Does Creatine Make You Bloated?
Reading Time: 9 minutes If you ever find yourself feeling lethargic or sluggish in the gym, on the athletic track, on the Gridiron, or anywhere else where you need to perform athletically, you may need to invest in a new supplement stack.
For us to perform at our best, we need to focus on the fundamentals of health and fitness.
Things such as a healthy sleeping pattern, drinking plenty of water, eating healthy produce, getting enough protein, exercising regularly, and so on.
Once you have all these things in order, however, the next thing you can think about is your supplement regime.
The health and fitness supplement industry is worth billions upon billions every single year.
We part with our hard-earned money in exchange for various supplements in the hopes of achieving our health and fitness goals, and if used correctly, these supplements can prove very valuable.
Creatine supplements, in particular, are hugely popular in the fitness community, yet some complain that it can lead to bloating.
This is what we want to explore today as we look at the wonder that is creatine, and the possible side effects.
So, does creatine make you bloated?
How Does Creatine Work?
Creatine supplements are very popular amongst athletes and bodybuilders. People who use their muscles a lot, and who push their muscles a lot, can benefit from creatine supplements.
But why?
Well, creatine helps the muscles to contract. This doesn’t just mean that it helps the muscles when you decide to flex and hit a double bicep pose in the gym mirror.
Muscle contractions are responsible for every single movement the muscles assist with.
In the body, ATP, also known as Adenosine Triphosphate, is used as a primary source of energy for the muscles.
The ATP is absorbed by the cells in our muscles and is used by them for energy. If the cells in your muscles are batteries that power the muscles, ATP is the lithium ions that are used to power the batteries.
When we consume creatine, it works in conjunction with a Pi (Phosphoryl Group) to create Phosphocreatine.
This then helps to form creatine in the body, which allows the body to synthesize more ATP.
The more ATP the body can produce, the harder the muscles can work, the longer they can work before fatigue sets in, and the more effective our workouts will be.
The problem is that ATP quickly degrades and breaks down into Adenosine Diphosphate, or ADP for short. ADP is no use for the muscles, or rather, the cells in the muscles, meaning it can’t give them any more energy.
Creatine supplements help the body convert ADP back into ATP, which the cells can then use as fuel.
If without creatine, you can only perform 9 reps of a certain exercise, with a certain weight, creatine may help you to perform 10 reps, or maybe perform 9 reps with a weight that is a little heavier.
It may not sound like much, but it is small things like this that make the biggest difference in the gym.
Not only does creatine assist with high-intensity exercise, but it can also help boost muscle endurance and stamina for long and drawn-out sessions.
What Is Creatine Bloating?
As awesome as creatine is, one of the main drawbacks for many is the fact that it can cause bloating.
Creatine is a very safe supplement. It is one of the safest on the market today. Heck, we produce creatine naturally, and eat it in some of our favorite foods, so it can’t be that bad.
One of the main reasons why so many people are reluctant to use creatine supplements, however, is the fact that it is reported to cause bloating.
So, what is creatine bloating and is it anything to worry about?
Creatine bloating is nothing serious and is simply a common side effect of using the supplement, caused by water retention.
Creatine has a molecular structure that enables it to carry more water around the body. This is known as a ‘hydration shell’.
When levels of skeletal muscle creatine increase, this means that the volume of water within the muscles, or rather, within the cells in the muscles, also increases.
The good news for those looking to get big and jacked is the fact that this causes the muscles to look bigger and fuller.
Because you’re carrying so much water, the body tries to excrete it in the form of urine. Before that happens however, the water retention in the body can cause you to look puffy and feel bloated and sluggish, as if you just drank a gallon of water in one sitting.
Key Takeaways On Creatine And Bloating
Okay, so, in terms of does creatine makes you bloated, we’ve established that creatine, while being very beneficial, can also lead to bloating.
But is bloating a serious issue, or is it purely cosmetic?
Here are some key takeaways on creatine and bloating.
Creatine Bloating Is Common
If you use creatine for the first time and find yourself feeling bloated and sluggish, naturally you might worry that something is wrong, or that you’re having an adverse reaction to it. In truth, everything is almost certainly fine.
While it is unpleasant to look puffy and feel bloated, because of how creatine is designed molecularly, water retention is a very common side effect.
Furthermore, if you load with creatine at the start, you’ll be drinking more fluids so will feel even more bloated.
The thing to remember, however, is that creatine bloating is common, and 99% of the time will be nothing to worry about.
Creatine Bloat Can Be Serious In Very Rare Instances
Even though creatine bloat is perfectly normal, one thing that we need to understand is that it can be more serious in very rare instances.
If you are consistently retaining water, the excess fluid in your body can cause issues with your other organs.
Your kidneys, for example, will be working harder than usual to remove the excess fluid. The harder they work the more damage they can sustain.
The heart and the blood vessels may also be placed under a lot of strain as a result of frequent creatine bloating.
This is why cycling off and on creatine is a good idea. You should also look for a pH-balanced formula to help minimize the bloating.
You Will Be Peeing A Lot
If you are bloated from creatine supplementation, you will need to urinate a lot.
All the water you retain will be filtered and processed by your kidneys, and excess will be excreted. You will therefore be peeing and pooping a lot, but will also be drinking a lot to replace the fluids.
Don’t be surprised if you find yourself up several times during the night for a pee.
Not Everybody Experiences Bloating
Just because creatine bloating is fairly common, the thing to remember is that not everybody is forced to experience it.
Some people’s genetics simply mean that they do not experience bloating with creatine.
Just like some people are creatine non-responders, in that they don’t benefit from creatine, some simply don’t get bloated from creatine, no matter how much they use, or how much they drink.
How Does Creatine Bloating Feel?
Have you ever eaten Chinese takeout or any other form of food rich in sodium, and found yourself feeling thirsty?
No matter how much water you chug you can’t seem to get rid of the thirst. When it finally subsides, you feel bloated and fatigued and don’t want to move. If so, that’s kind of what creatine bloat is like, minus the thirst.
Creatine bloat can cause your stomach to bloat and swell up, along with your muscles.
Your face will look puffy and you’ll feel as if you’ve just drank heaps of water, or eaten a very large meal.
It’s not very comfortable and it certainly isn’t comfortable when working out.
Usually, creatine bloat tends to subside after a while, though sometimes it can cause you to feel fatigued and lethargic, and even uncomfortably bloated, as if you have trapped wind or gas.
How To Avoid Creatine Bloating?
So, if you are thinking of using a creatine supplement, by now you’re probably worried that it’ll make you feel bloated and look puffy.
If so, then don’t worry, because there are things you can do to avoid creatine bloating.
To begin with, you’ll want to be mindful of your dosages. We’ll go into this a little later on, but reducing your dosage could help.
You could also switch types of creatine and go with a different type instead. Again, we’ll look at this in more detail shortly.
The last option is simply to avoid creatine altogether and find an alternative supplement such as BCAAs, or maybe even a pre-workout.
Or mix a bit of creatine with pre-workout to get a small benefits-less effect.
Does Creatine Make You Bloated?
If you’re feeling very impatient today, or if you simply don’t have enough time to read what we’ve looked at earlier because you need to go hit the gym, you may be wondering whether creatine is right for you or not.
So, too long, didn’t read, does creatine make you bloated?
Well, yes it can do, though not everybody will suffer. It is however, a common side effect of this awesome supplement, so if you are prepping for a bodybuilding contest or a photoshoot, and you’re cutting and want to look as lean and ripped as possible, creatine might not be ideal.
How To Beat The Bloat?
So, you’re taking creatine and you’ve resigned yourself to the fact that it’s going to make you look and feel bloated, but is there anything you can do to help beat the bloat, as it were? Well, yes there is.
Reduce The Dose
Most people are recommended to consume between 3g and 5g of creatine per day, yet they consume double that in some instances. If you suffer from bloat and are consuming more than 5g of creatine per day, try reducing your dose.
Skip The Loading Phase
A creatine loading phase is when you consume around 20g of creatine per day, for 5 days. This is usually split into four separate 5g doses.
This much creatine alone can cause bloating, and then of course there’s the water the creatine is mixed with.
The easiest way to beat creatine bloat is simply to skip the loading phase completely.
Use A Buffered Creatine Supplements
Using a buffered form of creatine, such as a creatine monohydrate combined with an alkaline agent, is another great way to beat creatine bloating and still benefit from everything this awesome supplement can do.
Use Creatine Just Before Training
Finally, another tip for avoiding creatine bloat is to consume your creatine just before training.
The muscles often only absorb creatine when they are absorbing nutrients. If you take dry scoop creatine just before you exercise, you may find that the body uses more of the creatine, storing less, which means that you will retain less water and feel less bloated as a result.
Ironically, you should drink it with plenty of water, as the more dehydrated you are, the more water you will retain and the more bloated you will feel.
Conclusion
Okay, so, does creatine make you bloated?
Yes it does, or at least, it can do.
Creatine is a very beneficial supplement that is designed to improve athletic performance, endurance, and physique, in numerous ways. Its main drawback, however, is the fact that it can cause you to feel bloated.
If you suffer from creatine bloat, take a look at the recommendations we’ve left above, and you’ll be beating the bloat in no time.
