Does Creatine Make You Bloated? The Facts

Creatine is a well-researched and effective sports supplement that gives athletes a competitive advantage. Creatine supplements have been proven to increase aerobic capacity, muscle strength, lean muscle mass, and athletic performance.

Unfortunately, many people miss out on the benefits of creatine due to the fear that it may cause bloating. And while some users experience bloating from using too much creatine, it does not always occur. Plus, if bloating does happen, there are ways to tackle it.

Here's everything you need to know about creatine bloating, including its causes and steps you can take to avoid it.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Creatine supplements have been shown to enhance athletic performance, increase muscle mass, improve strength, and aid in exercise recovery.
• Temporary bloating may occur in some individuals, primarily during the initial creatine loading phase.
• To prevent creatine bloating, you can skip the loading phase and begin with a maintenance dose.
• Among various types of creatine, creatine monohydrate is the superior choice. It has undergone extensive research and has been proven to be both safe and effective in numerous studies

THE TRUTH: DOES CREATINE MAKE YOU BLOAT?

While it doesn't always occur, some people experience temporary bloating after taking creatine supplements. If it does happen, it'll usually be within the first few days after starting a "loading phase" (more on that later).

The good news is that any bloating and weight gain caused by creatine is not fat gain. It's likely water retention and a sign that your supplement is doing its job.

Before getting into too many details, let's rewind a bit and talk about what creatine is and how it works.

WHAT IS CREATINE AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

Your body naturally produces creatine, an amino acid derivative synthesized from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. Creatine is mainly stored in your muscles as phosphocreatine — a form of stored energy in the cells. It helps maintain a constant supply of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) during exhaustive exercise.

Taking a creatine supplement can help increase your muscle's creatine phosphate stores and, in turn, ATP production. This allows athletes to sustain high-intensity exercise for longer durations.

WHY DOES CREATINE BLOATING OCCUR?

So, why does creatine bloating happen in the first place?

Creatine is an osmotically active substance, which means it attracts water. When its concentration increases in the body, water retention can occur.

Creatine enters muscle cells via a sodium-dependent creatine transporter. Because this process involves sodium, water will also be taken up to help keep things balanced. However, it's unlikely that sodium concentrations in the cells are significantly affected by creatine supplements. This is because our bodies have special pumps called sodium-potassium pumps that help regulate the amount of sodium inside our muscle cells.

Furthermore, there is some evidence that urine output may decrease during the loading phase, which may also contribute to water retention and weight gain initially.

One small study in 13 athletes found that supplementing with 0.3 grams of creatine per kilogram of body weight daily for seven days resulted in a 2.3-pound increase in total body water.

The good news is that water weight gain seems to resolve within a few weeks and does not last long-term.

Related: Debunking the Top 10 Creatine Myths

WHY THE BLOAT IS BENEFICIAL...

First, the water is stored mainly in your muscle cells, which causes your muscles to appear fuller and larger before they start growing. The increased cellular hydration is also a key stimulus for muscle growth.

In addition, some evidence suggests that the extra water from creatine may help the body regulate temperature more efficiently during prolonged exercise in the heat. This may prevent heat-related illness when athletes train in hot and humid environments.

Lastly, studies have shown that creatine supplements may reduce muscle soreness and cramping. This is believed to be due to improved muscular fluid distribution.

DOES BLOAT TURN TO FAT?

No.

Studies in multiple populations have found no evidence that creatine supplements cause fat gain. In fact, creatine increases muscle mass, which boosts your metabolism.

Related: Creatine for Weight Loss

CAN YOU BEAT THE BLOAT?

Somewhat. But think about this, do the benefits of creatine outweigh the bloat?

We say yes.

But if you're really concerned about creatine bloating, you can take steps to minimize it.

First of all, to avoid bloating, it's essential to stay hydrated. Dehydration can cause your body to hold on to water, leading to bloating. It can also lead to constipation, another common cause of bloating.

Additionally, you may consider skipping the loading phase, which is more likely to cause creatine bloat.

LOADING VS NON-LOADING

You have two options to saturate your muscles with creatine. You can either follow a loading or non-loading protocol.

Here are the benefits and side effects of each.

LOADING PHASE

If you want to reap the benefits of creatine as fast as possible, you'll want to start with a loading phase.

During a creatine loading phase, you will consume 20-25 grams of creatine daily, divided into smaller doses for 5-7 days. The initial loading phase is followed by a maintenance dose of 3-5 grams daily. This method may take around a week to achieve full muscle saturation.

However, due to the higher amounts of creatine consumed during the initial loading phase, creatine water retention is more likely. Studies suggest the loading phase generally leads to a 1-3 kilogram increase in body mass, thought to be primarily due to water retention.

Related: How to Creatine Load the Right Way

NON-LOADING PHASE

To avoid creatine bloating, consider following the non-loading protocol, also known as the maintenance strategy.

In a non-loading phase, you'll skip the initial loading phase altogether and take the maintenance dose of 3-5 grams daily.

The non-loading phase is considered to be just as effective as the loading phase. However, it may take at least four weeks to achieve full muscle saturation.

Related: When to Take Creatine

WHY YOU SHOULDN'T WORRY ABOUT CREATINE BLOATING

The benefits of creatine, like improved athletic performance and increased muscle strength, far outweigh any temporary bloating that may occur.

Here's how creatine monohydrate supplements can help you reach your fitness goals.

• Increases muscle mass
• Boosts athletic performance
• Improves strength and power
• Enhances recovery
• Improves brain function

INCREASES MUSCLE MASS - Numerous studies have demonstrated that creatine monohydrate, in combination with resistance training, is more effective at increasing lean muscle mass than resistance training alone. This may be due to its ability to increase cell hydration and minimize muscle breakdown. Creatine may also improve satellite cell signaling, which supports muscle growth and repair.

BOOSTS ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE - Creatine monohydrate can increase sports performance by improving the energy supply to muscle tissues. A recent 2021 review of studies noted that the average increase in athletic performance following creatine supplementation is 10%–15%.

IMPROVES STRENGTH AND POWER - Creatine supplementation has proven to increase muscular strength and power in trained and untrained men and women. Studies have shown that it can increase maximal power and strength by 5%–15%. This is primarily due to creatine's ability to increase intramuscular phosphocreatine stores.

ENHANCES RECOVERY - Creatine may improve recovery time between bouts of intense exercise by reducing muscle damage and soreness after training. It may also help improve recovery after injuries.

IMPROVES BRAIN FUNCTION - While the majority of creatine is stored in the skeletal muscles, a small amount is also found in the brain. There is some evidence that creatine supplements may help improve mental fatigue and cognitive function, especially when brain creatine stores are low. Acute stressors like exercise or sleep deprivation, as well as chronic conditions like aging, mild traumatic brain injuries, and depression, can lead to decreased brain creatine stores.

THE BEST CREATINE SUPPLEMENTS

Creatine monohydrate. Buffered creatine. Creatine hydrochloride. Creatine Ethyl Ester. - What's the best?

With so many creatine supplements out there, figuring out which one to choose can be confusing.

But when it comes to effectiveness, there's one clear winner: creatine monohydrate.

In fact, a 2021 review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition highlighted that scientific research consistently supports creatine monohydrate as the best choice for creatine supplementation.

Not only is traditional creatine supplementation proven effective, safe, and affordable, but it's also better absorbed than other types of creatine, with a 99% absorption rate.

TL;DR

Creatine is a well-studied sports nutrition supplement that has consistently proven effective at increasing athletic performance, muscle mass, strength, and recovery.

During a creatine loading phase, some people may experience temporary creatine bloating. This bloating is caused by water retention in your muscles. It typically goes away within a few weeks.

You can avoid creatine bloating by skipping the initial loading phase and starting with a maintenance dose.

Creatine monohydrate is a highly absorbable form of creatine that is considered superior to other forms on the market.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Quick answers to our most frequently asked questions. 

DOES CREATINE MAKE YOU BLOATED?

Yes, some people experience temporary bloating. It is most common with a loading phase. 

To avoid bloating, skip the loading phase and stick with the maintenance dose. 

WHAT DOES CREATINE DO?

Studies show that supplementing with creatine benefits:

• Athletic performance
• Recovery 
• Reduced fatigue
• Increase endurance
• Muscle support
• Brain health

WHAT DOES CREATINE DO FOR WOMEN?

On top of athletic benefits creatine can help increase lean muscle mass, increase bone density, reduce blood sugar levels, and reduce fat mass in women.

WHEN SHOULD I TAKE CREATINE?

There's evidence for taking creatine before a workout as well as after, but the main key to creatine is SATURATION.

To keep your muscle stores saturated, you should be supplementing daily, even on rest days. 

Once you stop supplementing the creatine stores in your muscles will start to dwindle.

HOW MUCH CREATINE SHOULD I TAKE?

Depends on what route you choose. 

Loading phase - take 20-25g per day for 5-7 days followed by a maintenance phase. 

Maintenance phase - take 3-5g daily. (We suggest at least 5 grams per day)

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR CREATINE TO WORK?

Benefits will show once your muscles are fully saturated and this will depend on how you supplement.  

• Loading phases take 5-7 days till saturation and benefits. 
• Non-loading or maintenance will take about 4 weeks till full saturation.

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