Creatine is the number-one sports activities efficiency complement obtainable.
But regardless of its research-backed advantages, some folks 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 offers an evidence-based assessment of creatine’s security and unintended effects.
What Are Its Purported Facet Results?
Relying on who you ask, the urged unintended effects of creatine could embrace:
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 unfavorable press, the Worldwide Society of Sports activities Diet regards creatine as extraordinarily secure, concluding that it is likely one of the most useful sports activities dietary supplements obtainable (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 members took creatine dietary supplements for 21 months. It discovered no antagonistic results (2).
Creatine has additionally been used to deal with numerous illnesses and well being issues, together with neuromuscular issues, 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).
Nevertheless, 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 principle motive 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. Nevertheless, 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 circumstances of dehydration, muscle cramps, or muscle accidents than these not taking it. Additionally they missed fewer classes on account of sickness or damage (11).
One research 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 antagonistic results in comparison with a placebo (12).
Additional examination through blood exams 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 therapy that will trigger muscle cramps. Researchers famous that creatine diminished cramping incidents by 60% (13).
Based mostly on the present proof, creatine doesn’t trigger dehydration or cramping. If something, it might defend in opposition to these circumstances.
Does It Trigger Weight Achieve?
Analysis has totally documented that creatine dietary supplements trigger a fast enhance 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 larger extent in creatine customers than in non-creatine customers. Nevertheless, weight acquire is because of elevated muscle development — not elevated physique fats (15).
For many athletes, the extra muscle is a optimistic adaptation that will enhance sports activities efficiency. As additionally it is one of many most important causes folks take creatine, it shouldn’t be thought-about a facet impact (1, 14).
Elevated muscle might also have advantages for older adults, overweight people, and people with sure illnesses (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 often measured to diagnose kidney or liver issues.
Nevertheless, the truth that creatine raises creatinine ranges doesn’t imply that it’s harming your liver or kidneys (21).
To this point, no research of creatine use in wholesome people has offered 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 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 unfavorable unintended effects (24).
One other standard research usually cited within the media reported kidney illness in a male weightlifter who supplemented with creatine (28).
Nevertheless, this single case research is inadequate proof. Quite a few different components, together with further dietary supplements, have been additionally concerned (26, 28).
That mentioned, creatine dietary supplements ought to be approached with warning when you’ve got 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 research, the 5-gram really helpful dose brought on no digestive issues, whereas a 10-gram dose elevated diarrhea danger by 37% (29).
Because of this, the really helpful serving is about at 3–5 grams. The 20-gram loading protocol can also 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 enhance digestive issues when taken at really helpful doses (30).
Nevertheless, it’s attainable that components, components, or contaminants generated through the industrial manufacturing of creatine can result in points (21, 31).
It’s due to this fact really helpful that you just buy a trusted, high-quality product.
“does creatine have any unintended effects”