Does creatine supplement increase water level?
Does creatine make you feel bloated?
Will creatine have adverse effects on your kidneys?
These are a few of the common questions which are asked by people who are thinking to buy creatine supplements.
Creatine is just about the most effective and cheapest supplement that you can purchase. Some people are creatine non-responders, but the percentage of the population that does not respond to creatine is very small.
The use of creatine supplements is well established for athletes seeking to gain an edge in their performance. Consequently, creatine has become the biggest selling sports supplement in the country, and it is widely used by athletes of different sports. Creatine is by far the most effective, legal sports supplement on the market.
Does Creatine Increase Your Water Level?
Taking creatine supplements causes your body to retain water as water enters the muscle cells along with the creatine. You may experience weight gain from water retention in as little as one to two days after taking creatine. In the initial period, you may gain as much as one to 3.5 lbs. of weight, mostly from water, according to an article by Jon Heck, M.S., A.T.C., coordinator of athletic training for Richard Stockton College.
Benefits
Retaining water in the muscles may increase the size of the muscles. Creatine may also increase muscle mass by enhancing the synthesis of skeletal muscle, according to Duke University Student Health. Other benefits from creatine supplementation include delayed fatigue and quicker muscle recovery during high-intensity exercise.
Examples of high-intensity exercises include powerlifting and sprinting. These benefits, however, are temporary unless you continually take creatine.
Side Effects
Water retention may cause dehydration because as the muscles absorb the water, your body has less fluid to use for important functions, such as regulating body temperature through your sweat. You may also increase your risk of dehydration by taking creatine with caffeine and/or diuretics.
Side effects are more likely to occur if you take more than the recommended creatine dosage. UMMC recommends that adults interested in taking creatine for exercise benefits start with 5 g of creatine monohydrate supplements four times a day for seven days. Then, take 2 to 5 g total each day as a maintenance dose.
Does creatine make you feel bloated?
If you drink a lot of water then it will, it holds water that you intake and turns into ATP. A large amount of water can bind to creatine when it’s in the body, and this extra water helps your muscles regenerate both during your workout and after. However, it’s this build-up of water that causes the infamous creatine bloating.
What Causes Creatine Bloating
- Water Retention
- Bulking On Creatine
When will the bloating go away?
It could go away in anywhere from one day to two weeks.
Will creatine have adverse effects on your kidneys?
When taken by mouth in high doses, creatine is POSSIBLY UNSAFE. There is some concern that it could harm the kidney, liver, or heart function. However, a connection between high doses and these negative effects has not been proven. Creatine can also cause stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, and muscle cramping.
Creatine causes muscles to draw water from the rest of your body. Be sure to drink extra water to make up for this. Also, if you are taking creatine, don’t exercise in the heat. It might cause you to become dehydrated.
Many people who use creatine gain weight. This is because creatine causes the muscles to hold water, not because it actually builds muscle.
There is some concern that combining creatine with caffeine and the herb ephedra (also called Ma Huang) might increase the chance of having serious side effects such as stroke.
As with any supplement, it is best to opt for moderate use and to discuss it first with a physician. Whenever possible, nutrients should first come from natural sources.
