A Theory on Why Caffeine and Creatine Don’t Mix
I’ve always heard and read that it’s never a good idea to be drinking a lot of caffeine when you’re taking caffeine. I’m assuming most of you have read something along these lines as well. So my initial thought was that creatine has been reported to help your muscles retain water, but if you notice when you drink a lot of caffeine you have to urinate more. So at first I thought that was the reason not to mix the two.
Well, rather than relying on my own thinking, I decided to look up some information on the topic. I came across a really interesting article from CreatineMonohydrate.net, and I’ll quote from it below:
Certain wrong explanations, however, can be discounted from the start. First, the fact that caffeine is a diuretic has nothing to do with its counterproductive effect…These opposing effects of caffeine and creatine have inspired rumors that caffeine counteracts the benefits of creatine by preventing muscles from retaining fluids.
So right away I learned that my assumption was wrong. So what is the big problem anyway? Well, this article goes on to explain more:
It is thus relevant that one of PCr’s primary roles in muscle is to provide the energy to return calcium into these reservoirs. In this manner creatine (PCr) assists in muscle relaxation and enhances our athletic performance. Interestingly, caffeine has the opposite effect of allowing calcium to escape from these intracellular calcium storage sites. Caffeine would thus hamper muscle relaxation. In agreement with these findings a recent study has shown that caffeine interferes with creatine’s ability to facilitate muscle relaxation, especially during moments of fatigue. Caffeine might thusly confound the ability of PCr to store away calcium and in doing so nullify part of creatine’s benefit.
So it isn’t really about the water, it’s more about calcium!
Another interesting thing I learned from this article is that most of the problems come from continuous caffeine use. If you’re just grabbing a Coke from time to time you shouldn’t see any problems. (I’d still say to limit the Coke though! 
) But if you’re doing it daily, you can expect to see less benefit from your creatine use.
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I have personaly been taking creatine for over 4 years now. I do however drink a couple cups of coffee every single day and havent seen any effects to those written here. Of course, everyone is different and are effected differently. I know lots of basketball players like myself that do the same.
I never knew that caffeine and creatine don’t mix. How does this rule apply to creatine supplements that contain caffeine and are taken pre-workout (i.e. NO explode)?
Hmm.. Guess that those who take lots of caffeine must be careful =) Don’t go around drinking too much. Even coke can hurt your calsium in your bones and reduce your bone density.
my father take a lot of caffeine and i should tell him about this…better prevent before you really gets it….glad you told me this,thanks…
Hmm….coffee lovers should becareful now. Thanks for the article man…it really educates people. Cheers
Ya, too much of caffeine is not good for health…
I read some where that, it can lead to cancer…
Whether it is true?
Please try to post article for this mate..
Im a coffee addict and this post is really open my eyes. But how can i change my habit?
Coffee is bad for health. Should advice them to cut down from drinking.
Coffee is terrible for your health plus it gives you bad breath.
coffee is amazing!
I really need to stop drinking caffeine and get it all out of my system. It’s just so addictive though.
A bit off-topic, but many health insurance companies (especially ion Ohio) are using the BMI (Body Mass Index) to help determine health insurance rates. So..it actually does pay to lose weight!
I once took creatine and caffeine together and got awful cramps from the dehydration. At the time I didn’t know what was causing it, luckily through some research I wisened up to the effects of the two combined.
that’s only a theory…
This is a great tip. I went off caffiene a while ago because it was getting addictive, and besides, being a diuretic it can cause skin dehydration. So now I no longer have caffeine at all. Creatine can be good for muscle building, but I only used to have the brands with no artificial flavors or colors (there was only 1 brand I could find like this). After all, you can get healthier if you avoid these additives.
Pretty interesting.. I’ve never tried Creatine but I know several people who do. I’ll pass this article along to them. Thanks.
i can not stand the fatigue i get after drinking coffee and coming down
Wow, I never knew this!
I have been taking Creatine for some time since I am a long distance trail runner. I do have one coffee each morning (I am only human) and there seems to be no effects for me.
Food or beverage are valuable or troublemaker depending by us. For normal consumption, coffe isn’t too bad.
Yes, caffiene, being dehydrating, as well as for muscle, can cause problems with facial skin lines, wrinkles, eye wrinkles (especially) and signs of aging as the levels of hydration decrease. If you give up caffiene though for health, skin wrinkles, or muscles, do it gradually to avoid the headache that comes with withdrawal.
I would have to work very hard to give up caffeine. In fact, my doctor already told me to go cold turkey and I still haven’t been able to. UGH!
I could do without creatine but caffeine? No way. Thanks for the tips anyway. I’m not aware of it either.
Fact is, lots of foods don’t mix in the gut. One reason we’re seeing such a huge increase in gasto problems is that people are combining the wrong foods when they eat and these foods are causing chronic GI problems. There are a number of good programs that teach which foods should or should not be mixed. Simply eating the right ones can make all the difference in the world.
As long as you don’t take them at the same time, you should be fine. I would think that training in the morning is a disadvantage if you must have coffee and creatine upon awakening.
I also have heard that Caffeine and Creatine never makes good equal.
I must admit I thought caffeine was a diuretic for a long time and that was the reason for not combining it with creatine. It’s nice to know the real reasons though - understanding something makes it easier to work with.
I do however drink a couple cups of coffee every single day and havent seen any effects to those written here.
After all, you can get healthier if you avoid these additives.
This is very useful post.
What I learn from your post is caffein has some bad
impacts to our health.
What about other readers, do you agree with me?
I don’t think caffeine is too harmful if consumed in moderate portions. As for the combining effect when used together with Creatine I think this is something one should be really careful. Here we are talking about the synergetic effect of the two, which can go either positive or negative when various substances are used together, and here obviously it is not so positive.
I’m a 2 (XL) Coffee a day guy, and also take Creatine. Ive never had any problems, although am now interested in your article. I’ll have to do a little more research…better safe than sorry.
I’ve been on creatine for 6 months now and never changed my caffeine intake. Everything seems normal as it was before starting the suppliments.
I used to think that in combination they were counter-productive for the dehydration reasons you mentioned, but then I started experimenting with all the preworkout nitric oxide supplements that combine various creatines with lots of caffeine. I tend to enjoy my workout experience using the combinations. Save money on supplements by using the True Protein Coupon
Supplements that makes you hold water + a diuretic should never mix right
I stopped all my caffeine last time I was on a creatine cycle. Didnt notice much difference apart from decaf stuff dont taste as good as the real thing Razz
I’ve heard caffeine an creatine can react and form a poison from one guy LOL!. I dont believe anything I read until Ive tried it now.
dont take tention if u want to survive more
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Glad I read this article actually as I do use a mix with creatine in it after my workout. Although, I am really quite keen on my coffee and coke (I know not good for me), so I’ll be sure to watch just how much I do drink.
In my point-of-view, creatine is truly unecessary in the culture of bodybuilding, if you wanna get big and ripped, just eat right, do it even harder, take advatange of supplements like whey protein, maltodextrin/dex and have it your way up to the top.
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Thanks for posting this! Due to my work my intake of caffeine is a little around 4 cups a day. I also use creatine and haven’t notice much of a difference.
To find out more about caffeine and it’s effect on weight training, you may want to read the article on this site.
http://worldfitnessnetwork.com/2009/05/kick-caffeine-addiction-with-intense-weight-training/
when Caffeine and Creatine mix, it can cause anti aging, so dont mix it if you dont want to look like you are already in the late 80’s.
the big portion of coffeine is in tea leaves…
We found a lot of useful info on this blog , can you blog back to us and we will be happy! Really alot of info that we needed We wish You good luck.thanks
Another interesting thing I learned from this article is that most of the problems come from continuous caffeine use.
Coffee is utter rubbish actually to be honest, can’t understand anyone drinking it
Drink little caffeine and pratise yoga to pretect your body.
While caffeine gives a burst of energy, it can exhaust the adrenals if it is consumed too frequently, which puts a damper on most athletic activities. I think that it’s easier to sustain energy levels (and sleep patterns) when you lay off of caffeine, whether you’re taking supplements or not.
I’m a 2 (XL) Coffee a day guy, and also take Creatine. Ive never had any problems, although am now interested in your article. I’ll have to do a little more research…better safe than sorry
Why not just supplement your minerals?
Coffee dehydrates your body… You do not need an artificial substance like Creatin to hydrate your muscles - you just need the right kind of water in your body. Drink alkaline ionized or electrolyzed water and you should just be fine.
umm .. thanks .. i never knew this information before .. !
As with everything involving the human body, our anabolic and catabolic chemistry varies substantially from person to person.
When we refer to the retention of calcium or the diuresis effect of caffeine, we can only speak of them in general terms.
For example, a body mass such as would be the situation with a professional basketball player would barely register the presence of two cups of coffee in a diet. Chain coffee drinkers on the other hand would normally show substantial calcium deficits, unless there is something else in the regimen counteracting this effect.
With over 60,000 chemicals found in our drinking water in the US, only 90 of which are subject to government testing, absent reverse osmosis, it is difficult to say specifically what the impact of caffeine and creatine might be. We can, as always just make an educated guess based on what we know of the individual athlete.
Theres lots of theory surrounding what is good for your muscles and what isn’t. Loads of hype about ZMA but some people say it’s only good if you have a zinc deficiency which you shouldn’t have if you eat right. Eat right and train right.
I have also wondered about this. I just started taking creatin for the first time and at first just comming off of NO shotgun I wasn’t too impressed. Now about 3 weeks later I have seen some big results. I try to limit my caffeine anyway but now I will be a little more careful.
Nice post, the theory sounds about right to me, never put it to the test as I don’t drink coffee.
Hi,
I always wondered why more people never realize what a crock NO products really are…especially when mixed with caffeine…caffeine is a vasoconstrictor and arginine is a vasodialator. caffeine tells blood vessels to constrict, arginine tells them to open…quite ingenious huh?
This is a very interesting article as I always wondered what would happen if the two products were mixed.
Very interesting, i didnt know any of this at all. i don’t take creatine anymore but i do have the occasional coffee. apparantly caffeine triggers the muscles to start using fat as an energy source rather than carb. sugars. so its great to have a cup of coffee or two before a muscle building workout