Bodybuilding.com℠ and BodySpace® are trademarks of Bodybuilding.com. In fact, it's reported than only 5-7 percent of people who take creatine experience stomachaches. The safety of creatine has been demonstrated over and over again, with some as long as five years. Muscle cramping 2. If left untreated, injuries to nerves and tissues can result. Be the first to receive exciting news, features, and special offers from Bodybuilding.com! [22] This condition can result from excessive exercise in hot humid climates, especially when the exercise is continued for several days.[23,24]. Fact: Creatine loading may lead to an initial weight gain of 0.8 to 2.9 percent of body weight in the first few days due to water being pulled into the muscle; however, this is less likely to occur following a low-dose protocol. Volek, J. S., Mazzetti, S. A., Farquhar, W. B., Barnes, B. R., Gomez, A. L., & Kraemer, W. J. He holds certifications through the ACSM and CISSN. “If your diet is junk, there’s no point in adding creatine,” Kerksick says. You need about 70 grams of simple sugars for every five grams of creatine, Greenhaff says. This is simply not the case. (2007). It is available in both powdered and capsule form. Not all creatine supplements are made equal. The American Council on Exercise, or ACE, considers creatine to be well-tolerated and a safer alternative to other performance enhancing drugs 4. L’organisme la produit en fonction de ses besoins (de 1 g à 2 g par jour, estime-t-on), à partir des aliments protéinés consommés. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus, creatine is rated as “possibly effective” when it comes to improving muscle strength. Creatine It is believed to be the most popular supplement ever since it came into the market. That’s why many trainers and health experts support the use of creatine: Studies indicate it’s safe. Dizziness 5. Switching to micronized powder, adjusting the dosage and/or … Here's a buyer's guide for what to look for in a high-quality, effective creatine supplement. Creatine is one of the most popular supplements on the market. The solution? 8 And although no long term studies have examined use of creatine, I am unaware of any reports of physical harm from supplementation in a person … Supplementation with creatine serves to increase creatine stores and PCr availability in the body, resulting in faster ATP formation. Dalbo, V. J., Roberts, M., Kerksick, C., & Stout, J. The only problem with this is that our body cannot use ADP for energy. Research shows that the stomach issues may be related to the low pH levels of creatine monohydrate. But the key word is anecdotal. “Children are still in a growing phase, and we’re not sure what impact creatine may have on muscles and bones as they grow,” he says. All rights reserved. Creatine Side Effects & Risks Creatine supplementation should be safe when used by healthy individuals. Compartment syndrome is more likely the direct result of injury or trauma—or potentially later on as a result of treatment to an injury—that leads to inadequate blood flow to tissue. So before you go all-in on taking creatine, here's what the supplement actually is, what it does, and how to avoid any of its side effects. Here's a look at six common myths about creatine, and the real truth behind them. [4,5] Additionally, there have been hundreds of studies looking at the overall safety of the supplement. Depression. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Kim HJ, Kim CK, Carpentier A, Poortmans JR. Volek JS, Duncan ND, Mazzetti SA, Putukian M, Gómez AL, Kraemer WJ. Although some research has pointed to creatine’s efficacy for high-intensity, explosive exercises like sprinting, the overall results have been mixed. Unfortunately, there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about its side effects and uses. Well, the jury’s still out on that one. Nausea, diarrhea, etc. Some guys think that if they take creatine and don’t work out, they’ll put on fat — but Roussell says it isn’t true. That’s because your kidneys excrete creatinine, a breakdown product of creatine. Creatine 2500 Caps are formulated for rapid disintegration and maximum absorption with 2500 mg of 99.9% pure Creapure brand Creatine Monohydrate in just 2 capsules. * Beyond The Basics. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Creatine is a compound that is naturally produced by the body to supply energy to muscles. So we turned to some of the smartest minds in nutrition in order to answer all of your questions about creatine. Fact: All available evidence suggests creatine is safe to use, although it may cause some minor GI distress. Most of the concerns about the safety of creatine supplementation revolve around how well the kidneys are filtering blood. Lopez RM, Casa DJ, McDermott BP, Ganio MS, Armstrong LE, Maresh CM. Moreover, there is no scientific evidence to suggest that chronic supplementation with the recommended creatine dose is detrimental to kidney function.[3]. That was the case for me at least. Fact: While there may be a transient increase in pressure following high doses of creatine, supplementation at recommended doses does not induce compartment syndrome. Does it make that big of a difference? Some of these conditions can be caused by consuming too much of certain vitamins, says Tod Cooperman, M.D., president of ConsumerLab.com. Powder is the way to go. Kern, M., Podewils, L., Vukovich, M., & Buono, M. (2001). If not, you’re probably a nonresponder, and taking the powder isn’t going to help you. It's difficult to conclude whether the problem resulted from chronic supplementation with a high dose, or if the participant was training incorrectly, or if he was using any other supplements not reported in the study. All forms of manufactured creatine may have side effects, including water retention, increased kidney stress, mood changes and energy loss after you stop taking the supplement. Ciaran received his M.S. Supplement manufacturers have made creatine intake more efficient. Most cases that report negative side effects are a result of misusing the dosage or failing to take the supplement with enough water. Earnest CP, Snell PG, Rodriguez R, Almada AL, Mitchell TL. If this happens, try a different brand. Two studies (including 1 DB-RCT and 1 RCT of 48 and 58 participants, respectively) have shown that consuming creatine nitrate at a daily dose of 1-3g for 28 days was safe and well-tolerated [10, 28].Side effects were rarely reported and are not serious, such as : 1. If you love taking pills, go for it. Of course, a healthy diet is key to anyone’s muscle-building plan. “So taking creatine and not working out is just going to lead to nothing.”. Creatine has very few side effects in general, however, one mild side effect associated with creatine monohydrate is an upset stomach or cramps during the initial days of creatine consumption. You would be amused to know that skeletal muscle contains 95% of the body’s creatine while the remaining 5% is found in the brain, heart and testes. (If you're buying the good stuff, creatine supplements aren't cheap.). After that initial retention period, subsequent gains are due to the increase in the workload you can handle, according to Paul Greenhaff, Ph.D., professor of muscle metabolism at the University of Nottingham in England. Heat intolerance 10. Nervousness 6. Optimum Nutrition's Creatine 2500 Caps are manufactured with the same Creatine Monohydrate found in our other premium Creatine products. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, This Hack Makes Frozen Waffles Taste Homemade, 14 Whey Protein Powders to Add More Muscle, Here's How Bruce Springsteen Stays in Shape at 71, This Guy Lost Half His Weight Eating Curry, How to Remember What Makes Beer Styles Different, Health Differences Between Tap and Bottled Water, This Guy Tried Eating Tom Hardy's 'Bane' Diet Plan, Why Diet Soda May Backfire for Weight Loss. Several other studies have examined the effects of high dose creatine supplementation and compartment syndrome. Is it damaging to your kidneys? Stockler, S., Hanefeld, F., & Frahm, J. On the contrary, creatine supplementation has been proposed to increase total body water, helping to maintain hydration status. A systematic review with meta-analyses, The effects of creatine loading on thermoregulation and intermittent sprint exercise performance in a hot humid environment, Effects of creatine on thermoregulatory responses while exercising in the heat, Creatine supplementation during resistance training in college football athletes, Physiological response to exercise in the heat following creatine supplementation, Physiological responses to short-term exercise in the heat after creatine loading, Creatine supplementation during college football training does not increase the incidence of cramping or injury, Acute quadriceps compartment syndrome and rhabdomyolysis in a weight lifter using high-dose creatine supplementation, The effects of creatine dietary supplementation on anterior compartment pressure in the lower leg during rest and following exercise, Creatine supplementation and anterior compartment pressure during exercise in the heat in dehydrated men, When exercise goes awry: exertional rhabdomyolysis, Exertional rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure in marathon runners. However, the participant had been an avid bodybuilder for five years previous, and had been supplementing 25 grams a day—5 times the recommended dose—for a year. Dizziness 2. Compartment syndrome is a condition referring to excessive pressure in the muscle compartment. Learn the facts about creatine. Unlike most creatine products, Kre-Alkalyn Creatine is a patented formula. Side effects can include: Weight gain; Anxiety That’s right — the sugar in the juice raises insulin levels, which helps increase creatine uptake into the muscle. Faster heartbeat 4. Before you take the supplement, learn about its benefits—and possible side effects. To be safe, he recommends using creatine only if you are healthy and have no kidney problems. Although most healthy people can take it with no problem, creatine can, in rare cases, have adverse effects, particularly when used in excess. But let's be real for a second. One thing is almost certain: If you take creatine, you’ll gain weight. Grindstaff, P. D., Kreider, R., Bishop, R., Wilson, M., Wood, L., Alexander, C., & Almada, A. Creatine increases the body’s ability to produce energy rapidly. Depending on the nature of the creatine capsules intolerance can arise as a result of the other ingredients in the capsule. Perhaps the confusion comes from elevated levels of creatinine (a marker used to diagnose kidney problems), which occurs following supplementation with creatine. “Take 5 grams of creatine monohydrate with your workout shake to help you get bigger and stronger.”. Creatine exists naturally in our bodies and helps fuel our muscles, which is why some people take it as a supplement to boost their performance in the gym. Sauret, J. M., Marinides, G., & Wang, G. K. (2002). Fact: There is no data that shows creatine causes muscle cramps or dehydration. Most of the health risks attributed to creatine (kidney and liver damage, increased risk of injury) have not been shown in clinical studies. “However, analyses of this research show that creatine seems to modestly improve upper body strength and lower body strength in both younger and older adults.” Creatine has also been shown to improve athletes’ performance in rowing, soccer, and jumping height. Strong Enough for "Loading"* Not so fast. You want the powder in your muscles, not in the glass. The suggestion that creatine supplementation induces rhabdomyolysis has no backing in scientific literature. Their answers are refreshing if you've seen conflicting answers other (less authoritative) corners of the Internet. The only reported side effect of creatine is weight gain. Not to mention the various studies supporting the safety of creatine supplementation on hydration levels and kidney function. [2,15], However, while an initial weight gain may be a result of an increase in water, research consistently shows that creatine supplementation, in addition to resistance training, results in an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in fat mass, leading to improvement in body composition. “Most people gain between two and four pounds of water retention in the first week.”, But that water weight is good, Roussell points out: “Creatine’s going to pull more water into your muscles, making your muscles bigger and fuller.”. Dehydration 7. Overdosing is difficult due to the prescribed quantity of creatine in the capsules. In all three treatment groups, the most frequent GI complaints were diarrhoea (39.0%), stomach upset (23.8%), and belching (16.9%). The good news is that the supplement is well-studied in academia (perhaps more so than any other supplement, short of protein power) and, if you're taking it correctly, that science largely considers creatine safe and effective. Although there is a lack of evidence for many of the reported side effects of creatine, it’s important to talk to a doctor before taking any supplements. [26,27] This is likely due to a higher concentration of PCr and ATP stores, allowing for higher training intensities and volume.[1,28].