How Safe is Creatine?


I think we’ve all heard this question from time to time from various sources. In fact, I remember doing a lot of online research on it before I started taking it consistently for the first time.

Real Solutions Magazine put out an article recently addressing this same question. You can read it here:

Is Creatine Safe?

So what do you think? I know that a lot of people like to mention that the overall long term affects of creatine have not adequately been studied, and this may very well be true. I guess only time will tell. I know that for me personally, I don’t take any supplement (besides whey and a multivitamin) for super long periods of time. I think this is good advice for most enhancement related supplements.

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rss 90 comments
  1. June 13th, 2008 | 2:55 am

    Before, I use to take creatine. I used it for more than a year and I immediately saw and felt the effects, especially during the first months as my body really bulked up. But the only negative effect I experienced is that my body became dependent on creatine and I must continually take it to maintain my size and workout intensity. Bur now, I just take whey because it feels more natural.

  2. June 13th, 2008 | 6:37 am

    I’ve taken creatine off and on for some time now and never seen any negative side effects.

  3. June 13th, 2008 | 9:48 pm

    I agree with you that time will tell if creatine is safe. Personally, I have never taken creatine as I don’t want my body to become dependent on it. I believe that if you need a substance to obtain a desired effect, then you will never be able to stop using that substance. If you do, the desired effect will disappear.

  4. June 16th, 2008 | 5:07 pm

    Creatine is an excellent supplement if you are looking for that pumped up look. Although some people claim about that water retention effects, I haven’t personally seen any of that.

    In my experience, I have used it on and off in cycled of about a month on, a month off for the best effect. Staying on for too long seems to nullify the results after awhile.

    Kim

  5. June 16th, 2008 | 6:03 pm

    I used Creatine for several years and never had a single problem with it. I was always impressed with the results as well…

  6. June 18th, 2008 | 11:12 pm

    I’ve researched Creatine, and found no reports of serious side effects association with the supplement. Creatine is produced by the body and it exists naturally in different foods. That should be a first indication of its safety.

    The greatest concern is that the body’s natural creatine production would shut down since its demand would not be needed after long periods of Creatine use. This has never happened in 45+ years of the supplements use. You are more likely to get a horrible disease or get fat from McDonalds than to discover, decades from now, that Creatine was bad for you.

    I don’t know what it is about the supplement that has caused so much confusion regarding its safety, effectiveness, and usage. If people want the straight goods on the product, they need only to read some peer reviewed journals on pubmed.gov. Don’t rely on magazine articles or people only quoting from other publications!

    People note that creatine gives them a pump. It adds size, power, speed and recovery to what they already have, but when they get off it, they lose in all these areas. ‘Proper’ use of creatine is not so that you pump up in a couple weeks from just taking the supplement alone. What you should be doing is using creatine then pushing yourself much harder at the gym. Those results — the creation of new muscle tissue — won’t be going anywhere when you decide to stop taking creatine.

  7. June 20th, 2008 | 1:45 am

    I too used creatine for many years without any sideeffect.

  8. June 20th, 2008 | 5:17 pm

    i don’t rely on these things…never used supplements

  9. June 22nd, 2008 | 2:29 pm

    I use whey because it seems to be more natural. I wouldn’t want to use anything that would cause my body to be dependent on it.

  10. June 23rd, 2008 | 12:48 pm

    Supplements are OK but there’s nothing that substitutes for a healthy diet and regular exercise.

  11. June 23rd, 2008 | 10:07 pm

    I think Creatine is safe, it is a amino acid that our body needs.

  12. June 24th, 2008 | 6:43 am

    Creatine is one of the safer body building enhancements out there. As long as you speak with your doctor before you start taking any creatine or other types of ‘natural’ supplements or enhancements.

  13. June 24th, 2008 | 10:22 am

    As a female, I was told not to use creatine. Bulk was not was I was after. Tight and Tone was the goal. I could be wrong but this is what was recommended to me.

  14. June 24th, 2008 | 11:38 am

    […] onderzoeken:How Safe is Creatine? - I think we’ve all heard this question from time to time from various sources. In fact, I […]

  15. June 24th, 2008 | 6:01 pm

    I would not try any thing that is not tried and true.

  16. June 29th, 2008 | 9:15 am

    I don’t eat any supplements whose long time effects aren’t known…

  17. July 2nd, 2008 | 10:58 pm

    I had taken creatine for a while, but then I read some articles that it can be really bad for you. So I dropped it from my regular exercise program and went back to taking whey protein instead.

  18. July 3rd, 2008 | 6:04 am

    Most people say creatine is safe. I bodybuild and I draw the line at protein supplements. Everybody has to make his or her own educated choices.

  19. July 5th, 2008 | 6:47 pm

    Personally, I prefer trying to stay as natural as possible. I have never used creatine, nor do I plan to in the future, unless there is 100% certainty that it is safe.

  20. July 6th, 2008 | 11:07 am

    Creatine has not been extensively researched. I’ve read articles in the newspaper before that creatine actually improves memory. The only known danger is overconsumption and lack of water consumption. You MUST dilute the creatine heavily, or it will destroy your kidneys.

  21. July 6th, 2008 | 5:35 pm

    I don’t like using any of these compounds. I eat healthy and do my excerises without the use of such products.

  22. July 7th, 2008 | 4:22 pm

    I sure hope it is safe, since it’s approved and released. But goes to show that you never know…

  23. July 9th, 2008 | 6:02 am

    Absolutely it’s safe. It’s produced naturally in the body, by taking it you are only increasing your natural levels. I never felt any site effects, except it can make your muscle feel soft from all the extra water.

  24. July 10th, 2008 | 11:09 pm

    Nice Post
    Thanx for sharing :)
    Stumbled your Url Cheers!

  25. July 11th, 2008 | 3:00 am

    Nice post
    Thanks for sharing with us!

  26. July 11th, 2008 | 4:55 am

    Good Informative post
    Stumebled you cheers!
    Will Keep in touch with you :)

  27. July 11th, 2008 | 8:33 am

    Thanks for the extremely informative post, Im into good old fashioned exercise. Running with weights, football and tennis.

  28. July 11th, 2008 | 10:31 pm

    Good Informative post
    Will Keep in touch with you :)

  29. July 11th, 2008 | 11:20 pm

    Good Informative post
    Stumble you thanks for co-oprate!

  30. July 12th, 2008 | 12:15 am

    very good and importaint side for u!
    happy new yrars

  31. July 12th, 2008 | 1:39 am

    Wow! nice post buddy!

    I’ll will in touch with you …on the Blog :)

    Stumbled you ! cheers

  32. July 14th, 2008 | 4:25 am

    everything has side effect,even instant or that will show in long term.I think using supplement with correct function and dose have good result for our way.

  33. July 14th, 2008 | 4:28 am

    supplement as nutrition is important when we need it.When you starting your diet plan and your body response that need more energy so this time take a look at supplement.

  34. July 14th, 2008 | 4:32 am

    So any result for researches recently?Motivated your self for gain your purpose is the right choice whitout concumtion any supplement.

  35. July 14th, 2008 | 4:57 pm

    I’ve never tried it…most of the supplements in stores like GNC, sorta scare me!

  36. July 15th, 2008 | 3:45 am

    Creatine works. The only side effects are muscle gain.

    I’ve heard that a million times and it’s true to an extent that most normal people will benefit from creatine, in fact it has the nick name “the one that works”, but one side effect I’ve noticed which can be easily negated is dehydration.

    Creatine uses water to volumize cells, the water has to come from somewhere and if you don’t have enough it may “dry” you out.

    As long as you drink an extra 6 glasses a day on creatine, you’ll have no problems.

  37. July 16th, 2008 | 12:27 am

    never tried to do so..

  38. July 16th, 2008 | 6:06 pm

    I’ve taken creatine, and the only side effect I noticed was a little extra gassiness. Not pleasant, so I’ve stopped using it.

  39. July 17th, 2008 | 12:51 pm

    Creatine is one of the most well studied sports supplements ever. The bodybuilding and sport supplement industry has a (deserved) shady reputation because very few of the products in this industry have been proven to be safe or effective. However, creatine does not fall into that category.

    Time and time again, studies have shown creatine to be safe and effective. Still, you should take precautions and take it properly. Cycle on and off of creatine regularly, do not take it constantly. And be sure to drink plenty of fluids, you’ll need them anyway if you are working out and ingesting lots of protein.

    Still, if you are the conservative type, steer away from creatine and other supplements. The body is a delicate balance of thousands of different compounds, chemicals, and nutrients, and how any one individual’s body reacts to a change in that balance is not 100 percent predictable. This is true of not only supplements, but even foods and medicines (even asprin or ibuprofin!) that have been around forever.

  40. JB
    July 17th, 2008 | 1:11 pm

    Interesting.. I know a lot of people that use Creatine but I’ve never tried it.

  41. July 18th, 2008 | 2:37 am

    I don’t take creatine. If I did I would be more in line with you and not take it for an extended period of time.

  42. July 18th, 2008 | 4:24 am

    I think Creatine is safe, it is a amino acid that our body needs.

  43. July 18th, 2008 | 3:36 pm

    SOG knives

    Interesting ideas… I wonder how the Hollywood media would portray this?

  44. July 19th, 2008 | 4:48 am

    As an M.D. and fitness enthusiast, I’ve cycled creatine without any ill effects over a period of months. What I find more of a problem is the under-reported risks of liquid high-protein meal replacements. The toll they take on the kidneys can be pretty rough. One has to measure the benefits of supplements with the cost of stressing the internal organs that have to process these elements in your bloodstream over long periods of time. Natural food sources are still your safest bet.

  45. July 19th, 2008 | 4:22 pm

    My bf took creatine for some time. He had a LOT of gas with it. It was either me or the creatine…. besides, IMO, training and supplementing in a natural way is by far the safest. Yup, he did see increased bulk so yeah it did work, but who knows what effect it has in the long run?

  46. July 21st, 2008 | 4:28 am

    great article thanks for the posts

  47. July 21st, 2008 | 11:02 am

    I am just gonna play it safe and not take things into my body that aren’t natural like that. I will stick with getting my nutrients the natural way, with a wide selection of foods that cover all the groups and essentials for living.

  48. July 21st, 2008 | 5:09 pm

    Creatine is approved by the Olympics board?

  49. July 21st, 2008 | 7:24 pm

    Even form all the comments here, the only side effect seems to be dehydration, but one should remember that if you ate two loaves of bread and didn’t drink more water, you’d dehydrate too - Same principle - Drink more.

  50. July 22nd, 2008 | 12:31 am

    People note that creatine gives them a pump.

  51. July 22nd, 2008 | 12:57 pm

    I also want to know!

  52. July 22nd, 2008 | 3:54 pm

    I have heard about creatine, but never tried it and I would prefer not to do it in future

  53. CK
    July 22nd, 2008 | 9:37 pm

    I’ve heard good things about creatine from many people, but due some of the concerns, whether real or not I’ve kind of shied away from it. I may begin experimenting with it more in the future though…

  54. July 23rd, 2008 | 2:34 pm

    I thought that body creates also creatine. I read recently an article about different suppliments, and in that study the information stated that creatine should be no danger. Of course, if you use creatine too much like anything else, then it might some day become a problem. I personally use it with my protein drink and have seen only good results.

  55. July 23rd, 2008 | 8:07 pm

    I think it’s safe as long as you’ll just use it with moderation and never abuse it. I like some of the comments here, they are very informative about creatine, I learned something here thanks.

  56. July 25th, 2008 | 3:01 am

    i don’t no………..

  57. July 26th, 2008 | 12:38 am

    As mentioned earlier, our bodies create creatine naturally so the question isn’t so much whether creatine itself is harmful but the dosage of creatine that is being used. When it comes to vitamins and supplements, more of a good thing isn’t always a good thing. It is possible to consume too much of a vitamin/supplement and this is where the concern lies with creatine for most people.

    When taking creatine, it is usually recommended to cycle on and off with your use. Personally, I would avoid using creatine on a daily basis for extended periods of time but am not concerned with the use of creatine when cycled properly.

  58. July 28th, 2008 | 5:12 am

    not at all.

  59. July 29th, 2008 | 5:17 am

    Well, i believe creatine is safe. because from i wat i have studied, creatine is secreted out of ur urine.

  60. July 30th, 2008 | 10:20 pm

    Of course creatine is not safe. Ok, it is secreted out of urine, but is a artificial substance, so, not safe!

  61. August 1st, 2008 | 2:55 am

    I’ve taken creatine, and the only side effect I noticed was a little extra gassiness. Not pleasant, so I’ve stopped using it. Nice post though. Thanks for sharing.

  62. August 1st, 2008 | 2:40 pm

    Personally, I do use creatine. Of course, I try to cycle off of it. I also recommend trying the newr forms of creatine over the monohyrdrate form such as ethyl esther maltate.

    The Health Nut

  63. August 1st, 2008 | 10:48 pm

    I took creatine for a little while until I stopped taking it of course. Caused too much water retention for me.

  64. August 1st, 2008 | 11:54 pm

    Well I don’t think that Creatine has any side or negative effects. I have used it in the past and I am currently using it and I must say it works for me.

  65. August 4th, 2008 | 6:40 am

    Well, if you watch the side effects reported on http://www.sanego.de for this “agent”, then all of you would very much disagree that there are no negative effects….

  66. August 6th, 2008 | 2:03 pm

    I’ve heard people compare Creatine to Marijuana in the sense that they are both ‘gateway’ drugs. You start using simple supplements and after a while, you move into the harder ones (be it cocaine or HGH/AS).

  67. August 6th, 2008 | 5:40 pm

    Nice informtion , i ve not used it as yet

  68. August 6th, 2008 | 11:00 pm

    Although creatine has recently been accepted as a safe and useful ergogenic aid, several myths have been purported about creatine supplementation which include:

    1. All weight gained during supplementation is due to water retention.

    2. Creatine supplementation causes renal distress.

    3. Creatine supplementation causes cramping, dehydration, and/or altered electrolyte status.

    4. Long-term effects of creatine supplementation are completely unknown.

    5. Newer creatine formulations are more beneficial than creatine monohydrate and cause fewer side effects.

    6. It’s unethical and/or illegal to use creatine supplements. While these myths have been refuted through scientific investigation, the general public is still primarily exposed to the mass media which may or may not have accurate information.

  69. August 8th, 2008 | 8:56 am

    Hello, thank`s for this great article. I`ts very useful but I want to say that creatine is not safe for me. Why? Because before a year I take Creatine and my veins is blow :( Doctors say me that I must stop it.

  70. August 9th, 2008 | 12:55 am

    i don’t rely on these things never used supplements

  71. August 9th, 2008 | 10:44 am

    Never taken it but at 145 pounds, 5′7″ dont think I haven’t been tempted. I know guys who have and had no adverse side effects but I guess I have settled for being lean. I know a 3rd party who said her brother in law had a heart attack due to the stuff…but again that is 3rd party information. Great site with great information here. Thanks!

  72. August 12th, 2008 | 6:53 am

    i think it’s safe with moderation

  73. August 12th, 2008 | 1:27 pm

    I would be careful taking anything into my body. I would do as much research as possible and then make a smart decision.

  74. August 12th, 2008 | 11:24 pm

    I took Creatine for a few months during my university days and had some great gains from it. The only side effect I had from it was that I couldn’t stop eating after a workout. My grocery bill went through the roof!

  75. August 14th, 2008 | 1:30 am

    Creatine is one of the most well studied sports supplements ever. The bodybuilding and sport supplement industry has a (deserved) shady reputation because very few of the products in this industry have been proven to be safe or effective.I took Creatine for a few months during my university prictale and had some great gains from it.I’ve taken creatine, and the only side effect I noticed was a little extra gassiness.Although creatine has recently been accepted as a safe and useful ergogenic aid, several myths have been purported about creatine supplementation which include:

    1. All weight gained during supplementation is due to water retention.

    2. Creatine supplementation causes renal distress.

    3. Creatine supplementation causes cramping, dehydration, and/or altered electrolyte status.

    4. Long-term effects of creatine supplementation are completely unknown.

    5. Newer creatine formulations are more beneficial than creatine monohydrate and cause fewer side effects.

    6. It’s unethical and/or illegal to use creatine supplements
    Thank’s for sharing..

  76. August 15th, 2008 | 10:21 am

    I believe creatine is safe.I have a friend who has taken that for couple years now and he is very fine .

  77. August 17th, 2008 | 8:15 pm

    I have a good read, thanks for the information and insights you have so provided here. I will certainly bookmark your blog for future reads. Thanks dan!

  78. August 18th, 2008 | 12:39 pm

    never seen any negatives myself, but i havent been taking it long enough to notice any longer term symptoms

  79. August 18th, 2008 | 5:28 pm

    I ve not had any negative effects of creatine

  80. August 18th, 2008 | 9:14 pm

    It safe… I’ve been using it for several months… I don’t feel any side effects of it..

  81. August 18th, 2008 | 11:50 pm

    Creatine is nitrogenous organic acid that occurs naturally in vertebrates and helps to supply energy to muscle and nerve cells.

  82. August 19th, 2008 | 2:16 pm

    creatine can be used effectively if taken in moderation and with the right supplements. you will see results and its not addicting.

  83. August 20th, 2008 | 7:59 am

    Here is a creatine tip for all - Never let your creatine sit in liquid for more than a few minutes MAXIMUM. Drink it as soon as you stir it and don’t let it settle to the bottom of the glass or around the sides. Think VOLUME.

  84. August 22nd, 2008 | 10:35 am

    I have mixed feelings about creatine. I, myself have never used it and never will. I feel that it is harmful to your body. However, I knew a lot of people who used it in high school to get big fast.

    The only problem that they mentioned is the fact that as soon as they stopped taking it, they lost all that muscle that they put on with the creatine.

    I really just don’t think that it is worth it.

  85. August 24th, 2008 | 9:47 am

    I think taking creatine is safe coz i’ve been using it for a while and no side effects so far..

  86. August 25th, 2008 | 6:37 am

    Creatine is one of the best yet most effective supplement that delivers real results. Has been around and tested for years, yet to this day it has not been banned. (surprising)

    VERY VERY Low dosages are found in some foods, so I see this as a natural supplement that if taken in larger quantities yields pleasing results to the user.

    Water retention is great for muscle growth!

    We wish you luck to your success!

  87. Cash Gifting
    August 25th, 2008 | 9:05 am

    well this depends upon people.It is useful to some while to others it is harmful!

  88. August 25th, 2008 | 1:27 pm

    my football coach in highschool always told us to use creatine and i think i got stronger but now i hate grape juice thats my only side effect

  89. August 26th, 2008 | 3:05 pm

    For me creatine is not safe at all. It has side effects and is generally bad for helath.

  90. August 28th, 2008 | 9:44 am

    I used to take Creatine about 2 years ago and never once had any problems with it. It isn’t bad for you like some people think it is, I think some may even think that it is a form of steroids.

    Creatine comes in many different forms instead of just powder and it definitely does help. It is a great way to aid your muscles so that they heal quicker while increasing size. I noticed a lot more overall strength while I was taking it compared to the years that I had been lifting weights before when I wasn’t taking it.

    My muscles grew bigger quicker and I was able to recover from a harder work out in far less time.

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