Creatine is the king of sports supplements – it can help you build muscle, get stronger, and even boost memory and help those with depression. But, despite its popularity (particularly in sporting circles) and all the studies surrounding the supplement, creatine is still widely feared and misunderstood.
FYI, none of us actually needs to take creatine, you can continue life and make progress in the gym without it. However, if you do want to start taking it, but are simply avoiding it because you’ve heard about some scary creatine side effects (weight gain and hair loss to name a few), you don't need to be.
Whether you’re looking to try creatine powder or pills, here are three of the most common myths surrounding creatine that need to be debunked...
‘Creatine makes you gain weight’
So it sort of does, but not in the way you think. Creatine contains zero calories, so it will not lead to fat gain. What creatine does is increase water retention, drawing more water into your muscles. This isn’t a bad thing, as it will make your muscles look bigger and fuller (and who doesn’t want that?). However, this can lead to a very, very small increase on the scale. You also need to remember, creatine enables you to push harder during your training; the harder you work, the more muscle you build, and the more muscle you have, the heavier you become. So, yes, you may get a little heavier, but take this as a good sign, not a bad one.
‘Creatine is bad for your kidneys’
The Mayo Clinic says: “Although an older case study suggested that creatine might worsen kidney dysfunction in people with kidney disorders, creatine doesn't appear to affect kidney function in healthy people.” There are also lots of studies that back up the effectiveness and safety of creatine, including in type 2 diabetes patients. Just make sure you buy creatine from a reputable supplement brand. This one from Momentus not only delivers a decent 5 gram serving per scoop, but also certification from Informed Sport and NSF to ensure supplement safety.
'Creatine causes hair loss'
This myth stems from a single research paper published back in 2009, which looked into 20 rugby players who supplemented with creatine, and how it affected dihydrotestosterone (DHT) to testosterone ratios. To cut a long story short, researchers found that DHT, a hormone linked to hair loss, increased. However, according to the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, no studies have actually reported that creatine leads to hair loss itself. They also say: “In summary, the current body of evidence does not indicate that creatine supplementation increases total testosterone, free testosterone, DHT or causes hair loss/baldness.”
