Is Creatine worth the weight gain?

[Choupique]

Is fois a good thing??

Lol, no.

Fois the Louisiana word for the shits

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Some people get the fois from it, seems to be less of a problem with mono

That'll help him lose weight.

 

[Reece123]

That'll help him lose weight.

No my problem is I grew up too close to Louisiana and like that Creole shit too much! For whatever reason I think if a meal doesn’t have rice and gravy it’s not complete. However I didn’t know what fois was lol

 

[Choupique]

didn’t know what fois was

It's pronounced like "fwah"

BS aside though that's the only complaint I ever hear about creatine and it's not a super common one, at least not in my social circles. They all recommend 10g of creapure daily split into two 5g doses to reduce bubble gut.

 

[brca005]

Lots of good advice so far, I used to take creatine when I was serious about powerlifting 15-20 years ago, then when I stopped powerlifting I stopped taking it, since I wasn't trying to build muscle or strength anymore.

Within the last year, I have started taking creatine again, mainly for the cognitive benefits that have been coming out stating how good creatine is for that. I still workout, different goals now, but am not trying to gain muscle or strength like I was.

I also don't notice any of the "weight gain from water", my weight stays pretty constant.

 

[rickyw]

I may have gained 3-4 pounds maximum, taking 10 grams per day. I have enjoyed increased mental acuity and faster recovery between training sessions. Highly recommend.

 

[peterk123]

I'm 59 years young. Started on creatine six months ago. I will say that it is not some magic pill. I think the only time you really feel the benefits is when you stop taking it. The stuff just works, but it's subtle.

It has helped my weight training. I'm a skinny guy, was 173 pounds six feet tall. I'm up to almost 180 but not because of the creatine. My weight barely budged from it, if at all. It has been the increase in protein that has started to kick in for me.

Creatine has helped with my sucky sleep. I just don't sleep well anymore. But now if I have a night where I only sleep two or three hours, I can still function fairly well. It may also be helping memory, but it's a guess. I can't really prove it.

Like others have said, it's studied to death. The benefits are real. The weight gain is not.

 

[PVHunter]

I take 5 mg daily. I pack it when I travel so it is borderline ritual at this point. If anything, i've lost weight while taking creatine. I casually experiment on myself and the two supplements I would not give up are magnesium/sodium/calcium and creatine. Like having a training 223, it's something I should've done a long time ago.

 

[LostArra]

You guys weigh yourself?
There's your problem.

I have two weight classes:
Pants fit
Pants don't fit.
As long as I stay in the first I don't sweat it.

Creatine yes.

 

[Maverick1]

So, for those that use creatine.....what brand do you buy? Recommendations to buy or avoid?

 

[deserthunter2016]

@Maverick1 1st phorm. It’s flavorless. I mix it with water, coffee, protein drinks, whatever sounds good.


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[pattimusprime22]

So, for those that use creatine.....what brand do you buy? Recommendations to buy or avoid?

Probably the most trusted producer of creatine monohydrate would be Creapure. You'll see if a manufacturer is using it as they will proudly put it on the label. I've shopped around and the cheapest seller of Creapure that I've found is The Feed Lab Creatine. Also nice that it's NSF Certified for Sport.

That being said, I don't think you would be getting bunk creatine if you got something that wasn't Creapure. Creatine monohydrate is cheap enough that it doesn't benefit a seller to not give you the amount your paying for. You'd prob be fine getting whatever monohydrate is sold at Costco.

 

[TimberRunner]

If your goal is weight loss, but you want to maintain muscle mass, it will be of some assistance.

If you look at people losing weight on hypocaloric diet only, they will lose about 30-35% of their weight from muscle loss on Dexa scan. Fat people have a lot of muscle under all that adipose!

If your goal is to lose weight and maintain muscle mass, you need to have almost daily muscle fiber activation. Resistance #1, although cardio will help too.

Creatine will help recover and somewhat protect from muscle loss. Its certainly a tool but not a magic pill. It won't be as effective if you aren't stressing your muscle fibers frequently. I would take 5-10 g per day. No loading, just start.

The water retention is minimal and not worth worrying about.

 

[anonymous22]

So, for those that use creatine.....what brand do you buy? Recommendations to buy or avoid?

I buy nutricost. They are 3rd party tested for quality and are priced decent. Otherwise Monohydrate is monohydrate. It has an absorbent amount of research and data including meta analysis on it. It works.

That said, almost every gummy on the market as of like a year ago that is marketed for creatine has failed 3rd party lab testing, with absolutely low or nonexistent purity.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

So, for those that use creatine.....what brand do you buy? Recommendations to buy or avoid?

I been taking stuff called Naked. My stomach is fairly sensitive anymore and it doesn’t bother me. I take a heaping scoop so probably 6-7 grams.

 

[Reece123]

If your goal is weight loss, but you want to maintain muscle mass, it will be of some assistance.

If you look at people losing weight on hypocaloric diet only, they will lose about 30-35% of their weight from muscle loss on Dexa scan. Fat people have a lot of muscle under all that adipose!

If your goal is to lose weight and maintain muscle mass, you need to have almost daily muscle fiber activation. Resistance #1, although cardio will help too.

Creatine will help recover and somewhat protect from muscle loss. Its certainly a tool but not a magic pill. It won't be as effective if you aren't stressing your muscle fibers frequently. I would take 5-10 g per day. No loading, just start.

The water retention is minimal and not worth worrying about.

Yea im tracking what I eat with an app these days and also hitting the gym 3-4 days a week. I end up with about 2000-2200 calories a day which should put me at losing about 1.5-2lbs a week which is the goal. But im not trying to just shave pounds and end up having no muscle either. Got some ordered!

 

[NevadaMike]

Lol, no.

Fois the Louisiana word for the shits

View attachment 1049515

Well hell, I may be one of the only people that can pronounce your RS name. As a kid growing up I had one in a tank and it would eat anything we gave it. And yes fois is real.

 

[NevadaMike]

To the OP. The benefits are real and beyond strength gains. I had taken it on and off at various points and it definitely increased rep counts or max but that was all temporary. About a year ago my doctor said to take 10 grams a day for brain health. He is a health junkie and very aware of the latest science. We would often cross paths in the Sierras with headlamps at 05:30 am on trail runs. I am 59. He said to make sure to get creatine that is NSF certified and I settled on Thorne. I hope it's not a placebo effect but I able to remember names and events much better.

I typically split the dose during the day. As mentioned, if you throw 10 grams in water on an empty stomach you better be near a clean bathroom. I throw 5 in a morning protein shake and the other 5 in water I drink during the day and all is good.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Lol, no.

Fois the Louisiana word for the shits

View attachment 1049515

I thought it was duck/goose liver. Fois Gras ?? Maybe that's where the saying "Shit like a goose" comes from.

 

[Laelkhunter]

So, for those that use creatine.....what brand do you buy? Recommendations to buy or avoid?

I buy the Fitness Labs German Creatine. It is Creapure and container is 500 grams, (100 5 gram servings).
Walmart, Amazon, etc has it for about $45. It is in a green and black container.
I bought my last container from PipingRockHealthProducts on Ebay for $37.99, free shipping but they charge tax- total was $43

Avoid any that does not say Creapure. All other Creatine is made in China, Creapure is made in Germany.


edited 4/9/26 1:05pm, I just checked to confirm prices on Walmart and Amazon, and I can't find the product on either site. I have been ordering the last couple times on Ebay. I get the powder, but the capsules are available too.