks for your great article.

I'll keep it in the back of my head, since I could be considered as a guineapig in this case, perhaps later, I'll also write a post about it myself too.