Allergic to creatine

[TDog]

Has anyone ever had an allergic reaction to creatine? I get red spots on my legs and sometimes arms while I am on creatine. It usually shows up more after a heavy leg day or after I have been on my feet all day at work. I have tried several brands all with the same results. I have also been to a dermatoligist who took a biopsy of the spots and they were definitely an allergic reaction. The spots look like tiny burst blood vessels under the surface of the skin.

I have discontinued all creatine use and have no plans to use it in the future, but was curious to see if anyone else has had a similar experience. I have no allergies otherwise, and am in excellent health.

[Veritas]

Heh, dont quote me, but I dont think so.

Creatine is found in cow meat. Cows eat grass. Cows are animals.

Creatine is found in human meat. Humans eat whatever. Humans are animals.

Since you are a human, you produce creatine. Not a lot, but you do manufacture it. Now, you carry around a certain amount of zinc too, but you can have an alergic reaction to a large dose.

So "yes", and "no", and sometimes "why".

[Apocalypse_old]

your own body makes creatine and creatine is also found in red meats

[exhortae]

Originally posted by Apocalypse
your own body makes creatine and creatine is also found in red meats

the creatine in meat has nothing to do with the SYNTETHIC creatine you buy.


Although this kind of allergic reaction is excpetionnal you have to keep in mind that every synthetic substance can give allergic reactions.

[Dwm2875]

If your not using just straight creatine for example Cell-tech you could be allergic to one of the addatives.

[WillBrink]

Originally posted by TDog
Has anyone ever had an allergic reaction to creatine? I get red spots on my legs and sometimes arms while I am on creatine. It usually shows up more after a heavy leg day or after I have been on my feet all day at work. I have tried several brands all with the same results. I have also been to a dermatoligist who took a biopsy of the spots and they were definitely an allergic reaction. The spots look like tiny burst blood vessels under the surface of the skin.

I have discontinued all creatine use and have no plans to use it in the future, but was curious to see if anyone else has had a similar experience. I have no allergies otherwise, and am in excellent health.

If you were allergic to creatine you would be dead as its in your food and in your body.

[PappyMason]

Has anyone ever had an allergic reaction to creatine? I get red spots on my legs and sometimes arms while I am on creatine. It usually shows up more after a heavy leg day or after I have been on my feet all day at work. I have tried several brands all with the same results. I have also been to a dermatoligist who took a biopsy of the spots and they were definitely an allergic reaction. The spots look like tiny burst blood vessels under the surface of the skin.

I have discontinued all creatine use and have no plans to use it in the future, but was curious to see if anyone else has had a similar experience. I have no allergies otherwise, and am in excellent health.

I actually have the same experience that you have. At first I thought it was something else in the protein powder until i just bought straight pure creatine and it gave me real serious hives (i looked like elephant man until the doc prescribed me prednisone, an immune system suppressant). Like the guy said before, it is probably because it is synthesized creatine and if you do look it up in a medical book there are people who do have allergic reactions to creatine (probably synthetic).

[jjt001x]

Has anyone ever had an allergic reaction to creatine? I get red spots on my legs and sometimes arms while I am on creatine. It usually shows up more after a heavy leg day or after I have been on my feet all day at work. I have tried several brands all with the same results. I have also been to a dermatoligist who took a biopsy of the spots and they were definitely an allergic reaction. The spots look like tiny burst blood vessels under the surface of the skin.

I have discontinued all creatine use and have no plans to use it in the future, but was curious to see if anyone else has had a similar experience. I have no allergies otherwise, and am in excellent health.

Hi Balakidy,

I have experienced exactly the same thing while using Creatine Monohydrate (from Reflex). I used it in moderation around 5g a day for a period of 6 months (but had days when I forgot to take it). Initially everything was fine and I could see the effectiveness of the product. However, later I developed a small red spot - exactly like you described (like when you would have your blood vessels burst). After a while I got few more and in few months, I had single spots everywhere - on my things, forearms, feet, back, buttocks (interestingly they were not clusters, but single bursts on major body parts).

I was confused and worried that I have could some kind of infection (rash from bacteria as I had undergone tonsilitis). I went to my doctor and she did not know what it was causing. I also visited doctor in France (while on exchange) and I got misdiagnosed with Psoriadris (or whatever) haha - it was ridiculous, nobody new what was causing it. NOTE I was in perfect health apart from the spots - tennis player, no other medication or supplements. ONLY Creatine Monohydrate and not so often Whey Protein (with sucralose as additional sweetener). I stopped using When and only was on Creatine. Initially, I did not pay attention to the RED spots but they were increasing in numbers and period of healing (disappearing) so I started to investigate it.

Then I completely dropped Creatine for some time (around 4 months) while not really examining the spots everyday (I was extremely busy during my one-year internship) ... then I checked again after some time and I HAD ONLY ONE REMAINING BURST ON MY FEET - all other were gone. Soon I had no RED SPOTS what so ever - my skin is again 100% healthy.

Also strangely when I started my internship - I had to get my BP checked and they told me (to my surprise) that it is very high (dont remember the number) - interesting again as I am healthy person.

ANYWAY I DECIDED NOT TO USE CREATINE AGAIN. It's hard because I know that it helps (gives you larger volume by retaining water of course) and now its even harded as I am working out with many other peers on campus - almost 95% of them using many supplements - including Creatine Monohydrate.
I guess it takes to be MENTALLY strong to say that Using creatine would give me only short term UPSITE (getting easier bigger, feeling better about how I look) but AT THE SAME time could significantly increase HUGE DOWNSIDE - e.g. Hypertension (which is always bad), KIDNEY/LIVER Problems.

So I have been tempted to start using CM again last couple of days - I wrote this also to remind myself that its not worth it (yeah it sucks coz there is no certainty that it would lead to disease/heath problem and we are wasting potential gains haha - but there is also no certainty that it wont **** up my health in the long term. Therefore I will myself try to stay resistant to this temptation and will continue to WORK hard in gym (which I like) and KEEP my DIET perfectly balance (EATING WELL!)

For everyone ==== I know that this site is full of supplement users (and I might get bashed for writing this haha) === but think twice when you using Any supplements coz it can **** u up in the long term. I agree that for some people it might be necessary - PROFESSIONAL AThletes, bodybuilders etc., but if you are normal guy like me who will end up working in some multinationa corporation or owning business (meaning: graduating college and becoming a professional - e.g. doctor, police officer, business person etc.) - IS IT WORTH THE RISK taking so many supplements just to look a bit better. I am not taking about not giving a **** how we look - I work out 5 days a week and I am big fan of bodybulding, powerlifting. But again, provided we all get only ONE girlfriend and eventually become old haha - is it worth having kidney failure every two year coz I was taking ZMA, Whey, CM, Beta Alanine, loads of **** of sweeteners etc etc. ... I dont know, probably not for me haha. And trust me I am tempted everyday talking to my friends in a gym.


Please if you experienced RED SPOTS (like described above) after taking Creatine Monohydrate, please let me know about your experience through this site. I am starting research about this issue.

Thanks Joe

P.S. grammar might suck - I did not pay attention.

[snorkelman]

OP, you said that you actually got a biopsy of the spots. What exactly did that show? I vaguely recall a long time ago (maybe 7 years ago), someone posting that they got welts or bumps after using an inferior brand of creatine, which was not sourced from creapure, and they got a biopsy and it actually showed high levels of creatine in the cells. I find that interesting, as it suggested that maybe some creatine pooled in that area, essentially trapped. I honestly never came across anything in the literature myself, but please let us know exactly what the biopsy showed. If you aren't sure, call the doctor's office and have them email/fax you the report or verbally tell you if possible.

[WillBrink]

I guess it takes to be MENTALLY strong to say that Using creatine would give me only short term UPSITE (getting easier bigger, feeling better about how I look) but AT THE SAME time could significantly increase HUGE DOWNSIDE - e.g. Hypertension (which is always bad), KIDNEY/LIVER Problems.

Complete and utter BS. Creatine has many potential health benefits and those side effects do not exist and are mythology. Learn the facts vs nonsense people are feeding you.

[cumminslifter]

you guys do know this thread is 11 years old right?

[HughMcFatty]

Complete and utter BS. Creatine has many potential health benefits and those side effects do not exist and are mythology. Learn the facts vs nonsense people are feeding you.

THIS...

And you also mentioned you discontinued it's use. Truly, that is the first step if you think something is giving you an adverse reaction. Did the red bumps disappear after you eliminated creatine? If so, then I guess you know the answer. If not, you've got more investigating to do but your answers won't lie in this forum for that.

Hope you figure it out.

[HughMcFatty]

you guys do know this thread is 11 years old right?

Sh*t. :/

[Sinan09400]

Not for myself but the creatine I'm currently using was given to me freely by a dude cuz it made unbearable stomachaches to him.

I've been using the the same creatine for a while now and I'm unaffected by any kinds of side effects (except for mad gainz)

[lucia316]

Gosh, I hope OP is still monitoring this thread...