Creatine is the number-one sports activities efficiency complement obtainable.
But regardless of its research-backed advantages, some individuals keep away from creatine as a result of they’re afraid it’s dangerous for well being.
Some declare it causes weight acquire, cramping, and digestive, liver, or kidney issues.
This text supplies an evidence-based evaluation of creatine’s security and unwanted effects.
What Are Its Purported Aspect Results?
Relying on who you ask, the instructed unwanted effects of creatine could embody:
Moreover, some individuals wrongly declare that creatine is an anabolic steroid, that it’s unsuitable for ladies or youngsters, or that it ought to solely be utilized by skilled athletes or bodybuilders.
Regardless of the adverse press, the Worldwide Society of Sports activities Diet regards creatine as extraordinarily protected, concluding that it is among the most helpful sports activities dietary supplements obtainable (1).
Main researchers who’ve studied creatine for a number of many years additionally conclude that it is among the most secure dietary supplements available on the market (2).
One examine examined 52 well being markers after members took creatine dietary supplements for 21 months. It discovered no opposed results (2).
Creatine has additionally been used to deal with numerous ailments and well being issues, together with neuromuscular problems, concussions, diabetes, and muscle loss (1, 3, 4, 5).
What Does It Do in Your Physique?
Creatine is discovered all through your physique, with 95% saved in your muscular tissues (6).
It’s obtained from meat and fish and will also be produced naturally in your physique from amino acids (7).
Nonetheless, your weight loss program and pure creatine ranges don’t usually maximize muscle shops of this compound.
The typical shops are about 120 mmol/kg, however creatine dietary supplements can elevate these shops to round 140–150 mmol/kg (8).
Throughout high-intensity train, the saved creatine helps your muscular tissues produce extra vitality. That is the primary cause that creatine enhances train efficiency (9).
When you fill your muscle’s creatine shops, any extra is damaged down into creatinine, which is metabolized by your liver and excreted in your urine (8).
Does It Trigger Dehydration or Cramps?
Creatine alters your physique’s saved water content material, driving further water into your muscle cells (10).
This reality could also be behind the idea that creatine causes dehydration. Nonetheless, this shift in mobile water content material is minor, and no analysis helps the claims about dehydration.
A 3-year examine of faculty athletes discovered that these taking creatine had fewer circumstances of dehydration, muscle cramps, or muscle accidents than these not taking it. In addition they missed fewer periods on account of sickness or damage (11).
One examine examined creatine use throughout train in scorching climate, which may speed up cramping and dehydration. Throughout a 35-minute biking session in 99°F (37°C) warmth, creatine had no opposed results in comparison with a placebo (12).
Additional examination by way of blood exams additionally confirmed no distinction in hydration or electrolyte ranges, which play a key position in muscle cramps (12).
Probably the most conclusive analysis has been performed in people present process hemodialysis, a medical remedy which will trigger muscle cramps. Researchers famous that creatine decreased cramping incidents by 60% (13).
Primarily based on the present proof, creatine doesn’t trigger dehydration or cramping. If something, it could defend towards these circumstances.
Does It Trigger Weight Achieve?
Analysis has totally documented that creatine dietary supplements trigger a fast improve in physique weight.
After one week of high-dose loading of creatine (20 grams/day), your weight will increase by round 2–6 kilos (1–3 kg) on account of elevated water in your muscular tissues (1, 14).
Over the long run, research present that physique weight could proceed to extend to a better extent in creatine customers than in non-creatine customers. Nonetheless, weight acquire is because of elevated muscle development — not elevated physique fats (15).
For many athletes, the extra muscle is a optimistic adaptation which will enhance sports activities efficiency. As additionally it is one of many primary causes individuals take creatine, it shouldn’t be thought of a aspect impact (1, 14).
Elevated muscle can also have advantages for older adults, overweight people, and people with sure ailments (16, 17, 18, 19, 20).
How Does It Have an effect on Your Kidneys and Liver?
Creatine can barely increase ranges of creatinine in your blood. Creatinine is usually measured to diagnose kidney or liver issues.
Nonetheless, the truth that creatine raises creatinine ranges doesn’t imply that it’s harming your liver or kidneys (21).
Thus far, no examine of creatine use in wholesome people has offered proof of hurt to those organs (1, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26).
An extended-term examine of faculty athletes discovered no unwanted effects associated to liver or kidney operate. Different research measuring organic markers within the urine additionally discovered no distinction after creatine ingestion (27).
One of many longest research thus far — lasting for 4 years — equally concluded that creatine has no adverse unwanted effects (24).
One other fashionable examine typically cited within the media reported kidney illness in a male weightlifter who supplemented with creatine (28).
Nonetheless, this single case examine is inadequate proof. Quite a few different elements, together with further dietary supplements, have been additionally concerned (26, 28).
That stated, creatine dietary supplements must be approached with warning when you have a historical past of liver or kidney points.
Does It Trigger Digestive Issues?
As with many dietary supplements or drugs, extreme doses could trigger digestive points.
In a single examine, the 5-gram beneficial dose prompted no digestive issues, whereas a 10-gram dose elevated diarrhea threat by 37% (29).
For that reason, the beneficial serving is about at 3–5 grams. The 20-gram loading protocol can be break up into 4 servings of 5 grams every over the course of a day (1).
One main researcher reviewed a number of research and concluded that creatine doesn’t improve digestive issues when taken at beneficial doses (30).
Nonetheless, it’s doable that components, substances, or contaminants generated throughout the industrial manufacturing of creatine can result in points (21, 31).
It’s due to this fact beneficial that you simply buy a trusted, high-quality product.
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