Creatine while cutting; how much water weight do you guys gain on creatine?

[MeatFalafel]

I'm currently in the middle of a cut and am beginning to lose strength on my lifts.

Considering creatine in an attempt to preserve my strength, but it's gonna be disheartening if I gain like 5KG of water weight and throw off my cutting progress.

How much water weight should I expect to gain?


Poverty reps for answers.

[shotputted]

I gain about 3 kg from creatine. I wouldn't worry about it derailing your cut, because it is just water weight. In fact it should help you keep strength and preserve some more lean mass during the cut. You may want to cycle off a couple weeks beforehand if you have an event where you want to be as shreadded as possible, but that is just for the appearance of leanness due to cutting the water weight and has nothing to do with fat.

[aaronuconn]

I honestly don't gain any. Remember the water retention is intra-cellular. Go with 3g daily.

[joregorn]

1lb for me. However, it is water not fat.

[bodybuilder03]

I like to use kre-alkalyn during my contest preps and if I am just trying to lean down some. I see zero water retention and no bloat.

[melaneybh]

I dont notice any personally, theres probably a negligible amount but my weight fluctuates in between 3 lbs daily so I couldn't tell you exactly.

[joregorn]

I like to use kre-alkalyn during my contest preps and if I am just trying to lean down some. I see zero water retention and no bloat.

Well, I hope that you do retain water. If not your product does not work.

[itzDodge]

Well, I hope that you do retain water. If not your product does not work.

That ^^, anyone not retaining water either has to be a non-responder to creatine or their product isn't creatine, which is unlikely given its dirt cheap. To top it off, water retention from creatine is intramuscular and can really only make you look better.

[UNCnate]

That ^^, anyone not retaining water either has to be a non-responder to creatine or their product isn't creatine, which is unlikely given its dirt cheap. To top it off, water retention from creatine is intramuscular and can really only make you look better.

Well said, unfortunately this is a battle that will take forever to win.

[beastmode47]

You can still look cut while on creatine, only if you're already cut and less than 12% body fat. If anything, it'll make you look more cut because with the already low body fat %, your muscles will expand and get "fuller", which in turn will push out your skin, giving you an even more ripped look. But if you're chunky with muscles, expect to look even chunkier.

Anyway. I've been on creatine mono for about three weeks and I gained 7 lbs.

[usafamnguy]

Like the others said creatine causes intra muscular water gain, not subcutaneous. If there was ever a time to use it I would say that would be during a cut. You can get shreaded while still on creatine, by no means was I shreaded but my avatar pic was the morning of a show while on creatine and I think I looked alright.

[recreateme]

I'd say a couple lbs, 3-5 maybe, but i rarely take a full 5gs a day... I have never measured exactly but when i stop taking it trim down noticeably, but also my muscles don't look as full. This has been with Kre-Alk creatine. If i take the 5gs a day i feel puffy all over, not just muscles, almost like my skin is puffier...

[MeatFalafel]

Thanks all for your helpful replies. Reps for all that I've missed on R/C.

[supermaz]

well youre cutting fat man. not water. if you are worried about some water then youre just not lean enough yet.

not hating im at 18% lol

but creatine is legit in my opinion. i know guys that run it till precontest.
the gains out weigh the neg.

good luck man

[lifthard72]

I believe I saw a study that said that creatine doesnt directly cause bloating, can anybody confirm that or was that not true.

[RedwardG]

I am currently cutting and using Creacore creatine. I haven't noticed much water weight gain or bloating at all, but what I have noticed is increased strength and muscle endurance, while taking in low amounts of carbs. Also my muscles are a lot harder when I flex.

[KimJong-il]

Your probably gonna gain around 5lbs of water weight, but it wont hinder your look so I wouldnt worry about it.

[mmafighterskiba]

I am currently cutting and using Creacore creatine. I haven't noticed much water weight gain or bloating at all, but what I have noticed is increased strength and muscle endurance, while taking in low amounts of carbs. Also my muscles are a lot harder when I flex.

^NICE! Glad to see your enjoying the product.

OP look into CreaCore a lot of people are enjoying the strength gains from it. Taking creatine on a cut is a good thing to do, it helps with strength and for me it helps with muscle fullness

[mscriven]

I gained 4lbs when I started taking creatine.

[Health45]

imho it depends if you do perhaps a loading phase or not, overall qty ,cutting or bulking diet, taken on empty stomatch or with carbs/protein to increase upate by the muscles etc etc

I gained serious strength/energy but not much weight at all but I'm in maintenance diet for some time and I only take 2gr and no loading phase.
if do a loading phase and in bulking phase, perhaps or probably you'll gain more weight, as more food= also more water ingested, on top of
water you drink...

http://examine.com/supplements/Creatine/

[TheJediBrah]

I gain about 3 kg from creatine.

No you don't

I believe I saw a study that said that creatine doesnt directly cause bloating, can anybody confirm that or was that not true.

yes. it causes intramuscular water retention. It shouldn't contribute to bloating or overall water retention much, if at all.
If it does, you've got dat dere placebo effect.

[12ccopeland]

I've gained about 3 since starting to take it again, however I've also gained noticeable fat so surely not all that weight is water

[rhadam]

2-3lbs is average for me.

[shotputted]

I almost prefaced my post by saying I think I seem to gain more than average, but I don't know another explanation for going from 218 to 225 lbs in 3 weeks with the only change being adding creatine, then losing a similar weight when stopping use. Sure, bloating etc can be placebo or subjective, but mass is mass.

[beastmode47]

I almost prefaced my post by saying I think I seem to gain more than average, but I don't know another explanation for going from 218 to 225 lbs in 3 weeks with the only change being adding creatine, then losing a similar weight when stopping use. Sure, bloating etc can be placebo or subjective, but mass is mass.

You're not the only one. In less than three weeks, I gained about 7 pounds. And I'm on a fat loss stack (Burn24, DCP, and Alphamine).

[itzDodge]

No you don't

He could have gained a significant amount intramuscular water weight on creatine. Enough to show a large effect on the scale

[TheJediBrah]

He could have gained a significant amount intramuscular water weight on creatine. Enough to show a large effect on the scale

If he gained 3kg it was mostly other factors

[Immichaelski]

I was always scared to use creative because of this but I found out that when I come off of creative I'm even more ripped than I was before.

[Big.Jazayrli]

If you start consistently taking creatine (as you should be) over the long term it shouldn't be an issue.

Disconnect your concern with the number on the scale and pay attention to the mirror. Unless you're in a weight class based sport I don't see the worry.

[MeatFalafel]

well youre cutting fat man. not water. if you are worried about some water then youre just not lean enough yet.

not hating im at 18% lol

but creatine is legit in my opinion. i know guys that run it till precontest.
the gains out weigh the neg.

good luck man

Thanks bro, you too. I agree I'm not lean enough to worry about water retention etc. I meant it in a sense of my progress on the scale.

If you start consistently taking creatine (as you should be) over the long term it shouldn't be an issue.

Disconnect your concern with the number on the scale and pay attention to the mirror. Unless you're in a weight class based sport I don't see the worry.

I haven't taken it for ages.. Every time I do my strength shoots up, just find it pretty disgusting to ingest. I'll try. Week by week progress is hard to measure by sight though.