Increased Water Weight You may gain anywhere from two to five pounds during your first week of creatine supplementation due to water retention. Creatine helps increase muscle mass by drawing extra water into the muscle cells, causing you to retain fluid.
According to studies, you can expect to gain a pound or two in the first week of creatine supplementation. But if you choose to do a high-dose loading phase, you could gain as much as 10 pounds in a week2. After that, the weight gain should slow down or even reverse over the course of a month.
Yes, creatine weight gain, which is primarily due to water retention, typically goes away once you stop taking creatine. Your body will gradually return to its normal fluid balance, and the extra water weight will be shed.
One of the most common reasons for weight gain associated with creatine supplementation is increased water weight. You may gain anywhere from two to five pounds during your first week of creatine supplementation due to water retention.
Bloating: Also known as fluid retention, creatine can cause rapid water weight because the supplement draws water into your muscles' cells. This water will cause your muscles to hold onto it, causing bloating or puffiness.
How much bigger does creatine make you? It depends on your exercise routine. But some studies show that people who take creatine supplements may gain an extra two to four pounds of muscle mass during four to 12 weeks of regular exercise than people who don't take creatine.
Muscles collect water from the rest of the body when you consume a creatine supplement. As your muscles swell you may notice bloating or puffiness in various areas of your face caused by this water uptake. You may also gain water weight that appears to be larger muscles.
Studies have shown that taking creatine causes an increase in weight of about 1.5 kg. If creatine supplements are consumed over a longer period, the weight gain can spur up to 3 kgs.
The short answer is: yes, creatine can make you gain weight. Studies demonstrate that you can gain weight rapidly when you take creatine, especially if you use a loading phase. For example, a 2003 study found that after 30 days of high-dose creatine supplementation, the participants gained an average of 3.75 pounds[*].
Creatine results kick in after roughly 2-4 weeks, depending on dose and personal response. They also begin to wear off, as you establish a new normal within the body, after around six weeks. The difference here is that you're maintaining levels at a healthy, optimal state, rather than addressing a deficiency.
However, one of the biggest disadvantages of creatine is the fact that since it helps draw water into the cells, it can cause water retention, and thus bloating. Due to this extra water weight, if you take creatine in your cutting phase, you might notice your muscles look 'puffier' and you might even gain weight.
It can take anywhere from seven to 28 days to see the effects of creatine on your energy levels. That can all depend on how much creatine you have in your body when you start taking supplemental creatine and how rigorous your level of exercise is.
But creatine isn't just for men looking to build muscle. Research is increasingly underlining the benefits of creatine for women who exercise, particularly when it comes to supporting lean muscle without the appearance of bulk.
Creatine makes your muscles look bigger, while actually making them bigger as well. First, creatine causes your muscle cells to store more water which causes your muscles to appear fuller and larger. You may notice the size increase a few days or weeks after starting creatine supplementation.
Many studies have demonstrated that creatine supplementation, in combination with various kinds of training, is effective at augmenting training workouts and increasing muscular strength and lean body mass [14,17].
Negative changes in mood or anxiety following supplementation with creatine have been documented in two human trials (Roitman et al., 2007; Volek et al., 2000) and one animal experiment (Allen et al., 2010). Specifically, in an open-label clinical trial of creatine, Roitman et al.
When you don't drink enough water while taking creatine, the body will break down muscle tissue to get the water that it needs. That can lead to muscle cramps and a host of other issues like kidney problems.
Creatine supplementation increases creatine stores in the brain. By reducing the accumulation of adenosine and adenosine triphosphate in the brain during wakefulness, creatine supplementation seems to reduce sleep depth, duration, and “rebound sleep” after sleep deprivation.
Creatine increases the amount of protein in your muscles, which helps stimulate muscle growth. Therefore, taking creatine on rest days can be a great way to give your muscles a boost and help you build muscle more quickly.
Stopping creatine supplementation is safe and can be done at any time. You may experience a slight decrease in strength, performance, and body weight, but the impact should not be significant. There is no set timeline for how long you can or should take creatine supplements.
Creatine and Water
Therefore, proper hydration is essential. As previously mentioned, 6-8 cups of water are the average drinking amount when out of training. However, when supplementing with creatine, you should drink an additional 8-10 cups of water daily, or slightly more, depending on your exercise regimen.