Does creatine cause bloating or weight gain?

Few supplements have as much study-backed evidence of their effectiveness as creatine. Even so, it's not without its doubts and controversies. No matter what the scientific community says about its multiple benefits for muscle and cognitive health, bones, or athletic performance, when a false myth spreads, it's hard to stop.

Among the most repeated are that it causes bloating or weight gain, leads to fluid retention, and that its consumption is not recommended for women. Today, we're here to tell you why none of this is true.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a molecule produced in the body. It's mainly found in foods of animal origin, such as red meat, fish, or eggs. It's key to regenerating and optimizing muscle energy, known as ATP.

95% of creatine is stored in the muscles, including the heart. This condition allows muscles to have a much faster energy reserve than that obtained from carbohydrates, proteins, or fats. The remaining 5% is found in the brain, liver, and kidneys.

What is creatine used for? What are its benefits?

• Increases and accelerates muscle gains.

• Improves muscular endurance and strength.

• Reduces post-exercise damage and soreness, facilitating faster recovery.

• Preserves lean muscle mass while following a calorie-restricted diet.

• Reduces fatigue and tiredness.

• Promotes hydration of muscle cells.

• Improves cognitive health.

Creamag, the ideal supplement for recovery and optimizing physical performance

Our CreaMag, composed of magnesium and creatine, contains a perfect combination to address the recovery needs of all those who want to improve their physical performance. It uses ultra-filtered, high-quality Creavitalis creatine monohydrate.

As you've read, it's not only an ideal supplement for providing energy and optimizing physical performance, but also for our brain health. There are studies showing it seems to be associated with a lower risk of depression, better neuron function, and preventing cognitive decline.

Does creatine cause bloating or weight gain?

Incorrect. There is no association between creatine and increased appetite or body fat.

The only thing that happens is that it attracts water into muscle cells, which improves cellular hydration and nutrient delivery. This water retention is positive!

This intake can only cause an increase on the scale (half a kilo during the first few weeks), but we repeat: it's not due to fat, but water.

Furthermore, this intracellular retention is not the same as the retention that occurs when we eat out, for example at Asian restaurants that use huge amounts of sodium. That extracellular retention is what we do perceive and what makes us feel heavy and bloated.

Therefore, creatine does NOT cause weight gain. It may result in weighing a bit more, but because it improves muscle synthesis and therefore body composition. Remember that muscle always weighs more than fat.

So what is the real problem?

The imbalance between sodium and potassium in our daily diet. What causes "bloating" is poor management of our electrolytes. If we ingest a lot of sodium, we will absorb creatine faster, and this will cause water to accumulate outside the cells, under the skin, which will give that feeling of heaviness.

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How to solve it?

• Review your diet and reduce foods with high salt content. 
• Increase potassium: avocado, leafy greens, sweet potato.
• Drink water

It's not about stopping creatine, but about adjusting everything else around it.

If you want to know more information, we recommend these two episodes from the podcast of the Medical-Scientist Isabel Viña, “Tus Amigas las Hormonas” (Your Hormone Friends). In them, she explains whether it's advisable to take breaks, whether children or pregnant women can take it, or what the ideal time and amount to take it is, among many other questions.

Click here to listen to them:

EP 52. Creatine: The Supplement You Should Know About.

EP 65. Creatina: Answers to the Most Common Questions.