Handling Creatine Side Effects

Side effects of creatine supplementation have abundant anecdotal support, but have little documentation in the literature and therefore have no rigorous research on their causes and solutions.

The lack of documentation in the literature for a supplement so extremely well studied indicates that the side effects are idiosyncratic. This means that they are not predictable dose-response effects but are instead driven more by the person’s unique response.

In the comments of Your Cells Are Starving for Creatine, people mentioned elevated creatinine, insomnia, cramps, and constipation. On X, they mentioned water retention, and hair loss. On Instagram, they mentioned irritation and anger, lightheadedness during lifting, bloating, aggravation of restless leg syndrome, irritation of asthma, and bloody noses. On Facebook, they mentioned anxiety. Others have mentioned to me headaches. We also cover heart palpitations, twitching, and fast or slow heartbeat.

In this article, we use biochemical reasoning to ascertain the likely causes and solutions to creatine side effects so that individuals can better help themselves by trying things predicted to work.

There is also a podcast version here:

This is educational in nature and not medical or dietetic advice. See terms for additional and more complete disclaimers.