Creatine Supplements: Separating Facts from Fiction
Please note: there are a handful of product links in this post. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
All right friends, it’s myth-busting time.
Creatine has become a staple supplement in the fitness world, popular among gym-goers, athletes, and health enthusiasts alike. It’s the most researched supplement on the market - and it’s proven to be effective.
And yet, I continue to see SO many toxic myths about creatine that stop people from even considering taking it - meaning they’re missing out on huge benefits not only to fitness, performance and body composition, but potentially on bonus cognitive benefits that creatine supplementation offers, too!
This comprehensive guide will break down what creatine is, how it works, why it could be a valuable addition to your fitness regimen, and critically, we'll bust some common myths along the way.
Time to set the record straight about creatine!
Creatine 101
Before busting these myths, let’s do some background on what creatine actually is, and what it does.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in small amounts in certain foods, particularly red meat and fish. It's also produced by our bodies in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas.
Like many vitamins and minerals people commonly take, just because it’s naturally occurring, it doesn’t mean we always get enough from our food.
How Does Creatine Work?
To understand creatine, we need a quick biology refresher (don’t worry, we’ll keep it brief!):
1. Your muscles store creatine as phosphocreatine.
2. During high-intensity exercise, phosphocreatine is converted into ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy currency of your cells.
3. More ATP means more energy available for your muscles, allowing you to push harder during workouts.
Think of it as topping up your car with premium fuel - it helps your engine (muscles) perform better, especially during high-intensity situations, where the the phosphocreatine energy system is the body’s preferred source of energy, over burning fat or carbs, which are slower processes.
Without creatine, your body has less phosphocreatine to convert to ATP, so it can’t produce as much energy, as quickly - so your strength, power, and performance is reduced.
Benefits of Creatine
Increased Strength and Power: Creatine can help you lift heavier weights and perform more repetitions.
Muscle Growth: It promotes muscle hypertrophy by increasing water content in muscle cells and enhancing protein synthesis.
Improved Recovery: Creatine supplementation may result in less muscle soreness and faster recovery between workouts.
Enhanced Endurance: Creatine helps delay fatigue during high-intensity exercise.
Cumulative Effect: Long-term creatine supplementation has a compounding effect - the performance benefits allow you to train harder, which in turn leads to greater gains in muscle mass and overall performance.
Potential Cognitive Benefits: Some studies suggest it may support brain function and reduce mental fatigue.
Which Type of Creatine?
Creatine Monohydrate is the most researched and cost-effective form. It's widely available online, in supplement shops and even in some supermarkets.
Powder is usually the cheapest form, plus it gives you the ability to easily adjust your dose - as opposed to using capsules or tablets with a fixed dose, or taking a pre-workout supplement that contains a combination of ingredients in fixed ratios.
For example, I could never use a pre-workout that contained creatine and beta-alanine (as most pre-workouts do!), because I have a really low tolerance for beta-alanine’s side effects. Therefore, I’d have to adjust to a much smaller-than-recommended dose of the pre-workout to avoid the beta-alanine side effects, which would mean that I wouldn’t be getting an effective dose of creatine!
There are many great creatine monohydrate powder options available on Amazon - such as this one from Bulk.
There are other forms of creatine available - such as creatine hydrochloride - but don't be swayed by these pricier alternatives; they don't offer significant advantages over the standard monohydrate form, nor do they have as much research into them as creatine monohydrate.
Remember, if you’re an athlete, especially if you’re subject to anti-doping measures, you should opt for an Informed Sport product which is batch tested for banned substances. This one from Maxi Nutrition is one example. Make sure to double-check any Informed Sport supplements as brands do change their formulations from time-to-time!
How Much Do I Need?
3-5g of creatine monohydrate per day is the recommended dose. Be sure to measure with an accurate weighing scale if using powder; a few grams too little could result in it being completely ineffective, and a few grams too much could cause digestive discomfort, especially if you’re taking it for the first time! More on this in the next section - myth-busting!
Myth-Busting: Separating Creatine Facts from Fiction
Now that we’ve covered the basics of creatine, let’s move on to the myth-busting. There are many misconceptions about creatine floating around gyms, forums, and social media. Let's address these myths head-on:
Myth #1: "Creatine is a steroid/unnatural"
Fact: Creatine is not a steroid of any sort! It's a naturally occurring compound made from amino acids - which you may be familiar with as the building blocks of protein. Unlike anabolic steroids, creatine doesn't affect hormone levels and is not banned by sports organisations. It is found naturally in several foods, which brings us on to the next - contradictory - creatine myth…
Myth #2: "You can get enough creatine from meat"
Fact: Creatine is naturally found in red meat and fish…but to get 5g of creatine, you'd need to eat about 1kg of red meat…every. single. day.
Supplementation is a more practical - and cost-effective - way to increase creatine intake. It’s potentially even more beneficial if you’re vegan or vegetarian and aren’t getting creatine from your diet.
Myth #3: "Creatine is bad for your kidneys"
Fact: Numerous studies have shown creatine to be safe for kidney function and there’s no scientific evidence to support creatine being bad for kidneys in healthy individuals.
Where might this myth stem from? Raised levels of creatinine - not creatine - can be an indication of kidney problems. It’s actually common, and perfectly normal, for blood tests to show raised levels of creatinine - which is a waste product of creatine breakdown - in healthy, active individuals, particularly in the days following intense training.
If you’re fit and well, you don’t need to worry about creatine and your kidneys, but if you have pre-existing kidney issues, consult your GP before use.
Myth #4: "Creatine will make you gain fat"
Fact: Creatine doesn't cause fat gain but it can cause weight gain when you first start taking it, due to water retention. This might sound bad, but let’s look at what’s actually happening.
Creatine is osmotically active, which means it draws water towards it - aka into your muscle cells, where it’s stored. This can not only have aesthetic benefits - making your muscles look fuller and more defined, provided you have the body fat percentage for this to show - but also could further benefit performance, since proper hydration is essential for muscle contractions and clearing of waste products during exercise.
‘But I don’t want the scale to go up!’ I hear you say.
Good news: Research shows that long-term, creatine does not cause increased muscle water or water retention, so the initial increase in scale weight is likely to even out over time.
Just be aware and prepared to see your weight increase when you first start taking it, so that you don’t panic or get frustrated when the scale goes up. And remember, if the scale goes up but you feel good and perform well, you shouldn’t be worried about the number on the scale anyway!
That is, unless you’re an athlete in a weight-class sport. If that applies to you, creatine is a great idea to add to your nutrition regime, but the week before a comp isn’t the time to start taking it! Be sure to start taking it away from a comp to give your body time to adjust to the water fluctuations.
Your best bet for optimising your fuelling year-round - not just in the lead up to a comp - and managing your weight whilst peaking your performance is working with a nutrition coach. Get in touch to find out more about taking your performance to the next level with nutrition coaching - or hit the buttons below to discover our coaching options.
Myth #5: "You must 'load' creatine"
Fact: The aim of creatine supplementation is to saturate the muscles, so phosphocreatine stores are maxed out and ready to be converted to ATP for energy - so it makes sense that ‘loading’ is a popular strategy. Loading involves taking a high dose (usually 20g) for a period of 1 week to saturate the muscles before switching to the standard 3-5g maintenance dose.
While loading can saturate muscles faster, it's not necessary, and can make side effects more likely. Consistent, lower doses (3-5g daily) will achieve the same results over time, whilst keeping digestive discomfort and weight fluctuations minimal.
Myth #6: "Creatine causes gas, bloating, and stomach issues”
Fact: Creatine CAN cause digestive issues - but this isn’t because your body and digestive system are intolerant to it. The reason creatine causes such issues is because it’s osmotically active - meaning it affects water balance inside and outside of cells. If you take too high - or too concentrated - a dose of creatine, water can be drawn into your gut, which is the actual cause of digestive distress. Here’s how to combat this:
Start with a small dose and gradually increase.
Be sure to weigh your dose rather than rely on the scoop - an extra gram can make a big difference!
Ensure you're drinking plenty of water with your creatine
Consider splitting your daily dose into smaller servings
Check out this video I shared on TikTok where I talk about how to manage creatine and digestive issues.
Myth #7: "Creatine causes dehydration and cramps"
Fact: There's no scientific evidence supporting this. In fact, creatine may help with hydration by drawing more water into muscle cells. Proper hydration is always important, regardless of creatine use. Always drink water before, during, and after any exercise to prevent dehydration!
Myth #8: "Creatine is only for bodybuilders/men/[insert any specific group here]"
Fact: While popular among bodybuilders, creatine can benefit anyone engaged in high-intensity activities, as well as those who aren’t even active, as more recent research is uncovering. There is growing evidence of creatine’s cognitive benefits, and it’s even being looked at for its potential to support healthy ageing in the elderly population. In short, it can benefit everyone - which makes sense when you consider that it’s a naturally occurring compound found made up of amino acids!
Occasionally, I see the myth crop up that creatine is only for men - which is far from the truth. Whilst it’s true that physiological differences can mean that women don’t gain quite as much benefit, on average, we can still experience improvements in strength and performance. Even amongst just men, individual responses to creatine can vary. Some people, known as "non-responders," may experience less dramatic effects. This could be due to factors like diet, muscle fibre type, or initial creatine stores.
Myth #9: "Creatine must be taken at specific times"
Fact: While some suggest taking creatine pre or post-workout, research shows that timing isn't crucial. Consistency is more important than timing, as the benefit comes from consistently saturating your muscles with phosphocreatine. It’s important to take creatine on rest days as well as training days, so whilst taking it with a regular workout shake can work for some, taking it as part of an evening or morning routine can increase your consistency taking it!
Myth #10: "If you stop taking creatine, your gains will disappear"
Fact: When you stop taking creatine, your muscles' creatine levels will gradually return to baseline. You won't lose muscle mass, but you might notice a slight decrease in performance and muscle volume due to reduced water retention.
Myth #11: "More expensive forms of creatine are better"
Fact: Creatine monohydrate is the most researched and proven form. As mentioned above, fancier (and pricier) versions haven't consistently shown superior benefits in studies. The only caveat to this is Informed Sport supplements, which carry a higher price tag not because they’re more effective, but because there’s a cost that comes with testing and certifying products to be anti-doping friendly.
The Bottom Line
Creatine is one of the most studied and effective supplements available. Whilst these myths are still floating around out there, the scientific consensus supports creatine as a safe, affordable supplement with significant performance, health and body composition benefits.
Whether you're aiming to build muscle, improve your personal bests, or just have more energy for your gym sessions, creatine could be a valuable addition to your routine.
Top 5 Takeaways:
Everyone can benefit from taking creatine
Creatine monohydrate is the most well-researched, cost effective form of creatine
A dose of 3-5g, taken at any time, or split throughout the day, is enough to saturate the muscles
Be sure to drink plenty of water alongside creatine to avoid digestive distress
Be aware that you may experience an initial increase in scale weight due to increased muscle water
Remember, while creatine is a powerful tool, it's not a substitute for a balanced diet, consistent training, and adequate rest. It's the cherry on top of a well-structured nutrition and training plan, where food comes first.
Want to lose fat and gain muscle whilst sky-rocketing your performance in training or competition?
From calories, to macros, to understanding which foods to eat and when, let me take the confusion and guesswork out and give you an exact roadmap to your goals with Performance Macro Coaching - from just £69 per month!!!
Oh, and don’t forget to check out my FREE guides here and workout programmes here!
If you’ve got questions, you can get in touch with me here. I love hearing from you via social media, too, where you can find me sharing content to educate and empower you to become your strongest, healthiest self!
