Within 1 week of beginning creatine supplementation, your body will begin to store more water in your muscles. This will make your muscles look larger, but this water weight gain is only temporary. However, creatine is also proven to increase strength and athletic performance. So, taking creatine will enable you to work harder in the gym and build more muscle.
Does Creatine Just Add Water Weight?
Although studies have proven that creatine increases the amount of water stored in the muscles, that’s not all it does. Creatine also increases strength by as much as 8%, according to this study. So, creatine allows you to perform more, heavier lifts. This puts your muscles under more stress, resulting in greater muscle growth and the development of more lean muscle mass.
How Many Pounds Does Creatine Add?
Creatine typically causes a water weight gain of 5–7 pounds (2–3 kilos). So, it’s important to track your weight before and after taking creatine supplements. While you are taking creatine, your muscular water retention is increased. So, the first few pounds you gain after starting creatine will be water. Weight gain beyond this 5–7-pound range means you are either building muscle mass or gaining fat.
How Long Does it Take For Creatine to Show Results?
Starting creatine supplementation will cause you to gain 5–7 pounds (2–3 kilos) of water weight within 1–2 weeks. During this initial stage, creatine will also begin to give you greater strength and a higher performance threshold. However, the true benefits of creatine take longer than a few weeks. Strenuous resistance training for at least 90 days will allow creatine to help you work out harder and build more muscle. While taking creatine might make your muscles look larger within days, building true muscle takes longer.
Is Creatine Dangerous?
Scientific studies have proven that creatine is safe to use. Rumors of liver and kidney damage caused by creatine supplementation are not currently backed by scientific research. This makes creatine supplements one of the safest workout supplements you can use. After all, your body naturally produces 1–2 grams of creatine per day. Plus, creatine is naturally found in meat and fish. Creatine supplementation simply boosts creatine levels, allowing your body to recycle more ADP into ATP, resulting in increased strength and endurance.
Can You Get Ripped On Creatine?
Your appearance on creatine depends on your body, diet, and workout routine. Some individuals retain more water weight on creatine, resulting in a “puffy” appearance and less defined muscles. Others may not retain as much water while taking creatine long-term. Because creatine helps you work out harder, thus encouraging more muscular development, you can certainly gain muscle mass and tone. How “ripped” you appear while taking creatine largely depends on the amount of water your body retains due to increased creatine levels.
Will You Look Leaner if You Stop Taking Creatine?
Quitting creatine will cause your body to flush excess water from your muscles, which results in a leaner, more toned appearance. Typically, once you pause creatine supplementation, you will lose 5–7 pounds (2–3 kilos) of water weight. Your muscles may look smaller, but they will be more defined when you stop taking creatine.
Will You Look Bigger On Creatine?
Creatine will cause your muscles to appear larger over the short term. Over the long-term, adding 5–10 grams of creatine to your daily diet will result in larger muscles. Here’s why:
- Taking creatine causes your body to store an additional 5–7 pounds (2–3 kilos) of water in your muscles.
- Because creatine causes you to store extra water in your muscles, your muscles will appear larger.
- You will gain this extra water weight within 1–2 weeks of starting creatine.
- Creatine will boost strength and performance, helping you work out harder and build more muscle mass.
- If you follow an exercise and diet regimen, creatine will help you build more muscle.
- When you quit taking creatine, you will lose water weight within 1 week, resulting in a leaner, toned look.
- If you build muscle while taking creatine, you won’t lose that muscle when you stop taking creatine.
Because creatine is such a safe workout supplement without adverse side effects, it’s a great choice if you are training to gain muscle mass. Just remember that some of the weight you gain while taking creatine is water weight, not muscle or fat.
