Creatine and water retention

tornquad201 · Oct 14, 2023

Anyone experience water retention especially in the face while taking Creatine

livinlean · Oct 14, 2023

Yes but only when my diet or sodium intake are off.

Palifter · Oct 14, 2023

No

Hasn’t it been a known fact for a while that creatine “water retention” was intracellular and not subcutaneous?

NorwegianMuscle · Oct 14, 2023

Creatine is very anabolic and has a steroidal effect. It draws water into the cells causing a cell volumizing. Most of the time water retention is in the beginning of usage and fades away. I love creatine and I think it's one of the over the counter supplements that actually works to increase muscle mass, recovery, and strength. There's plenty of information and testament on the internet.

AllOkJumpmaster · Oct 14, 2023

No, it pulls water into the muscle, you might experience scale weight increase from water retention but never sub q

alfresco · Oct 14, 2023

This young man I have been training was taking it. I noticed that he was smoothing out a bit. I chalked it up to eating more, vacation and associated festivities, etc.

After a bit he started to lean out gaining back his vascularity and definition. I asked him what was going on thinking diet. He said he was taking creatine for a short while but has since stopped. Did not feel good and athletics (soccer) was suffering as was his appearance. And he, we, noticed zero strength gains as a result of the creatine.

I told him to tell me the next time he goes off the rails.

And I have never used creatine, never even felt tempted. Now . . . testosterone, that’s another story.

tornquad201 · Oct 14, 2023

alfresco said:
This young man I have been training was taking it. I noticed that he was smoothing out a bit. I chalked it up to eating more, vacation and associated festivities, etc.

After a bit he started to lean out gaining back his vascularity and definition. I asked him what was going on thinking diet. He said he was taking creatine for a short while but has since stopped. Did not feel good and athletics (soccer) was suffering as was his appearance. And he, we, noticed zero strength gains as a result of the creatine.

I told him to tell me the next time he goes off the rails.

And I have never used creatine, never even felt tempted. Now . . . testosterone, that’s another story.

That’s me

slesh · Oct 15, 2023

tornquad201 said:
Anyone experience water retention especially in the face while taking Creatine

What’s your body fat %?

tornquad201 · Oct 15, 2023

slesh said:
What’s your body fat %?

10-12 % I stopped taking it for past two days and lost all that water weird thing was I also had a stomach virus during same time . Am going to start back at 2.5 milligrams a day and see how I do .

slesh · Oct 15, 2023

tornquad201 said:
10-12 % I stopped taking it for past two days and lost all that water weird thing was I also had a stomach virus during same time . Am going to start back at 2.5 milligrams a day and see how I do .

If you’re really that lean you shouldn’t look bloated from creatine. The water retention is more muscle volumization. If sub q fat is low then you should not be holding water in the wrong places. At least this is my experience over the years… same concept as GH.

cage99 · Oct 15, 2023

slesh said:
If you’re really that lean you shouldn’t look bloated from creatine. The water retention is more muscle volumization. If sub q fat is low then you should not be holding water in the wrong places. At least this is my experience over the years… same concept as GH.

Yep, if you’re experiencing any sort or facial puffiness, etc, then chances are you’re holding more fat then you think. At 10% BF, for most folks, you’ll have all abdominals showing clearly with deep insertions. You’ll also be vascular across your abdominals.

Cage

A50# · Oct 15, 2023

alfresco said:
This young man I have been training was taking it. I noticed that he was smoothing out a bit. I chalked it up to eating more, vacation and associated festivities, etc.

After a bit he started to lean out gaining back his vascularity and definition. I asked him what was going on thinking diet. He said he was taking creatine for a short while but has since stopped. Did not feel good and athletics (soccer) was suffering as was his appearance. And he, we, noticed zero strength gains as a result of the creatine.

I told him to tell me the next time he goes off the rails.

And I have never used creatine, never even felt tempted. Now . . . testosterone, that’s another story.

I've always considered myself a creatine non responder. Tried numerous brands, various ways over the years and just never got much of anything out of it. A couple months back I decided to run through the creatine I had left over just for the sake of trying it again and didn't get much, if anything out of it. At the time I was the leanest I'd been in some years, 6 pack abs, veins, striations. Long story short, I feel that it definitely smoothed me out. I changed absolutely nothing but adding the creatine. I even asked the wife (my biggest critique) and she said I looked like I was holding a thin layer of water. I ran out of Creatine after about 10 weeks of using it and the water retention was gone within a couple of weeks.

FK86 · Oct 16, 2023

A50# said:
I've always considered myself a creatine non responder.

Did you ever try it natural? I doubt anyone on gear would notice much from creatine. Everything else they're taking is just so much better. I would think it wouldn't be noticeable.

I notice improvements using it and if there is any water retention it's very minimal.

bigzzz · Oct 16, 2023

Tbh because of this thread I'm going to experiment. I have run creatine mono for years at 5-10g per day, I dropped it since today to see if anything changes the coming 1-2 weeks.

A50# · Oct 16, 2023

FK86 said:
Did you ever try it natural? I doubt anyone on gear would notice much from creatine. Everything else they're taking is just so much better. I would think it wouldn't be noticeable.

I notice improvements using it and if there is any water retention it's very minimal.

Oh yes, most definitely. I was using Creatine well before I ever touched a PED. Somewhere around 1996-97 I was using EAS Phospagen and tons of Jarrow Formulas Creatine. I followed it religiously and did the 20-30g loading phase followed by 5-10 g daily, week after week, month after month. I wanted it to work but just never seen much of anything from it.

Cerberus777 · Oct 16, 2023

I noticed it smoothed me out if I took too much, I tend to only use it when I'm cruising now.

goback2013 · Dec 19, 2023

Cerberus777 said:
I noticed it smoothed me out if I took too much, I tend to only use it when I'm cruising now.

this is facts.... a couple days last week i took 20gm each day.
the next day, my stomach was holding a bit more water. smoother and not as tight and tucked.
i kept my dose to 5-10gm the next couple days, and noticed my stomach was tighter again.
its also worth noting i am doing a SHIT ton of cardio.
2x1hr(at a min) cardio sessions EACH DAY.
but i am liking how the creatine is keeping me full while doing so much cardio and still lifting and boxing.

bigzzz · Dec 19, 2023

I totally removed creatine mono, best decision ever.

goback2013 · Dec 19, 2023

bigzzz said:
I totally removed creatine mono, best decision ever.

i think creatine is useful given certain training styles.

i'm curious.. why do believe removing creatine is best for you ?

bigzzz · Dec 19, 2023

goback2013 said:
i think creatine is useful given certain training styles.

i'm curious.. why do believe removing creatine is best for you ?

I used it for years and years. Pulled it out just to see what would be the difference.

A lot less water retention(stomach, face), a lot less digestive issues. It is just not for me I guess. @Alzadosghost had the same I believe.