Creatine is the number-one sports activities efficiency complement out there.
But regardless of its research-backed advantages, some folks keep away from creatine as a result of they’re afraid it’s unhealthy for well being.
Some declare it causes weight achieve, cramping, and digestive, liver, or kidney issues.
This text offers an evidence-based evaluate of creatine’s security and unintended effects.
What Are Its Purported Facet Results?
Relying on who you ask, the steered unintended effects of creatine could embody:
Moreover, some folks wrongly declare that creatine is an anabolic steroid, that it’s unsuitable for girls or youngsters, or that it ought to solely be utilized by skilled athletes or bodybuilders.
Regardless of the unfavourable press, the Worldwide Society of Sports activities Diet regards creatine as extraordinarily protected, concluding that it is likely one of the most helpful sports activities dietary supplements out there (1).
Main researchers who’ve studied creatine for a number of many years additionally conclude that it is likely one of the most secure dietary supplements in the marketplace (2).
One research examined 52 well being markers after individuals took creatine dietary supplements for 21 months. It discovered no opposed results (2).
Creatine has additionally been used to deal with varied 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 muscle groups (6).
It’s obtained from meat and fish and can be produced naturally in your physique from amino acids (7).
Nonetheless, your food regimen 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 muscle groups produce extra power. That is the primary purpose 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 truth could also be behind the speculation 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 research of school athletes discovered that these taking creatine had fewer instances of dehydration, muscle cramps, or muscle accidents than these not taking it. In addition they missed fewer classes as a result of sickness or damage (11).
One research examined creatine use throughout train in scorching climate, which might 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 assessments additionally confirmed no distinction in hydration or electrolyte ranges, which play a key function in muscle cramps (12).
Probably the most conclusive analysis has been carried out 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 shield towards these circumstances.
Does It Trigger Weight Acquire?
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) as a result of elevated water in your muscle groups (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 achieve is because of elevated muscle progress — not elevated physique fats (15).
For many athletes, the extra muscle is a constructive adaptation which will enhance sports activities efficiency. As additionally it is one of many essential causes folks take creatine, it shouldn’t be thought-about a facet impact (1, 14).
Elevated muscle may 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 research of creatine use in wholesome people has supplied proof of hurt to those organs (1, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26).
An extended-term research of school athletes discovered no unintended effects associated to liver or kidney perform. Different research measuring organic markers within the urine additionally discovered no distinction after creatine ingestion (27).
One of many longest research to this point — lasting for 4 years — equally concluded that creatine has no unfavourable unintended effects (24).
One other standard research typically cited within the media reported kidney illness in a male weightlifter who supplemented with creatine (28).
Nonetheless, this single case research is inadequate proof. Quite a few different components, together with further dietary supplements, had been additionally concerned (26, 28).
That mentioned, creatine dietary supplements ought to be approached with warning in case you have a historical past of liver or kidney points.
Does It Trigger Digestive Issues?
As with many dietary supplements or medicines, extreme doses could trigger digestive points.
In a single research, the 5-gram beneficial dose triggered no digestive issues, whereas a 10-gram dose elevated diarrhea threat by 37% (29).
For that reason, the beneficial serving is ready 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 potential that components, substances, or contaminants generated through the industrial manufacturing of creatine can result in points (21, 31).
It’s due to this fact beneficial that you just buy a trusted, high-quality product.
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