Personal Experiences with Creatine

Personal Experiences with Creatine

1. Positive Responders

2. Renal Complications

3. Increased Urination

4. Nausea, Diarrhea & Gastrointestinal Distress

5. Mood Swings, Anxiety & Insomnia

6. Acne

7. Hair Loss

8. Others

Important Information: The persons whose names appear on this page have all given permission for their experiences to be posted - in their own words. This information is intended for illustrative purposes only, without scientific validation and should not be construed as medical advise. The side effects described here may be the result of additives in certain creatine products or arise from contaminants sometimes present in cheaper brands of creatine and therefore, may not be attributed to the ingestion of creatine monohydrate per se.

Avoiding Side Effects: It's very important that you understand how creatine works and is produced commercially in order to use it most effectively with a minimum of side effects. First, purchase your creatine from a reputable vendor of high quality creatine products. Next, follow the guidelines and precautions set forth in our creatine guide; learn the inner secrets of creatine and most importantly, how to make these work in your favor to accentuate muscle growth, improve recovery from strenuous exercise and promote overall health.

Positive Responders

Sprinting

"In April 1999 I was weight training and performing sprint intervals on the track, but unable to bring my 400m time below 54.4 seconds. I was not taking creatine. Within 2 weeks of starting creatine, I noticed an improvement in the quality of my sprint sessions: speed was higher, and I was also able to perform more repetitions with the same rest period. During weight training I could manage 3 sets of 8RMs rather than just two. By July (3 months later) I had set new bests of 52.2 for the 400 m and improved my 200 m best from 24.9 to 23.9, and my 300m best from 39.5 to 37.7"  

Mark Perry,
UK

Weight Lifting

"I have had a difficult time gaining muscular bulk all of my life, mostly due to my metabolism. I have been exercising and using creatine for only a month, and I see enormous differences already over just working out without. It is nearly a miracle for me."  

Anthony Surrendi

Weight Lifting

"My name is Craig Ruhl and this is my experience with using creatine.

The first time I used creatine was in 1997. I started taking Phosphagen HP. I think it worked very well for me. I combined it with a good healthy diet and a rigorous weight training schedule. When I started taking creatine I weighed 146 lbs. Within 3 weeks I was weighing 155. This was of course the effect I was going for. I also became quite a bit stronger. Within those 3 weeks I went from a 250lb bench-press to 285, a 365lb squat to a 390 and a 375lb deadlift to 425lbs. The rapid gains of course tapered off after 3-4 weeks of use. I pretty much peaked out with a 310lb bench, 470lb squat and a 450lb deadlift. I never gained any more weight after I hit 155lbs. For me creatine worked very well. Like everything else I think my body just got used to it. The only side effects from using the product that I could tell was that I used the rest room a lot more. Most of which I attribute to the fact that I was consuming quite a bit more water than I normally would."  

Craig Ruhl,
USA

Wrestling

"As I looked over the possible side affects of creatine use, I observed that most of the problems come from not drinking enough water while taking creatine. I make sure to dissolve the creatine in about 20 ounces of juice or water. I did put on weight during the first couple of weeks, about 6 or 7 pounds. I wrestle so I know about making weight before a match. A solution to this was just going up a weight class so I didn't have to worry about losing water weight before a match. Creatine works great at helping my muscles recover after workouts and improves performance in weight training. So far, I have not been affected by any other side affects of creatine."

Ray Boone,
USA

Weight Lifting

"I am 21 years old and I have recently got into weigh lifting pretty regularly in the past year. My previous experiences with weight lifting haven't been so great but now with creatine I can definitely see results."

Anonymous,
USA

Weight Lifting

"I've been taking creatine for about 2 months now and am amazed at the results I have seen. I am a physical therapy student at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. I have been active in weight lifting for many years and have invested literally thousands of dollars into various supplements promising massive gains in strength and power. Now that I've become more educated in the field of physical fitness I know now how worthless protein powders and so forth are. Anyway, I wanted to share my success with you. I have gained 30 lbs. of muscle mass over the course of 2 months. I have literally added inches to my arms, chest, and legs. My bench press max has soared from 225 to 315 lbs"  

Curt Sohm
University of Nebraska Medical Center
USA

Weight Lifting

"I did use creatine and the results were absolutely fantastic. What happened was that I was doing super sets and blew out my elbow. Took so long to heal....getting back there now and will push pipe to the limit. Creatine has a definite benefit for me and will continue to use."

Mike Kuzma ,
USA

Weight Lifting

"I've have been using creatine now for about 4 weeks and can't believe the difference in strength and definition, but only decided to use it after reading this website so many thanks for the info."

Chris Goldsbrough,
UK

Weight Lifting

"I took creatine monohydrate, specifically, Phosphagen HP by EAS, in conjunction with daily weight training for a few months and I was very pleased with my results. I discontinued it's use, only because my expenses did not allow me to continually buy the product. During and after use, I did not have any side effects to note. The only effects I had were; fast muscle development and increased energy to complete my workouts. All positive experience for myself."

Rudy Rodriguez,
USA

Weight Lifting

"...since i have been using it (creatine) I have gained 7 pounds and I have increased 25 pounds in my bench press. I went from 205 to 230 in 3 weeks."

Mario Gross,
High School Athlete,
USA

Fit Senior Citizens

"I found your recent newsletter most interesting. However, before I comment on that I wanted to share my experiences with creatine, both positive and possibly negative. I participated in the "Body for Life" body building contest from March 2000 to May 2000 (12 weeks). During that time, I took creatine for the last 8 weeks of the routine. Not only did I feel stronger after a short period on creatine, but I began to gain lean muscle mass as well. The two attached photos show me before and after. However, after the contest (that resulted in a body fat reduction from 23 to 16% and a weight gain of 6 lbs) I took a blood test that showed my bad cholesterol going up 15% and my good cholesterol going down by 10%. In addition, my liver enzymes were elevated for the first time in my life. Could the creatine have caused the poor blood indicators?"

"Now for this report. Given my success with creatine, and the photographic evidence of what I accomplished in just 12 weeks, how can you explain those accomplishments given my regular consumption of 6-7 light beers a day? In my case, there didn't seem to be much interference with protein metabolism."

"Regards."

Dennis Durost,
Dallas, Texas

Response to Dennis Durost: "Thanks for the story; very impressive."

"There isn't enough information to actually say whether (or not) alcohol had any influence. The gains you made may have been even greater if you would have abstained from alcohol intake. I scientific terms an important control scenario is missing. In any case congratulations on the great progress.'

"As far as creatine and cholesterol, a few studies have shown that good cholesterol actually increases with creatine. The effects you observed in blood enzymes may, paradoxically, be due to your alcohol intake. Some liver enzymes have been shown to modestly increase with creatine ingestion."

Response to Response: "Thanks for the response. I don't really think the alcohol contributed to the elevated liver enzymes because my drinking habits have not changed in 30 years and my annual physical has never identified the problem. In fact, the blood test that picked up the elevated liver enzymes and cholesterol was in early April 2001 and I took my physical in January 2001. Creatine was started in early January 2001 and ended in March 2001."

"Regards."

Dennis Durost,
Dallas, Texas

Fit Senior Citizens

"It is, by far, the best report I have read, and, believe me, I have read not only numerous articles but several books on the subject. I'm a stickler for clear and concise writing, and your writing style fits the bill. The instructions on creatine use are exact, and the adjustments concerning body size was a most pleasant surprize....no other write-up took that into consideration. You answered every question I had except those concerning possible variations on use by elderly subjects, which, of course, you cannot do yet because the research hasn't been done."

"As it turns out, I had been using creatine, in much the same manner as you prescribe, with some variations. I started approximately six months ago following my reading on the subject and putting together a procedure largely by guess considering the difficulty in separating fact from sales hype. Since I always try to avoid excess in supplementation, I did not use a loading phase. My recipe consisted of 8 ounces of grape juice, 5 grams of creatine, and 15 grams of whey protein. About midway through my 6 months' usage, a replaced the grape juice with 8 ounces of warm H2O and followed the drink immediately with an intake of moderately high glycemic carbohydates. I seemed to be getting the creatine into solution better this way. I did not experience a sudden increase in body weight during this period. My weight stayed at 150 pounds through the whole period; what did occur was an equal loss of fat and gain of muscle. The gains in stamina and strength however were incredible and were noticeable within 2 weeks after beginning use, i.e. my poundage on the one-arm curl increased from 25 pounds to 40. I'm able to increase poundages, numbers of reps, or both on every exercise of every workout...something I had rarely experienced before."

"Since receiving your report, I altered my creatine recipe to match your recommendation, and it is with a huge sense of relief that I'm no longer basing my usage on guesswork. Incidentally, I started all of this health kick at about the age of 18 as a result of being only 5' 5" in height, weighing a massive 125 pounds. I'm certainly not of contest quality, but I require no prescription drugs, and my health is excellent....the shawl and rocking chair are still a long way off, and I do boast a 16 1/2" upper arm based on a small bone structure....I'm shooting for 18", and at the rate creatine is performing, I think I'll make it, possibly next year by my 80th birthday. Most importantly, I feel great all the time and am very rarely ill....I see my doctor for an annual physical; he's fully aware of my life style. Oh...I had been cycling my creatine every 6 weeks and will now try your recommended 4 weeks minimum range....going by a calendar month will be easier to keep track."

"Respectfully,"
William Hudgins,
USA

No Adverse Side Effects

"I do not agree with any of these 'symptoms' or 'problems that everyone is saying is caused by creatine. I have been taking creatine for eight (8) years now and have never experienced hair loss, GI or other stomach issues, insomnia, or facial acne that everyone says is caused by creatine. I am not a doctor and these teenagers that are saying that creatine is causing their acne are extremely confused or misinformed. I have never had a bad experience with creatine, except for the so-called "flavorless" creatine."

Ryan Whitt,
USA

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Renal Complications

Kidney Stones and Dehydration

"Great source of information on creatine. I just wanted to add my own experience. You may post this on your website if you wish."

"I am a 29 year-old male and I have used creatine on and off for about 4 years. I am a competitive (Master's) swimmer and I supplement my swimming workouts with some weight lifting. I typically only swim competitively for 4-5 months out of the year and then lift weights regularly in the off-season. During the first 3 months of using creatine I had a tremendous increase in strength and size. I literally went from being 148 lbs. at 5'10" to 173lbs. in 3 months! Many people who saw the rapid transformation even thought I was using steroids. At that time I was in the gym 6 days per week for 90 minutes to 2 hours per day and I was also increasing my caloric intake to at least 4000 per day as well as focusing on getting enough protein. Since then, my life has gone through numerous changes that had me in and out of the gym, in and out of the pool, and on and off of creatine. I used creatine during swimming as well, but I don't have any evidence that it gave me any kind of an edge in the pool. I just wanted to add one caution to users and potential users. BE SURE TO HYDRATE YOURSELF. The only side effect that I have had is increased propensity for dehydration. Drink more clear liquids than your body asks you for with thirst. Often times, your body is already dehydrated by the time you have a thirst sensation. I try to drink between 3 quarts to 1 gallon of water per day (especially during warmer days - my gym has no air conditioning!)."

"The reason that I bring up the dehydration point is that dehydration can lead to other problems. Back in September 2000 I suffered through the passing of a 5mm kidney stone. It was EXTREMELY painful and I wish to never experience anything like that again. Although I have not seen any direct link between creatine use and kidney stones, kidney stones are usually caused by frequent/chronic dehydration. Since creatine can increase your susceptibility to dehydration, it is important to make sure you give yourself plenty of clear liquids (water, juice, etc.) to help eliminate the body's waste products and to keep those products from building up in the kidneys.

I hope my experiences help. Thanks for reading, and yes, I do still use creatine even after the kidney stone episode."

Darren Gorman
Alexandria, VA
USA

Kidney Enzymes and Dehydration

"I started taking creatine. I weight-train and follow a bodybuilding diet (John Parrillo). I am very muscular, very strong in relative to body weight, and very defined. This is my 2nd time around in the gym after a long time away after the birth of my last child. Well, I must have been a little too gung-ho, too much heavy training, too much high protein dieting, too much creatine intake and NOT ENOUGH WATER, because my (BLOOD) kidney function tests came back too high as did my BUN levels."

"I think creatine is great and I know it works, but please caution others on excess."

Denise Liles
USA

Increased Urination

Increased Urination

"I am currently taking creatine at the dosage recommended by your studies. I have cycled it for a few years now. However, whenever I am on it for a few weeks I urinate much more than usual and I was curious as to what that meant? Am I taking too much so that my body is flushing the rest out, am I taking too little so my muscles don't absorb the' extra water, or what?"

Anonymous
USA

Increased Urination

"My problem is this. I am urinating much more frequently. I'm getting up 2-3 times per night to urinate. Normally, I don't have to go at all. Also, I may urinate and after, still have the urge to go again. This is not only at night. I use the rest rooms more frequently during the day as well... Is creatine effecting my kidneys? You may say that I'm urinating more often because I'm supposed to drink a lot of water. I try, but sometimes, Ill go all day barely drinking anything. But I do drink about 25oz of water around/during workout time. Is this a normal side effect?"

Anonymous
USA

Increased Urination

"The main problem which I'm facing after using it is that of frequent urination. I have to go to rest room after every 1-1/2 hr for urination. This may be due to increase in liquid intake, but its just unbelievable."

Anonymous
USA

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Nausea and Gastrointestinal Distress

Diarrhea

"I have used creatine over the past few years on and off, but mostly off. I have learned to cycle it on and off. Every time I use it, whether it be in the loading phase or the maintenance stage, I have a problem with diarrhea. It never fails. It is the most distressing thing. Unfortunately, I will have to stick to pure Protein supplementation, as creatine has proven to be useless to me for this solo reason.

Otherwise, I have seen the increase in muscle mass, the energy increase creatine gives me, but I can't handle diarrhea every day. It is disastrous."

Elena Stabile
USA

Diarrhea

"It seems that when I take the creatine first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, it runs through my system in about 30 minutes, giving me the runs. I do take the powder and dissolve it into 16 ounces of water as directed on the package and I even drink a glass more of water afterwards but it still goes right through. I took it last night after my workout - about an hour after I ate dinner and it didn't seem to have the same effect as when my stomach is empty."

Mike Zerumskas
USA

Diarrhea

"I have diarrhea about and hour or two after I take it (creatine)."

Anonymous
USA

Diarrhea

"I am a young weight lifter that started taking creatine monohydrate a couple of days ago. I have had diarrhea over the weekend and wondered if this had anything to do with the supplement."

Anonymous
USA

Diarrhea and Gas

"I started taking creatine after a mountain bike ride around 7:30 pm. It comes in foil packets and directions are to empty a packet into 16 ounces of water. After an hour of ingesting the solution, I experienced a lot of gas. I went to bed and according to directions I took it first thing (6:00 am). After about 30 minutes, it gave me the 'runs'."

Anonymous
USA

Stomach Cramps

"I have taken creatine before as a supplement when I was training as an athlete. Just recently I have started to use it again, although it seems to cause me to have a tight stitch feeling around my left lower rib in particular. Is this normal? Its a bit like a lactic acid feeling."

"I have stopped taking the creatine now and the soreness has gone, maybe its to do with water being taken from the muscle? I have been doing crunches as well which might have aggravated the abdominal area whilst on the creatine."

Tim Ward
Professional Athlete
UK

Gastrointestinal Distress

"I recently started taking creatine and have been having problems with it in relation to my stomach. I take the advised amount (no loading) with apple/grape juice and it is still causing distress to my stomach."

Anonymous
USA

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GI Distress, Mood Swings, Anxiety and Insomnia

Diarrhea and Shakes

"When taking creatine, I often experience nausea and gastrointestinal problems like diarrhea. I read that could be because the creatine is not dissolved yet? Should I mix the powder in advance and let it dissolve in the water for a while? Because I just put it in a glass of water, stir it and drink it instantly."

"Also, another troubling experience I get from creatine is that I sometimes get the shakes. It's like there's a constant tension in my muscles and it shows when I handle a pen or a keyboard. It goes away after an hour or so. Does creatine affect muscle nerves?"

"I can live with the side effects because the product is great. I'm just a bit worried."

Anonymous
Belgium

Gastrointestinal Distress and Mood Swings

"I'm in the loading phase of creatine intake - have been taking around 30 g (6 tea-spoons) daily for the last three days (my weight is 102 kg / 225 lbs). I don't know if this should be attributed to creatine or to other factors (like the very hot weather) but I'm going through not-too-pleasurable experiences:"

"Nausea, sporadic loss of appetite and, what bothers me most, anxiety - my mood during the day stays in a kind of "altered" state - like the one we all experience on the eve of a difficult exam or two seconds before the race starts."

"Maybe, I should've taken more liquids (I guess, I undershot the norm of an ounce per pound by a wide margin, and I feel thirsty most of the time)."

"On the positive side, though, I already experienced a boost of energy during my gym exercises."

Lyubim Gerasymenko
Amateur Athlete
Ukraine

Insomnia

"I would just like to point my personal experiences with creatine. I've noticed a certain side-effect creatine has on me that is NOT listed on your site or anywhere else I have seen. This effect is that, in whatever way, it completely messes up my sleep, meaning during the time period that I take it I am practically an insomniac. I'm sure you're thinking right now that this is total BS, but I am 100% sure that this negative effect on my sleep is in some way attributed to creatine supplementation. Now, I have only taken creatine on two separate occasions, once at the end of September 2004, and the other just this past week of May 2005. The first time I took it I got some brand (I forgot the company) of pure creatine monohydrate in grape flavour. It was not top of the line for sure but it wasn't the bottom either. I got it from Nutrition House. After an unforeseeably unpleasant experience the first time around, I decided to go with a top of the line brand: Xxxxxx Xxxx Xxxx Xxxx, hoping that the first mishap was simply due to a defective or cheap product. Not so. Both times I immediately experienced incredible difficulty getting to sleep - it was almost as if I was wired on caffeine and totally stressed out of my mind, but this was not the case. Normally, I have absolutely no problem falling asleep (in fact, before I tried creatine for the first time, I had been sleeping almost 'perfectly' every night for years, and falling to sleep was never an issue). However, the first day after taking creatine, I found it difficult to stop thinking, it was like my brain was in overdrive and my heart rate appeared faster, as though I was stressed or my body was being pumped full of adrenaline. Mind you I stuck with the recommended dosages of two servings per day (about 20g) during the loading phase, although I quickly realized this nightmarish effect the creatine was having on me and stopped after the first four days."

"I should also mention that there was nothing unusually stressful going on in my life during this time so any sort of external factors could not be causing this sort of restlessness. Now perhaps you're thinking that is still coincidence, or that it was simply a mentally-based problem that was not in any way caused by the creatine intake. Well, I cannot explain it because I am not a scientist and don't have the means to research its effects on me, but I assure you that it WAS the creatine, at least initially, that was responsible for my sleep problems. The fact that I could not seem to sleep properly anymore did admittedly have a mental affect on me, to the point where I genuinely became stressed over the actual notion of sleeping, and of course this kind of apprehension cannot be conducive to sleep. But I believe I have now confirmed that creatine DID play a huge part in this abnormal condition of sleeping because, as I said, I decided to take it again, only a different brand. Now I am aware that Xxxxxx Xxxx's Xxxx Xxxx is not purely creatine, but also contains a huge amount of sugar (dextrose) with the idea being that it helps to increase insulin production, which is a highly anabolic hormone, or so I have read. It has only been two days since I took it, and this time I only took 1 serving (10g), but it still has had the same horrible effect on me. I must be like a one-in-a-million since I have never read or heard about creatine having such an effect on an individual, especially since it was such an immediate short-term effect. I believe I also forgot to mention that it took me about 3 months after the first experience before I really started sleeping soundly and feeling normal and refreshed in the morning. So to decide to take creatine again was definitely a tough decision for me, but you know how time renders terrible memories less terrible. Also, I was (and still am) completely unsatisfied and demoralized by the fact that I have been working out quite consistently and getting only very minor (sometimes no) results in terms of muscle growth. In fact, I have never gained actual muscle mass for a long time, although I do notice some minor improvements in shape and definition. But you can see for a dedicated bodybuilder and someone who desperately wants to improve my appearance with bigger, more shapely and full-bellied muscles, how my frustration drove me to at least give creatine another try. Well needless to say I wish that I had never tried it, and am now so completely skeptical of supplements in general (except for protein supplements, which I still take as they have never had a harmful effect on me) and I feel as though I might spend my energy in better and more gratifying ways than bodybuilding/weightlifting."

"Anyway, I hope that by submitting this comment that some research might be done on this or so at least other people who might have suffered similar effects know that they are not the only victims of creatine. Xxx Xxxx, I wish steroids didn't have all the bad side-effects that they do!"

Tom Northrup
USA

Insomnia

"I felt like I had to add my experience of creatine to the other submissions, as most suppliers never mention anything about unwelcome side effects."

"As Tim Northrup states (see above), he had terrible insomnia problems when taking creatine, and I have had exactly the same experience. I took creatine for about three weeks, and during that time, I found it very difficult to get to sleep, and would constantly wake up."

"As soon as I stopped taking creatine, my sleep returned to normal. It seems that people with this reaction are in the minority, but if you are experiencing sleeplessness while taking creatine, I seriously advise you to take a week or two off, and see if you sleep returns to normal. In my opinion, a good night's sleep is much more physically and mentally important than the benefits which creatine provides."

Dave-o
USA

Insomnia

"I found your site while looking for experiences of others using creatine. I wondered if I was the only one with this special side effect. I didn't find any other website discussing this issue, except for this one. I had *never* read that taking creatine can cause insomnia, but it does!!"

"Now, I've read all the other posts regarding insomnia and I completely agree with them! It seems to be a mystery, but even when I take a very small dose of creatine I can't fall asleep. For me it's like being on drugs (e.g. amphetamine)."

"I would greatly appreciate it if there is some guide on how to overcome this *huge* side-effect. I can't go on using it. I tried it three times now, and everytime the same problem. I even had to take a sleeping pill - but this can't go on"

Steven
Germany

Insomnia

"I suffered insomia after one capsule (700 mg) of creatine monohydrate. Like Tom Northrop (see above) I experienced a great deal of mental activity. Tom said "...almost as if I was wired on caffeine and totally stressed out of my mind..." and "...like my brain was in overdrive...". That was my experience also. During all of this mental activity some thoughts of mildly dangerous activity would cause very short-lived pangs of fear that would evaporate as quickly as they arrived. At one point even thought of safe activities brought on these pangs of fear. My insomnia was not as long-lived as Tom's - that night I went to bed at 10PM and finally slept at about 3AM. I have not had any problem sleeping since then, but I have not used any creatine either."

"In my case, I was just beginning to work with creatine and I had taken a 700 mg dose (very inconsistently) on a couple of previous occasions and I do not know if I had sleep problems then - if I did I might have blamed them on coffee."

"Other than the low dose of creatine and the short term of effects that I experienced, Tom Northrop's description of the effects of creatine very much paralleled my own."

Anonymous
USA

Insomnia

"I completely agree with the other posts about insomnia. I was also thankful to read them because I had all of the same symptoms, sleeplessness, mind racing, irritability etc. I would talk to people in the gym and none of them said they had experienced anything negative. I thought I was going crazy because even online (this was a few years ago) I could not find anything about any negative side effects of creatine. The positive effects of creatine were great on me and so that is why I regretted having to stop taking it because my mental health and sleep are more important than being big. I had no experience with hair loss. I did have one more side effect and that is my hemorrhoids started bleeding a lot. I found that if I took creatine in much smaller doses than everyone else, I could minimize the negative side effects while still gaining benefits. I no longer take creatine. But, just for the record, I think other people are experiencing this sleeplessness and they are refusing to attribute it to creatine. You see, some of us lived through the years when supplements were not much more than a chocolate milk drink with a few vitamins. Then when something finally came on the market which worked, the people felt like they had reached nirvana and "please nobody utter a peep of something negative about this wonderful new thing". I suppose everyone wants to believe that there is a perfect world just around the corner somewhere and we just have to reach it. But, this is never the case, creatine is useful and safe but it has some bad side effects that people need to be aware of. Bodybuilding is first and foremost about health, and I will never stray away from that ideology."

Anonymous
USA

Positive Responder, Gastrointestinal Distress and Anxiety

"You have my permission to post any, or all of this email, on your webpage."

"I have some good things and bad things to say about creatine. For the most part, I love using creatine. During a normal session (when I am not loading), I experience no problems with creatine so long as I drink sufficient water. Working out is easier, and the boost in muscle mass (even though most of it is temporary) works as a motivational factor to keep me going to the gym. The psychological effect of creatine is nearly, if not equally, as large as the physical application."

"During the loading phase, however, I must be careful to ensure that I drink enough water, and eat whenever I intend to load the creatine. If I do not eat it will often make me sick to my stomach right around the 3rd or 4th loading dose of the day. Usually, if I consume some food during this stage it will subside in a matter of minutes. Additionally, there is the possibility that I was simply not mixing the creatine with enough water, and it was remaining undisolved for too long in my stomach/intestines. I conclude this as consumption of water (in addition, to or in place of food) will often cause the stomach ache's to subside."

"I guess the key is to stay well hydrated, thoroughly mix the creatine with sufficient water, and eat something during each load of the loading phase. But it is certainly a problem that I suffered a few times prior to figuring this out."

"In the past I did not suffer any anxiety while loading creatine, but I have noticed marked anxiety this most recent time. This could be partially attributed to the fact that I've recently quit smoking and normally wear a nicotine patch, but as the patch runs low, the feelings of anxiety and tension surface. I cannot determine yet if this is due to quitting smoking, or the creatine consumption. I did not suffer this anxiety prior to my most recent load of creatine, or at least not noticably...so it may be possible that creatine aids the anxiety in addition to the nicotine withdrawl that my body may occassionally face."

Joseph
USA

Gastrointestinal Distress, Hyperventilation and General Discomfort

Part 1: "I used to take Creatine from one brand only (xxxx). After a while I stopped training (not professional) and did not go to gym for about a year. Recently I've started again, and wanted to start with Creatine again, just for the energy. Never used much of it anyway."

"I've bought another brand which gave a reaction to my body immediately. Migrane, hyperventilation etc. After this experience I bought my old brand, but this gave me the same hyperventilation reaction. Stomach swells up a bit, and gives me an unpleasant feeling."

"I must say that this brand stands for it's quality and purity, as far as I should know, there shouldn't be any pollution in it."

Part 2:"Just talked to my old gym owner. Last time we spoke he never had any same feedback. Lately he heard of 5 other guys who felt the same symptoms such as: headache, nervous feeling, upset stomach."

"The thing is that I still use (not anymore though) the same brand (high purity), only this material is more powder than the material I had before. Perhaps it has something to do that it enters my body quicker and gives me the symptoms straight away, instead of dissolving in my system in a longer period of time??"

Marcel Vanderwalle
Holland

Aggressiveness

"...my mom and grandmother said that my temper has increased since my use of creatine..."

Mario Gross
USA

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Acne

Acne

"(I) have recently stopped taking creatine because I believe it to be the reason my face has broken out in what the dermatologist calls a light form of acne - small red bumps and pimple like. This first started on my forehead and now is all over my face."

Vivian Martinez
Weight Trainer/Aerobic Instructor
USA

Acne

"I noticed that after taking creatine for about a month, I broke out in acne heaps. I went to the dermatologist and he confirmed that it the creatine was probably raising the testosterone in my body. Too much hormones=acne."

Cuong (Kong) Huynh
USA

Acne

"I began taking creatine about two months ago. Friends began noticing a difference. However, I began to break out on my face. I discontinued using creatine for about two weeks. I just started again and sure enough, more break outs."

Anonymous
USA

Acne

"When I take creatine, I seem to get zits, is there a cause and effect relationship here, or just coincidence?"

Anonymous
USA

Acne

Part 1: "I have broken out with pimples every time I have started using creatine. When I stop, they go away."

Part 2: "I wouldn't just break out with several pimples, I am talking pustules. Not pretty. And at 31, I should be well past that stage. I didn't change anything else about my diet, exercise, or skin care regimen. That is why I am certain it was the creatine. I tried it a few different times just to make sure, too. "

Kristi Regotti
USA

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Hair Loss

Hair Loss

"I am a physician specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of hair loss. I have seen numerous men with acceleration of their hair loss while using creatine. They deny using steroids."

"...perhaps the supplements taken by most of these men may be increasing T (testosterone) levels. The question is whether T levels are increased or if increased DHT receptor binding is occurring, or some other factor."

"I would simply make your readers aware that this may be an observed phenomenon, and that they should contact a specialist in hair loss and/or hair restoration surgery, possibly by www.ishrs.org. Propecia should be helpful in these individuals, and I recommend stopping the creatine until the cause and effect can be determined."

Edwin S. Epstein, MD
USA
stuartmed@mindspring.com

Hair Loss

"Hello, I enjoy using creatine to enhance my workouts and seem to get good results. However, I've been experincing hair loss and thinning of my hair. I have seen a doctor on transplant and he said that creatine "shocks" the hair through causing growth hormones and causes loss of hair. Is this true? If so, are there alternatives that do not cause hair loss that are safe - for exp N02?"

Anonymous
USA

Response: "I have heard of this before and still don't have a good explanation for it. Your doctor is probably right that creatine (at least, your particular product with included contaminants and additives) causes some sort of hormonal alteration that ultimately leads to hair loss. Nevertheless, scientific studies have not, as of yet, demonstrated this effect. Time will tell what's at root of this effect."

"I would suggest that you switch to a pure form of creatine monohydrate (without additives). For example, Phosphagen from EAS. You can find information about this product here. Purity is an issue, which is why I suggest EAS."

Hair Loss

"I took creatine for about a month before I noticed substantial hair loss. Will my hair grow back and how long will it take to stop falling out? I discontinued usage over a month ago and am still experiencing hair loss. MPB (male pattern baldness) does not run in my family and I've never experienced this kind of problem before. Also, hair loss was not the only side effect I noticed."

Nicholas Nachefski
USA

Hair Loss

"I have been using creatine for about a month and have noticed major thinning of my hair. Can you please tell me if this is likely to be permanent or is there a chance I might experience a recovery from this hair loss? I have obviously since stopped using the product."

"Why is there not more awareness of this side effect (?), this has been devastating to me, I wanted to look better not worse!"

Phil
USA

Hair Loss

"I have started using creatine 8 years ago when I was 24 then stopped 3 years later at 27 when I started noticing patches of hair falling out of my head in the shower and on the pillow. The hairs did not grow back and a doctor explained to me that this is the effect of male hormones called DHT. I am the only one in my family that experienced this baldness and also the only one who has used creatine monohydrate. None of my brothers have this curse. I figured it was the creatine so I stopped using it. I continued to experience this hair loss but it did slow down and fewer hairs fall out on my pillow but none of the hairs grew back the way it used to. I am not completely bald on the crown yet but it is thinning and has stayed that way for the last 5 years. I opted for the hair transplant surgery to replace the missing hairs but even though the implanted hairs stayed, more hairs continue to fall out in the shower and pillow. I also am on Rogaine and Propecia with little success. When I stopped the creatine, I started getting some fat back because Rogaine reverses the male hormones so it reversed the effect of the creatine and only slowed the hair loss."

Jeffrey Din
USA

Hair Loss

"I took XXXXXX Fruit Punch for a little over a month including the loader week. I liked the results I got from this product, but did notice hair loss. Most people I talked to looked at me like I was crazy when I told them. I thought it was related to the creatine I was taking. I also talked to numerous nutrition stores and they had not heard of this either. Most of them told me it was probably related to stress and not creatine. I was under no more stress then normal while taking this product yet I noticed more and more hair falling out after my shower and brushing my hair. I would like to start taking creatine again but very concerned about my hair. My hair loss stopped after stopping the creatine."

Brad Phillips
USA

Hair Loss

"I used XXXXX a top shelf creatine for an about 2 months and stopped when I noticed my hair thinning. NO ONE in my entire family has thin hair and after talking to my family dermatologist I know that the creatine is the source. DHT levels (testosterone) is what causes hair to eventually fall out, which is why usually men and not women go bald. When you raise your levels to more then your body is used to producing it causes your hair to fall out. I had heard some horror stories about creatine, but never thought it would happen to me. It is very depressing to be 23 and having to deal with hair loss knowing that you are to blame for it. I would just like to make all the readers aware of the risks"

Byron Thomas
USA

Hair Loss

"I have been taking creatine monohydrate for about 3 months and I have noticed substantial hair loss. I recently stopped and the rate of hair loss has greatly decreased. Is there a chance that creatine could be the cause of my hair loss?"

Anonymous
USA

Hair Loss

"Can creatine cause hair loss? I have been taking creatine for years and have an abnormal hair loss pattern. My hair falls out but seems to try to grow back in the same areas. Which is not common for genetic baldness."

Anonymous
USA

Hair Loss

"I seem to be having a problem with hair thinning and in some areas of my head a bald spot is appearing. Is it possible that creatine use might have something to do with this? I take 5 gms per day and weight train as well as aerobics."

Anonymous
USA

Hair Loss

"After about a month of taking Creatine I noticed a major thinning of my hair and even though I discontinued taking it I still encounter an increasing loss of hair. I have never heard any stories about recovery from creatine related hair loss and wonder if there are any."

Anonymous
USA

Hair Loss

"I have been using Creatine for a couple of months, nothing else, for about a week now, I have noticed a lot of hair in the bathroom tub after I take a shower, is hair loss a side effect of creatine use, I have use creatine as directed, only the doses allowed?"

Anonymous
USA

Hair Loss

"I have been using creatine for about 4 months and have been noticing some hair loss."

Anonymous
USA

Hair Loss

"I seem to be having a problem with hair thinning and in some areas of my head a bald spot is appearing Is it possible that creatine use might have something to do with this? I take 5 gms per day and weight train as well as aerobics."

Anonymous
USA

Hair Loss

"I have been a vegetarian all my life. Over the past 10 years, whenever I have had the desire to gain lean muscle mass, I have purchased and consumed creatine."

"Once off of creatine, I tend to lose the majority of the weight previously gained, depsite continuing my regular workout programs."

"Each time I start up on creatine again, I consistently gain an average of 15-25 pounds within a month of the initial serving. (Dramatic)."

"ALTHOUGH... my last creatine purchased was different than the usual brand. (I won't mention the name here, because I notice that it gets "X'd" out anyways). Since being on this creatine, over the last 2 months, I have noticed CONSIDERABLE hair loss. Perhaps it's a genetic balding process, but due to the rapid thinning of my crown, and the timing of when I started on this creatine, I have considerable doubts that it has anything to do with my current age (30)."

"Further testing, and resultant disclaimers (if valid) on the product packaging, regarding potential hair loss would be greatly appreciated!"

Nick
USA

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Other Side Effects

Blue Sweat

"I just wanted to tell my story about a crazy experience with creatine."

"About august of 2004 I took creatine for the first time. And i decided to buy a product called XXXXXXXX XXXXX from XXX. I started the loading phase and was amazed by the results that i have achieved in such a short period of time. I mean just going thru the loading phase my bench press increased at least 20-30 pounds that i was working with."

"Now i need to clear something up i had recently been taking a product called XXXXXXXX XXXX from XXXXXX. And i had been doing great but then once i went back home i decided to get something a little stronger."

"Anyways back to the point i was receiving all these results but all a sudden after each workout something crazy happened.I was sweating blue sweat! I mean my white shirts that i was wearing were turning blue around the collar and later on i checked my socks and around the bottom of the sock it was light blue. I was a little freaked out but i stayed on the product and kind of strugged off the incident with the blue sweat. But After every workout it was happening! Plenty of witnesses were there like our flight commander.He was amazed to see the blue sweat appearing on my shirt. So about two days later after taking the supplement for about 5 days i went to the hospital and talked to doctor.He was completely speechless about the results. I brought him the shirts that i worn for the workouts. And told him about the crazy experience.They eventually gave me a urinalisis and also a blood test to see what was causing this wild problem. He eventually got back to me and he said that it was copper. Copper, Copper, Copper, i couldnt believe it i thought it was something bad but it wasnt and thank GOD. I was so relieved! I had stop taken the stuff and i returned it to XXX and got my whole refund. I told the cashier and he was amazed but then i showed him the shirt and that was plenty of proof for him. But now I am doing fine and ready to start getting serious about lifting again. But thank you for hearing my story."

Gerald H. Arrington III
USA Military

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