Hi Robyn... you are certainly not alone in experiencing side effects with creatine. My suggestion would be to use a supplement that is PURE creatine... not creatine mixed with some hocus pocus proprietary mystery formulation, because you don't know what else is in it. I use Thorne Creatine. It is pure creatine monohydrate and nothing else. Starting at a low dose would be my next suggestion. Start with a half scoop (2.5g) every other day for a couple of weeks and see how that goes. If it's all good, go to every day, and if things are still going well, you can try increasing to a 5g (1 full scoop) daily. Keep in mind that creatine is a naturally occuring substance found in animal protein, so if you eat animal protein, you are consuming creatine. So I don't think you are having an adverse reaction to the creatine iteself, it could be the amount or the formulation and anything else present in the supplement you tried. Hope this helps and thanks for reading!!!
Hello! Thank so much for your comment and for subscribing! "Puffiness" is a common side effect of creatine. What I usually suggest is to first be sure that your supplement does not have an other "hidden" or proprietary ingredients besides creatine monohydrate. Second, I would recommend starting at 2g per day and do this for 2-4 weeks. If all goes well, you can increase to 3g per day. If you are vegan or strict vegetarian, you may want to gradually continue to increase to 5g per day. If you consume animal protein, then you are likely fine at the 3g per day. Hope this helps! :)
Hello! Thank for subscribing! Yes, natural sources of creatine are from animal protein, so supplementation would be beneficial for vegetarians. My favorite creatine product that I take myself is Thorne Creatine. It is pure creatine monohydrate with no fancy "proprietary" hocus pocus that many supplement companies add. I would suggest starting at 3g (1/2 scoop) per day for a couple of weeks and work up to 5 g (1 full scoop) daily regardless of whether it is a training or a rest day. Hope this helps! :) -Dr. Carla
Hi Ronit! There are lots of creatine supplements out there... the one I use myself is Thorne Creatine, which you can get on Amazon. It's pure creatine monohydrate (with no extra carbs or "proprietary" crap).. and Thorne is USP certified - so it meets the high quality standards of the sports industry.
Hi Dr. Carla - what an insightful piece! I have heard of creatine over the years and i think theres such a misconception that it is similar to protein powders or pre-workouts. Thanks so much for sharing. I was wondering if you're interested in speaking with my client, who is a clinical fasting expert specializing in the benefits of fasting for aging bodies. I'd love to connect, will you email me and we can discuss? alissa@withsarapr.com xx
Yes, consuming creatine alone may not be sufficient for developing your abdominal muscles, but alternative options to creatine can be beneficial. I recently read an article about this, and I'll leave it here https://gymratstyle.com/alternatives-to-creatine-effective-options/
Thank-you for this!!!! I now take Creatine daily and I never have before! :)
Hi Robyn... you are certainly not alone in experiencing side effects with creatine. My suggestion would be to use a supplement that is PURE creatine... not creatine mixed with some hocus pocus proprietary mystery formulation, because you don't know what else is in it. I use Thorne Creatine. It is pure creatine monohydrate and nothing else. Starting at a low dose would be my next suggestion. Start with a half scoop (2.5g) every other day for a couple of weeks and see how that goes. If it's all good, go to every day, and if things are still going well, you can try increasing to a 5g (1 full scoop) daily. Keep in mind that creatine is a naturally occuring substance found in animal protein, so if you eat animal protein, you are consuming creatine. So I don't think you are having an adverse reaction to the creatine iteself, it could be the amount or the formulation and anything else present in the supplement you tried. Hope this helps and thanks for reading!!!
-Dr. Carla
Hello! Thank so much for your comment and for subscribing! "Puffiness" is a common side effect of creatine. What I usually suggest is to first be sure that your supplement does not have an other "hidden" or proprietary ingredients besides creatine monohydrate. Second, I would recommend starting at 2g per day and do this for 2-4 weeks. If all goes well, you can increase to 3g per day. If you are vegan or strict vegetarian, you may want to gradually continue to increase to 5g per day. If you consume animal protein, then you are likely fine at the 3g per day. Hope this helps! :)
Hello! Thank for subscribing! Yes, natural sources of creatine are from animal protein, so supplementation would be beneficial for vegetarians. My favorite creatine product that I take myself is Thorne Creatine. It is pure creatine monohydrate with no fancy "proprietary" hocus pocus that many supplement companies add. I would suggest starting at 3g (1/2 scoop) per day for a couple of weeks and work up to 5 g (1 full scoop) daily regardless of whether it is a training or a rest day. Hope this helps! :) -Dr. Carla
Thanks for the information. Can you recommend a brand of creatine monohydrate?
Yes! Thorne has a great product. I use it myself and swear by it!
Thank you. Is that available in a health food store or pharmacy or just on line ?
Hi Ronit! There are lots of creatine supplements out there... the one I use myself is Thorne Creatine, which you can get on Amazon. It's pure creatine monohydrate (with no extra carbs or "proprietary" crap).. and Thorne is USP certified - so it meets the high quality standards of the sports industry.
You may also be able to find it at a GNC or other supplement store.
Thanks!!
I have tried Creatine numerous times and each time the nausea was severe. Grateful for any advice.
Hi Dr. Carla - what an insightful piece! I have heard of creatine over the years and i think theres such a misconception that it is similar to protein powders or pre-workouts. Thanks so much for sharing. I was wondering if you're interested in speaking with my client, who is a clinical fasting expert specializing in the benefits of fasting for aging bodies. I'd love to connect, will you email me and we can discuss? alissa@withsarapr.com xx
Looks like creatine is mainly from meat and fish. How do vegetarians take it? As a supplement? Any recommendations?
Yes, consuming creatine alone may not be sufficient for developing your abdominal muscles, but alternative options to creatine can be beneficial. I recently read an article about this, and I'll leave it here https://gymratstyle.com/alternatives-to-creatine-effective-options/
Thank you Jack! This is an excellent resource and it's always good to have options in the toolbox!