Is creatine safe to take while breastfeeding???

[Bluelinersgirl]

Is creatine safe to take while breastfeeding??? Can you explain why or why not? I'm guessing since there have been no studies on this that it's probably best NOT to take it while still breastfeeding. But I would really appreciate some input. THANKS!

[Npeart]

Is creatine safe to take while breastfeeding??? Can you explain why or why not? I'm guessing since there have been no studies on this that it's probably best NOT to take it while still breastfeeding. But I would really appreciate some input. THANKS!

It wouldn't stop me from feeding on them ;-)

Ummm, but seriously. I would refrain from all supplementation except maybe protein powder while breast feeding. The baby will undoubtedly get some of the creatine from you and even if it can't do any real harm, it certainly isn't going to do any good either.

I say, no creatine.

[Bluelinersgirl]

It wouldn't stop me from feeding on them ;-)

Ummm, but seriously. I would refrain from all supplementation except maybe protein powder while breast feeding. The baby will undoubtedly get some of the creatine from you and even if it can't do any real harm, it certainly isn't going to do any good either.

I say, no creatine.

Yeah, thats what I was thinking... minus the first part! I was just kind hoping someone might say "oh yeah you can use it this is why...." lol Guess I'll just have to wait

[Npeart]

Yeah, thats what I was thinking... minus the first part! I was just kind hoping someone might say "oh yeah you can use it this is why...." lol Guess I'll just have to wait

Minus the first part?

Killjoy!

[Bluelinersgirl]

I've been researching it some more and it looks like it's probably ok. They recommend you don't take it while breastfeeding because there is a lack of research... and there will always be a lack of research because it would technically be unethical to research it. I've talked to some specialists and some women who have taken creatine while breastfeeding and decided that once breast milk is no longer my daughters main source of nutrition and calories that I'm going to start a low dose, probably about 3grams a day.

I found that creatine is naturally occurring in human breast milk, and occurs at higher levels in cows milk... which means that formula feed babies and older babies on whole milk get higher doses... One nutritionist (with her PHD in women's health and nutrition) said that after looking into it she believes that it's healthier then drinking alcohol or smoking while breastfeeding. Everyone pretty much agreed that there were no logical bad consequences to taking it while breastfeeding.

I wouldn't start for another couple months, so I'll keep looking into it. In the meantime... Have any of the women on here taken creatine while breastfeeding? Or does anyone have any evidence that it would have a negative consequence? Right now I feel pretty secure that it is safe.

[terracotta]

I wouldn't take it while breastfeeding because of potential for dehydration.

[Bluelinersgirl]

I wouldn't take it while breastfeeding because of potential for dehydration.

I've thought of that, but we've been breastfeeding for 10 months as of today, so we're pretty well established. When I start it in a few months I'll be really careful to stay hydrated, and by that time breast milk won't be her primary source of nutrition.

[Mindi912]

don't take it.

/thread

[pryme]

I would not take anything but protein and a multi, and omegas. just my opinion.

[Bluelinersgirl]

don't take it.

/thread

I'm not dead set on it, so can you give me some valid reasons why I shouldn't? I'm open to them.

[Bluelinersgirl]

I would not take anything but protein and a multi, and omegas. just my opinion.

Well I hope you wouldn't be breastfeeding in the first place lol

[Bluelinersgirl]

Just so people don't think I'm taking this too lightly. I don't drink, never smoked, won't take ANY medications (since breastfeeding I've had ankle problems and the Dr's have prescribed my steroids, 2 anti-inflammatories, and an anti anxiety pill or something for the dentist!) I won't eat anything with artificial sweeteners in it. I eat healthy. My daughter eats 90% organic. I probably eat about 50% organic. I use all natural household cleaners and detergents. ETC.

I take a BCAA supplement with no artificial sweeteners, a prenatal multi, fish oil, and flax. I am VERY concerned with what goes into my body and thus hers.

I've really been researching this and talked to 3 very knowledgeable fitness/nutrition specialists, one with a PHD that has written many articles and even a book on nutrition and supplementation. I've been talking to women who have taken it while pregnant and/or breastfeeding, and reading up on everything related to it I can find.

Other then watching out for dehydration I haven't been able to find any potential risks, and everyone seems to be in agreement that drinking alcohol or smoking while breast feeding, or feeding formula would be worse then creatine... and how many millions are doing one of those 3?

Like I said... I'm not 100% set on this, and I'll continue to research it and think about whether or not I want to take it for a few more months. If I do take it, I'm waiting till breast milk is NOT her main source of nutrition (sometime after she turns one), and then taking a low dose, 3grams.

[ctgblue]

I'm not dead set on it, so can you give me some valid reasons why I shouldn't? I'm open to them.

Everything you take in during breast feeding goes right to the baby
while creatine is a naturally occuring substance in some foods, the effects of supranormal doses of creatine monohydrate on infants is not noted, and realistically never should be
Do you really want your kid to be the test subject?

[terracotta]

While I don't think it will cause harm as it is naturally occurring, and your baby will be eating mostly real food, ctgblue makes a good point.

[Bluelinersgirl]

Everything you take in during breast feeding goes right to the baby
while creatine is a naturally occuring substance in some foods, the effects of supranormal doses of creatine monohydrate on infants is not noted, and realistically never should be
Do you really want your kid to be the test subject?

While it hasn't been tested on infants, it has been tested on children. She would be over 1 year old. Also, whole milk(which most Americans switch to at 1 year) and baby formula both have higher creatine contents. I wish there was a way to take it and then have the milk tested to see if it was higher then in cows milk?

[Bluelinersgirl]

I bf until my daughter was 13 months and was anxious to get my body back, so I understand wanting to get back into supplements and such but since you dont know 100% what the effects could be, it might be better to wait unless u have your dr's okay.

Also....how much longer do you plan to breastfeed? If it's only a few months...it's better just to wait IMO.

BTW you look amazing for 5 months postpartum! I wish my body bounced back like that...and u gained 60 lbs? Lucky girl...u have amazing genes!

LOL I must need to update my profile... I'm 10 months postpartum as of 2 days ago and the most recent pics on my profile are of me 8 months postpartum. (I did lose all the weight by 6 months pp though)

I plan on breastfeeding til she is about 2 years (I know that's a little unusual in this country but it is what the World Health Organization recommends, so that's my goal) after we stop I probably won't wait a whole lot longer before we have #2 and then that's another 2 years of BF, so I'm looking at a least another 4 years of pregnant or breastfeeding!

I wouldn't bother asking my Dr. he's an idiot, probably would say that women shouldn't even take creatine lol, he's like 100 yrs old lol. I need to find another Dr.

[carreannjoe]

LOL I must need to update my profile... I'm 10 months postpartum as of 2 days ago and the most recent pics on my profile are of me 8 months postpartum. (I did lose all the weight by 6 months pp though)

I plan on breastfeeding til she is about 2 years (I know that's a little unusual in this country but it is what the World Health Organization recommends, so that's my goal) after we stop I probably won't wait a whole lot longer before we have #2 and then that's another 2 years of BF, so I'm looking at a least another 4 years of pregnant or breastfeeding!

I wouldn't bother asking my Dr. he's an idiot, probably would say that women shouldn't even take creatine lol, he's like 100 yrs old lol. I need to find another Dr.

Wow, this is the exact question I have! Not sure how long ago this post is from but wondered how you ended up handeling this? I have a 2.5 year old who nurses, mostly for comfort, still and I really want to start taking a creatine supp but don't want to do anything harmful to her..and the same with her doctor! for one, she wouldn't even understand the nursing thing because she is so old school. I just let it go in one ear and out the other. I couldn't even imagine if i mentioned wanting to take creatine. i told her we drink almond milk recently and she made a disgusted face and advised me how much better cow's milk is for children! anyhow, wondering how you handeled the creatine thing while nursing. thanks!

[ives]

I wouldn't bother asking my Dr. he's an idiot, probably would say that women shouldn't even take creatine lol, he's like 100 yrs old lol. I need to find another Dr.

Wait, the same doctor that said you were OK to keep playing hockey until 12 weeks gestation?

[Bluelinersgirl]

Wait, the same doctor that said you were OK to keep playing hockey until 12 weeks gestation?

No, my OB ok'd the hockey. I was talking about my daughter's ped being an idiot, he's the one I probably would have asked about the creating since I was wondering about how it would affect HER, and because I see him a lot more than my OB.

Glad you're still so concerned with my life btw

I played till 11 weeks and baby is just fine btw. I took my temp between shifts since that was the only real danger in playing (body temp rising over 101). It never got close.

[Bluelinersgirl]

Wow, this is the exact question I have! Not sure how long ago this post is from but wondered how you ended up handeling this? I have a 2.5 year old who nurses, mostly for comfort, still and I really want to start taking a creatine supp but don't want to do anything harmful to her..and the same with her doctor! for one, she wouldn't even understand the nursing thing because she is so old school. I just let it go in one ear and out the other. I couldn't even imagine if i mentioned wanting to take creatine. i told her we drink almond milk recently and she made a disgusted face and advised me how much better cow's milk is for children! anyhow, wondering how you handeled the creatine thing while nursing. thanks!

PM me and I'll email you all the info I found on the topic. I got a very informational email from a fitness expert with her PhD in nutrition, she's even written a few books.

I started using a low dose (3g a day) when my daughter was 13 months old and breastmilk was no longer her main source of nutrition. She continued to breastfed until she self-weaned at 21 months. Her height and weight stayed on track and cognitively she's off the chart lol! Her vocabulary at 18 months was considered normal for a 36 month old.

[SurelyFunky]

"healthier than alcohol and smoking while breastfeeding" is hardly a ringing endorsement.

There is no research on the matter because it would not be ethical. If someone was going to research it - would you volunteer your child? I wouldn't. A couple years of gains / potential gains aren't worth any potential problems you might cause your child, nor the second-guessing you would put yourself through if something did happen.

[Bluelinersgirl]

"healthier than alcohol and smoking while breastfeeding" is hardly a ringing endorsement.

There is no research on the matter because it would not be ethical. If someone was going to research it - would you volunteer your child? I wouldn't. A couple years of gains / potential gains aren't worth any potential problems you might cause your child, nor the second-guessing you would put yourself through if something did happen.

Creatine is naturally occurring in breastmilk and is in cow's-milk and formula at higher levels. There's no reason to believe that a low dose supplement of creatine would increase the level in your breast milk at all let alone to make it higher than what is found in cow milk or formula. Your body takes what it needs to make milk and just because someone has a slightly higher level of creatine in their system doesn't mean that their body will take more to put in the milk.

Even if it did slightly raise the level, it's unlikely that it would be higher than what's found in cow's milk or formula and if it was some how slightly higher than those it couldn't be much higher, with the amount of my daughter's diet that the breast milk contributed to I don't have any reason to think that it would be significant. I wouldn't take creatine while breast milk was my child's main diet just to be extra safe, though I have met women that took it while pregnant and or while breastfeeding infants.

If I ate a ton of red meat and fish I could raise my creatine levels too. People that eat meat naturally have higher levels of creatine in their bodies, do you think their breastfed babies are any better or worse off than breastfed babies with vegetarian mothers? Since breast milk is so good at regulating itself there probably isn't a difference in the amount of creatine found in it between vegetarians and meat eaters, it's likely that it just depletes the vegetarians of their creatine even further.

Since creatine naturally occurs in our bodies and in human breast milk it can't be compared to "Smoking, Drinking alcohol, Drinking caffeine, Eating foods containing artificial sweeteners, Using drugs(illegal or otherwise), etc" (all things I don't do)

I made my decision and haven't second guessed it.

[SurelyFunky]

Since creatine naturally occurs in our bodies and in human breast milk it can't be compared to "Smoking, Drinking alcohol, Drinking caffeine, Eating foods containing artificial sweeteners, Using drugs(illegal or otherwise), etc" (all things I don't do)

I made my decision and haven't second guessed it.

Your nutritionist with a PhD did just that, and you used it as supporting info.

Not saying you should second guess, just saying its a poor comparison for someone (your nutritionist) who is (should be?) highly qualified to make, and that its a big (and very personal) choice to make one's child a test subject.

[1972girl]

I would not, I'm not sure if its safe or not but its not necessary and you wont be breast feeding forever. Why risk the chance of doing harm to your child over something like that? Also just because something is natural occurring in the body does not mean its going to act the same when you take it in an unnatural form, testosterone is a good example of that.

[Bluelinersgirl]

Your nutritionist with a PhD did just that, and you used it as supporting info.

Not saying you should second guess, just saying its a poor comparison for someone (your nutritionist) who is (should be?) highly qualified to make, and that its a big (and very personal) choice to make one's child a test subject.

These were her exact words: "Some women drink alcohol while breastfeeding, others smoke, others do whatever. Taking creatine seems to be the least-likely component to at all harm your child."

A second point I want to make is that it HAS been tested on children and my daughter was over a year old when I started taking it so she wasn't an infant still.

[ives]

Is creatine safe to take while breastfeeding??? Can you explain why or why not? I'm guessing since there have been no studies on this that it's probably best NOT to take it while still breastfeeding. But I would really appreciate some input. THANKS!

One reason there haven't been any/many studies on the effects of creatine on breastfeeding children is that it's extremely difficult to get human-subjects authorization for drug studies on pregnant/breastfeeding women. Why? Because unborn and breastfeeding children are a uniquely vulnerable and non-consenting group and there are major ethical concerns (which I imagine would be amplified if a study proposed putting this group at risk to test an arguably "non-essential" chemical like creatine).

I'm not a pharmacist, obstetrician, nutritionist, or even a mother myself, BUT, when the day does come that I find myself in a position where my body is tasked with growing and feeding a child, I will not take chances with any supplement, food, drug, or activity the safety of which has not been extensively studied.

For me, this is a simple matter of logic: I cannot eliminate every possible source of harm to my baby, but I will absolutely eliminate those that are within my power to avoid. For some harms, like, say, genetic abnormalities, I could "do everything right" and still not be 100% sure my child (born or unborn) would not be affected. For other potential harms (creatine, non-essential prescription drugs, skydiving, riding a motorcycle, etc), I CAN make sure my child isn't harmed: just don't do it. You can guarantee that creatine won't harm your fetus or breastfeeding child by simply not taking creatine.

My general thoughts on untested risks to unborn/breastfeeding children having been stated, here's my input on creatine specifically: creatine is generally innocuous for adults, but can harm the liver and kidneys in large doses. Especially given the lack of studies of creatine in breastfeeding women, I'm not sure anyone knows the extent to which maternally-ingested creatine is excreted in breastmilk. Breastfeeding children have a lower bodyweight than you or me... why take the chance that whatever amount is excreted might be equivalent to a liver-wrecking super-dose for your 20lb kid?

Also, in response to your point that creatine is naturally present in meat/milk/fish: there are many, MANY different chemicals that fall under the blanket term "creatine." You've got creatine monohydrate, creatine ethyl ester, creatine citrate, creatine malate, creatine phosphate, creatine gluconate, and the list goes on. Each type acts on the human body in a slightly different way. Are you sure that the creatine supplement you're considering is chemically identical to what your body produces naturally? If you don't think the distinction is important, consider the difference between methyl alcohol and ethyl alcohol: chemically, they're pretty similar (a hydroxyl and some extra carbon and hydrogen) but ultimately, one is antifreeze and the other is vodka.

[meredith0604]

These were her exact words: "Some women drink alcohol while breastfeeding, others smoke, others do whatever. Taking creatine seems to be the least-likely component to at all harm your child."

A second point I want to make is that it HAS been tested on children and my daughter was over a year old when I started taking it so she wasn't an infant still.

My son is almost 13 months old and I'm still breastfeeding him with no end in sight at this time. I am so glad I came across this forum! My husband and I have been researching this topic (breastfeeding and taking creatine) and I am curious about your experience. I keep reading about the benefits of taking Creatine and I have been hesitant due to the breastfeeding, so I thought I could wean him and he just isn't ready.

Reading this forum makes me laugh bc the Women/Men who always criticize us/you for doing this or that while breastfeeding are the ones who don't bf their kids. So quick to judge!! lol

[sonti]

I know people have probably already made up their minds on this, but I'll add that while I would love to benefit from creatine, I'd have to say no to it during breastfeeding. It hasn't been proven to be unsafe, but it hasn't proven to be safe. It's sort of like how I approached Stevia during my pregnancy - I'm sure it was fine, but it hadn't proven to be safe, so I just avoided it. It wasn't necessary, just like creatine isn't necessary. Just my personal choice.

[glitterbug21]

I have taken creatine monohydrate (it's in my workout drinks) while still breastfeeding. My children are extremely healthy and extremely advanced for their age in intellect as well as athletically.

The people telling you they wouldn't take creatine monohydrate while breastfeeding most likely would use disposable diapers on their baby which contain dioxins, sodium polyacrylate, Tributyl-tin, volatile organic compounds, plastics, and petroleum.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), dioxins are among the most toxic chemicals known to science and are listed by the EPA as highly carcinogenic chemicals. According to the World Health Organization, exposure to dioxins may cause skin reactions and altered liver function, as well as impairments to the immune system, nervous system, endocrine system and reproductive functions.

Sodium polyacrylate was removed from tampons due to toxic shock syndrome. As it has only been used in diapers for the last two decades, there is not yet research on the long-term health effects of sodium polyacrylate on babies.

VOCs can cause eye, nose and throat irritation, headaches, damage to the liver, kidney and central nervous system as well as cancers.

In May 2000, the Archives of Disease in Childhood published research showing that scrotal temperature is increased in boys wearing disposable diapers, and that prolonged use of disposable diapers will blunt or completely abolish the physiological testicular cooling mechanism important for normal spermatogenesis.

There is an abundance of overwhelming information clearing stating that using disposable diapers is extremely hazardous to your baby, but due to the fact that an overwhelming majority of Americans use them, people still think it's okay.

Don't even get me started on baby formula! LOL!

You know what is right for your children. Don't listen to people that don't have any idea what they are talking about.

Much love! God bless!

[ajangel25]

Why do you want to take it so bad anyway? I don't take it and have made major strength gains/muscle definition/whatever without it!