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This Month’s Featured Article:
Can you lose weight while supplementing with creatine?
Background
Creatine monohydrate possesses two well-known effects. The first is that creatine induces an increase in body mass. The second is that creatine increases our muscle energy reserves. As far as weight loss is concerned, however, it may be that these two effects are at odds with each other. This is the topic of this month’s newsletter.
Body Mass: Supplementation with creatine monohydrate causes an increase in body mass. This effect, however, is more the result of increased water retention by skeletal muscle then to an increase in muscle protein content. As a result a person’s weight generally returns to “normal” after stopping supplementation.
Energy Reserves: Creatine increases our energy levels by increasing the availability of ATP, the energy currency of cells. Creatine’s “energizing” effect has inspired some to use it as a weight loss aid. As we will see later this reasoning may be confused.
The Study
One study examined a person’s ability to lose weight while supplementing with creatine. Here subjects were asked to lose 5% of their body mass in 5 days. This scenario might be compared to the situation where athletes are expected to make weight prior to competition.
The Result
Subjects given creatine found it more difficult to meet the study’s objective within the specified time. The difficulty to lose weight while taking creatine is most likely the result of the increased water retention that accompanies creatine use.
The Question
Is it possible to lose weight while on creatine?
The Answer
Yes, but it might be a bit harder to achieve.
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- What creatine product is the best for building muscles?
- Questions About Creatine, Glutamine, And Protein For Weight Lifting? Which Is Best For Fat Loss?
- This is a good and safe creatine for muscle?
- When You Are Taking Creatine Is It Safe Or Advisable To Take Fat Loss Pills Like Cytolean?
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December 11th, 2009 | 
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Yes, creatine causes water retention. Some dumbass dudes at my high school used to overdo creatine to try and build extra muscle, and all they ended up with were stretch marks and guts.
no you will gain weight. creatine causes your muscles to absorb a lot of water.
no
It is not at all surprising that you lose bodyfat while taking creatine. Many athletes report the same result. Yet, with no research to support the concept, it was considered an urban legend along the lines of that Mikey kid dying from consuming Pop Rocks and soda pop. Today, the anecdotal evidence for creatine promoting bodyfat loss holds up, as some recent scientific studies parallel this discovery.
One study found that one month of creatine supplementation not only increased strength and muscle mass, but it also increased the resting metabolic rate in men. Guys who sat around and just watched television and drank creatine mixes every day had an increased metabolic rate of about 50 calories per day. Among guys who took creatine and also lifted weights, the increase in resting metabolism was about 100 calories per day. That may seem small, but it’s important to remember that the guys who lifted but did not take creatine had no change in their resting metabolic rate.
Another study performed by the U.S. Department of Defense found that soldiers who took creatine for just one week had an increase in bench-press strength, gained about four to seven pounds of muscle, and lost one to two pounds of bodyfat. Exercisers who took a placebo experienced none of these positive changes and actually gained some bodyfat.
In fact, it’s a great supplement to take when you are getting lean because it helps you maintain strength gains and muscle mass while you strip off fat. For those who want to see if you can both gain and lose with creatine, try taking five grams per day, preferably with your postworkout shake.