READ TIME: 5 minutes, 42 seconds

DIFFERENT TYPES OF CREATINE:

There are several types of creatine, with creatine monohydrate being the most common and well-researched. They are…

Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL), which is more water-soluble
Creatine Ethyl Ester, marketed for better absorption but less effective.
Creatine Nitrate, known for increased water solubility.
Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn), designed to reduce stomach discomfort.
Liquid Creatine, which is less stable.

Creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard due to its effectiveness, affordability, and safety, with most alternatives offering no clear superiority in performance.

Going forward, anytime I reference “creatine”, just assume that I’m referring to creatine monohydrate.

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CONCRETE BENEFIT OF CREATINE:

The keystone benefit of taking creatine…

Helps you train harder and longer
Creatine helps you in your weight training performance by allowing you to get an extra 1-3 extra reps in your sets.
The next three bullets are all closely connected…

May help you get better sleep
My theory as to why creatine supplementation helps with sleep is because of the extra push it gives you during your weight training. It’s a given that if you train hard, you’re pushing yourself, you’re going to sleep sounder at night due to the added exhaustion.

May help improve your exercise recovery
Same goes for better recovery. If you’re sleeping deeper and have higher quality sleep, you’re going to recover faster as a result.

May help improve your fat loss
As for creatine aiding in fat lose…When you sleep well, you recover well. And when you recover well, you build muscle well. And when you build muscle well, you burn fat well because muscle is your most important asset when it comes to burning fat.

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FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT CREATINE:

Creatine causes hair loss
High levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) is often associated with male pattern baldness. And a 2009 study suggested that because creatine supplementation increases DHT levels, it then will cause one to lose hair.
Fact of the matter, there’s no strong evidence that creatine causes hair loss. Just anecdotal claims. On the contrary, creatine may even help hair growth due to its ability to increase blood and nutrient flow to the body, including the scalp.
Too high doses of creatine may cause dehydration which would indirectly effect the health of one’s hair, but the bottom line is…genetics make up 80% of male pattern baldness.

Creatine gives you an energy boost
Creatine does give your muscles added energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to assist in lifting things that are heavy. However, creatine is not a stimulant and does not give you a jolt of energy like caffeine or an energy drink.

Creatine is causes liver/kidney damage
Creatine is processed in the kidneys. If you don’t have a pre-existing liver or kidney disorder, creatine should be a safe and effective supplement for you to take.
If you’re not 100% certain about taking creatine, please consult your health care provider.

Creatine causes you to retain water (makes you bloat)
When you take the right amount, the “water retention” from creatine is intracellular. Meaning the water retention is in the muscle cell and not subcutaneous (under your skin).
If you are bloated from creatine, you’re taking too much, body already has enough and you should stop taking it for a while until your creatine stores get more depleted.

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CLAIMS THAT NEED MORE RESEARCH

May reduce anxiety, depression and improve overall mood
Early clinical trials indicate that creatine may have efficacy as an antidepressant agent. Helping those who suffer from anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder.
Improves bone health
Creatine may improve bone health making it ideal for those suffering from sarcopenia and osteoporosis.
Helps combat inflammation and oxidation
The data is mixed when it comes to creatine and inflammation. More research is needed to determine if creatine helps with inflammatory conditions. However in a 2022 study, researchers at the National Library of Medicine gave creatine to one group of rats with tumor cells and the other a placebo.
The growth of the tumor was slowed in the creatine group compared to the placebo group. Providing evidence that creatine may be effective in dealing with cancer cells. But again, more research is needed.

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FUN FACTS ABOUT CREATINE:

Little background about creatine…
First creatine supplement was in 1993 labeled as Phosphagen by a company named Experimental and Applied Sciences (EAS).

You can’t get enough creatine from just food
Even the most carnivorous diet can’t compete with supplemental creatine mono hydrate.
Women have better performance outcomes than men
Females naturally have 70-80% lower creatine stores than men, meaning they respond better to creatine supplementation and could experience double the performance improvement than males.
1 and 4 people are non-responders to creatine
These are people who have naturally high creatine levels and won’t see a noticeable difference when supplementing.
Does not increase testosterone?!
Creatine is not an anabolic steroid, nor does it increase testosterone levels. However; it does help in increasing dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which is the active form of testosterone.
Doesn’t cause dehydration
Contrary to some critics…creatine does not cause dehydration. In fact, some studies suggest that creatine, because it pulls water into your muscles, may help prevent dehydration and muscle cramps when exercising in hot environments. This makes it a great supplement for those of us in Florida during the intense heat.

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COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT CREATINE:

Is creatine safe long term?
Creatine has a long safety record and research shows that it’s perfectly fine to take long term between 2-5 years. However, I like to take a week or two off of all supplements from time to time to break up the monotony.
Who should avoid creatine?
If you have kidney disease, high blood pressure, or liver disease, you should not take creatine or consult with your doctor.

When’s the best time to take creatine?
There’s tenuous data suggesting that it’s best to take after weight training. But just take it whenever is most convenient for you. You want to regulate it in your daily routine. I take it first thing in the morning with my collagen peptides.

How much creatine should you take daily?
Whether you’re a first timer or go off and on supplements like I do, 3-5 grams will get you the results you’re looking for. Some people like to do a loading phase for a week (25 grams a day for 5-7 days). This isn’t necessary and you run the risk of getting the unwanted side effects like nausea/diarrhea.
Over doing creatine too soon is also why it gets the bad wrap for making you bloated (excess water retention). You might get the results of stronger and more powerful workouts sooner, but that’s the give and take.
If you ask me, just st ick with 3-5 grams of creatine daily. This dose will give you creatine saturated muscles within 3-4 weeks. The only case where loading would be necessary is for competitive athletes that need to saturate their muscles with creatine on short notice. Other than that, 3-5 grams daily is plenty.

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GENERAL GUIDELINES WHEN TAKING CREATINE:

Kidney Health: As stated earlier, people with pre-existing kidney conditions should avoid or consult a healthcare professional before using it.
Hydration: Creatine increases water retention in muscles, so proper hydration is imperative, especially during weight training.
Caffeine Consumption: According to the Mayo Clinic, 300 milligrams of caffeine or 3 cups of coffee might decrease the efficacy of creatine.
VERY IMPORTANT!!!
Creative is converted into creatinine in the body. And high levels of creatinine are associated with kidney problems such as kidney disease, injury or failure. Yes, too much creatine can temporarily give you high levels of creatinine. However, this does necessarily mean that your kidneys or liver are being harmed.
If you decide to take creatine, let your doctor know beforehand so that there’s an explanation as to the high levels of creatinine.

TAKE AWAY:

Creatine is an incredible supplement for those looking to step up their progress with their weight training program. As we do more and more research, we’re finding that literally anyone can benefit from taking it.

3-5 grams daily seems to be the magic number for just about everyone that has good health. Those who benefit the most from creatine seem to be adults who strength train regularly and older adults combating muscle loss.

The only group that should be more reluctant in taking creatine are those with pre-existing kidney/liver issues, the adolescent, older adults over 50 years and anyone that feels the need to ask their doctors permission.

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