Stopping Creatine Use

[jco378]

I haven't read any posts which discuss the effects on the body when a creatine user permanently discontinues creatine use. Is it just water loss from the muscle and therefore some weight loss or is there a drastic decrease in strength as well?

[TinyMan]

You will certainly drop all the water weight from using creatine (assuming you were using creatine monohydrate. The relatively pricey kre-alk/CEE are not supposed to increase water retention). However, you will not lose the muscle that you gained while on creatine. If you go off creatine, and keep the same diet and training regimen you will lose the effects that saturating creatine has on your body, but not the resulting effects from using creatine before.

[Ron_Jeremy]

I was using phosphagen HP ONLY post workout, so that means I was only using 1 scoop 3-4 times per week. I have been using it for the past 4 months in this manner. While using it this way I felt like I was getting good pump and felt strong in the gym. I ran out about 3 weeks ago and now my strength feels like it's down a little bit, I don't seem to be recovering as fast (not sure if this is creatine related), and my pumps are just average. I feel that is has affected me some what. Now the flip side of that is that I'm more vascular. More veins and more cut looking. I'm not going to say one things or another but that's been my experience.

[sm00f]

I always lose about 3-5 pounds of water weight within 2-3 days of stopping creatine when I go off it, maybe 10% strength too but not a lot.

[F W Nietszche]

creatine doesn't even work for me... so yeah

[Justin.L]

ive been off creatin for a month and i think i only lost 1 pound in water weight. not really a lot. is it true that creatine can weaken ur joints? and would it be bad to take creatine while doin full contact sports like rugby? cuz if you get hit...wouldnt it like....pop ur muscle? lol