Does Creatine Help You Lose Weight?
This is a collaborative post.
One of the most common fitness goals is losing weight. And you have to live under a rock not to have seen dozens of commercials about the perfect pill, exercise program, tool, or diet that will turn you into a supermodel and help you shed the extra pounds in no time.
The search for the magic fat loss cure has been going on for years, and recently, people have been taking it to the extreme, with pills such as Ozempic being widely used and even marketed by clinics and some celebrities.
Please note: The advice in this article is not a substitute for doctors’ advice and you should always consult your GP before starting or changing any supplements or medications.
With that said, none of these hacks and remedies have a lasting effect if they don’t come with newly found discipline and understanding of how to train and feed our bodies. And in the search to becoming healthier, better versions of ourselves, many actually find that regular exercise, a balanced diet, and a few key supplements are a much more sustainable way to lose weight, gain muscle, and feel better.
Today, we’re going to take a look at one of those supplements in particular – creatine. We’re going to discuss what it does, whether it’s beneficial for weight loss, and if you should consider taking it. So, if that sounds like your cup of tea, then keep on reading.
What Does Creatine Do?
Creatine’s most well-known and marketed effect has to do with its muscle-building benefits. That’s why, for many women, it’s a supplement that men should take, and plenty of companies continue to advertise it as such. However, that couldn’t be further away from the truth, as creatine has many other benefits that are helpful for both genders. Let’s dive into it.
In order to have energy during a workout, our muscles use adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is stored in our cells. With that said, during longer or more difficult sessions, our muscles tend to run out of ATP, and that’s where creatine phosphate comes into play, as it acts as a reserve that helps the faster regeneration of ATP and allows us to continue training hard for longer periods of time. When you consume creatine, you essentially increase your body’s storage of CP, thus increasing your ability to train more and recover better.
Because of that effect, creatine is deemed to help with muscle-building, as the more you work out, the more muscle mass you can build. With that said, one side effect of creatine that’s seen as negative and that leads to a belief that it leads to weight gain is the fact that it causes water retention.
More About Water Retention
When people first start taking creatine, it leads to a rapid increase in the intermuscular water content. That’s caused by the fact that the supplement pulls water into the muscle cells – a process that may lead to a short-term increase in weight on the scale. But, here’s the important distinction – gaining water weight and gaining fat are not the same things.
And so, the fact that you’re seeing a higher number on the scale doesn’t mean that you’ve increased your body fat percentage. In fact, thanks to the water retention, your muscle will appear fuller and more toned, but again, this has nothing to do with long-term weight gain or fat loss; it’s just an immediate aftereffect of creatine supplementation.
Does Creatine Help With Fat Loss?
Unlike many supplements on the market, creatine is rarely recommended as a weight loss cure, and it’s vital to make sure you remember that it’s not. However, spills play an indirect role in the process of losing fat and retaining more muscle mass. Taking creatine alone won’t help you burn fat, but the fact that it enables you to work out for longer periods of time and harder can lead to more calories burned over time, which makes it easier to drop weight, especially if that’s combined with a great nutrition plan.
Furthermore, as you gain more muscle (a potential benefit from creatine supplementation), your resting metabolic rate will also increase as the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest. Over a prolonged period of time, this can lead to further fat loss, granted that you still maintain a healthy diet.
Other Creatine Benefits
Besides the benefits we just discussed related to muscle-building, weight loss, and athletic performance, creatine has much more to offer in terms of overall health benefits. Some of those include:
- May lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels
- It may enhance glycemic control
- It could be considered an antioxidant
- May aid in the prevention of bone loss
- It can help in cases of neurodegenerative diseases
- Has a positive influence on cognitive function
- It may act as an antidepressant
And because of that, supplementation may not only help you on your fitness journey, but it could also help you feel better and healthier overall.
Should You Be Taking Creatine?
This is a completely personal decision and totally based on your individual goals. If you want to improve your performance in the gym, gain muscle, and maintain a lean physique, then supplementing with creatine will definitely be beneficial for you. However, if your goal is to lose weight quickly and at once, then the initial water gain you get from creatine might discourage you and lead you to believe your diet is not strict enough.
With that said, if you decide to start taking creatine, it’s recommended that you have cycling periods. This means taking it for some months and then taking a break – by doing so, you will manage the effects of water retention and give your body a much-needed rest.
In Conclusion
Creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements in the world, and its effects have been proven by multiple studies over many years. However, it’s not a miracle, and it won’t provide any immediate fat loss effects. Instead, it will help you improve your physique over time as you gain muscle, perform better, and drop any weight necessary, with the note that throughout this time, you still train regularly and maintain a healthy diet.