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 uncomfortable side effects.
What Are Its Purported Facet Results?
Relying on who you ask, the steered uncomfortable side effects of creatine could embody:
Moreover, some folks 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 destructive press, the Worldwide Society of Sports activities Diet regards creatine as extraordinarily protected, concluding that it is without doubt one of the most helpful sports activities dietary supplements out there (1).
Main researchers who’ve studied creatine for a number of a long time additionally conclude that it is without doubt one of the most secure dietary supplements in the marketplace (2).
One examine examined 52 well being markers after contributors took creatine dietary supplements for 21 months. It discovered no antagonistic results (2).
Creatine has additionally been used to deal with varied 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 muscle tissues (6).
It’s obtained from meat and fish and may also be produced naturally in your physique from amino acids (7).
Nevertheless, your eating regimen and pure creatine ranges don’t usually maximize muscle shops of this compound.
The common 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 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 truth could also be behind the idea 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 examine of faculty 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 periods attributable to sickness or harm (11).
One examine examined creatine use throughout train in sizzling climate, which might 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 by way of blood exams additionally confirmed no distinction in hydration or electrolyte ranges, which play a key position in muscle cramps (12).
Essentially 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 diminished 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 situations.
Does It Trigger Weight Achieve?
Analysis has completely 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) attributable to elevated water in your muscle 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. Nevertheless, weight achieve is because of elevated muscle development — not elevated physique fats (15).
For many athletes, the extra muscle is a constructive adaptation which will enhance sports activities efficiency. As it is usually one of many essential causes folks take creatine, it shouldn’t be thought of a facet impact (1, 14).
Elevated muscle may 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 elevate 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).
Thus far, no examine of creatine use in wholesome people has supplied proof of hurt to those organs (1, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26).
A protracted-term examine of faculty athletes discovered no uncomfortable side 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 up to now — lasting for 4 years — equally concluded that creatine has no destructive uncomfortable side effects (24).
One other standard examine usually cited within the media reported kidney illness in a male weightlifter who supplemented with creatine (28).
Nevertheless, 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 if 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 examine, the 5-gram really useful dose brought on no digestive issues, whereas a 10-gram dose elevated diarrhea danger by 37% (29).
For that reason, the really useful serving is ready at 3–5 grams. The 20-gram loading protocol can also be cut 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 really useful doses (30).
Nevertheless, it’s attainable that components, components, or contaminants generated in the course of the industrial manufacturing of creatine can result in points (21, 31).
It’s due to this fact really useful that you simply buy a trusted, high-quality product.
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