Yup. Got flagged once for high creatinine in my lab results. Did a 24-hr urine collection and was sent to a specialist. He took one look at me, asked if I worked out and took creatine, and when I said yes, he said there was no problem.
Ha this recently happened to me but my pcp basically told me it looks like I’m starting early kidney failure without considering to ask me about creatine even though I have told him I take it every day previously
I am not sure if people know this or if its till done as much, but used to live next door to pretty big drug dealer about 9yrs ago, and they cut the white stuff with creatine 1/2 & 1/2. it was the huge unflavored kind from GNC btw. also I know now some people also will use it in order to pass urine drug test when they are flushing out there system with water because low creatine is a dead giveaway. very random I know, just thought it might interest someone who has seen a different use of it.
I live in Houston and work outside in the field. Summer can be brutal. Creatine is a great tool for protecting yourself from heat stress. Like seriously good and effective. Kind of weird you don’t see that angle mentioned much.
That’s very fascinating, how does that work or help with heat? Live in the ahead in Queensland Australia, so heat running and working is similar in heat. Would be super keen to hear how Creatine helps with that
Thank you for the straight to the point video. So many of the medical advice videos turn a 1 minute of content into a 20 minute video. Lots of gems in this one above and beyond the standard creatine videos. Thanks again.
Creatine pretty much changed my life, suffered from chronic depression for over 30 years never touched anti-depressants i always battled with my demons in my own way. Been taking a lower dose, 3g per day now for 3 months, after around 2 months i noticed the way i think has changed, i dont seem to have any dark thoughts, ive even tried to make myself depressed but it doesnt seem to work, which has worried me, strangely...its like i cannot be sad anymore.....my attention span has increased, i struggle to read and process what im reading, i would need to read something 3-4 times for it to 'sink in' now i read it once. The neurological benefits of this stuff seem to far outweigh the physical benefits, makes me wonder what the world would be like if everyone was on this.
It’s actually a known benefit of creatine. Look into High Intensity Health’s creatine video, and he explains the benefits of creatine on mood and mental health. Very interesting.
No health issues or no detected health issues. When you dramatically increase anything in the body over a long period of time that it can produce itself, something's gotta give
I started taking about two months ago to gain a little weight and add lean muscle. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2000, not on meds since 2016. I was very surprised at the benefits of creatine in my bowels. Others have complained about GI discomfort but for me it was the opposite. Been having the best poops since I was diagnosed. Maybe something about the water absorption in the intestines. Either way was a very pleasant surprise for me. Thanks for all you do!
Taking it with whey protein, pinch of cinnamon and a teaspoon of olive oil. Wasn’t taking whey protein before either so it could be in combination with that. Other than that dirt hasn’t changed
For me the "saturation" (at 5 g/day) takes about 3 weeks to feel the full effect. It also takes about 3 weeks for its effects to fade away when I quit taking it.
@GG44 Everything just returns to normal. Not much strength loss. I pretty much kept the gains I'd made. For me, creatine seems to help with the last rep or two, especially towards the end of each section (body part) you're working. I believe that's where you make your progress/gains. Almost like premium vs regular gasoline.
Interesting talk I'm 67 years of age and still reasonably muscled however I've only recently joined a gym, Creatine seems like it is well tested and as I'm interested in at least keeping the muscle mass that I have and hopefully gaining some muscle mass I am going to start taking this supplement, much appreciated.
You’ll be glad you did. I’m 73 and I’ve been weight training hard twice a week. People mistake me for being in my mid-fifties all the time. I have above average muscle mass.
I think (@peter or other experts please correct me if im off base here, genuinely want to learn) creatine by itself doesn't really improve or maintain muscle mass. Creatine offers additional energy for 3-5 second efforts so you can better progresively overload and build/maintain muscle.
You absolutely should start. I'm trying to convince my Dad who's around the same age to as well, he's gotten *out* of working out, and still has a good diet, but hasn't taken any supplements so far. Just google creatine related to aging!
@@DavidFritzIII Creatine is not just for muscles - the phosphocreatine system is also used by the brain! And as they mention in the video, it absolutely will increase muscle mass without exercise, if just through water retention (which they also mention could actually increase performance on its own). Of course exercise gets even more important as people age, because most deaths after that relate to some kind of muscular failure (falling over, etc). So OP should definitely get some resistance training as well
@@jimmy5634 amazing! I just turned 50 and resumed lifting a year ago, I'm more in shape now than at 30. People like you give me something to shoot for! And haven't even tried creatin yet.
I’ve been using Creatine on and off(mainly on) for 22 years, consistently. No adverse effects and for me at least, it has not affected my hair. I’m mid 40’s with a full head of hair still. Too bad it has DOUBLED in price in the last two years. As far as types, I’ve used them all from phosphagen HP back in the early 00’s, cell tech after that to the alkaline, micronized and good ole monohydrate. The latter is the way to go, especially if you can find the crea pure German stuff as it is much finer and dissolves completely. I loaded it when I was young because I thought you had to. That’s marketing crap, I just use 3-5g a day no loading and it still works as expected.
If you do not have the gene for hairloss, DHT will not affect your hair. If you do have the gene however, even regular levels of DHT will cause hairfall, Creatine will only make it worse by increasing the DHT.
I just started taking it and I’m not that happy. I like a yoga runners body. Now I feel kind of like doughy water weight puffy girl. I think it did give me more energy working out, but the next day I was all puffy, like I had eaten a bunch of dairy or something. 👎
Creatine is so beneficial for me when training, I’m noticeably stronger, my muscles look fuller and it seems easier to fin muscle. But for me I always noticed a pattern where it would make my face bloated and my skin worse and in the end I decided it just wasn’t a trade off I was willing to make as you can stay in good shape without creatine
@@BasslineHeavy That's because of the DHT increase... The face blooting is also real, this is because the creatin osmotic effect occures everywhere where are muscles. Also your brain will down regulate the hormon production because of the artificially elevated DHT, to decrease it back to normal levels. That's the obvious reason why creatin especially works the frist couple weeks and then you turn back to normal but with the blooting and maybe GI issues. The GI issues are also not to underestimate because it can cause deficianies in you system. This also explains why there are studies out there which show increase in injuries. By the way the cognitiv increase is also caused by the elevation of DHT. DHT crosses the blood brain barriere if I remember correctly...
Creatine is a game changer. The first year I started getting back in the gym I wasn’t taking it. But have been taking it the last 3 years and it’s helped me substantially as far as endurance, recovery, and overall energy.
Рік тому+9
Recently got a full body test done as a precaution and had slightly elevated Creatinine (1.36, for a normal range of 0.9-1.3 mg/dL) and doc kinda scared me away from taking any Protein and Creatine supplements citing kidney damage. I have a high Lean muscle mass % and low body fat % and I’ve been into fitness and calisthenics since adulthood (33 now). This obviously scared me a bit and I went into the rabbit hole to find more about this, the more I read the more I felt the elevated levels were because of higher muscle mass (currently at weight 70.95kg with 58.46 kg Muscle Mass and 61.51kg fat free BW). Finally got to this video and the research papers mentioned and now a bit relieved. It was quite stressful for the last 2 weeks since the doc’s recommendation.
I will never forgive the dumb af stuff that some doctors have said to me that sent me into weeks worth of anxiety spirals. I was told I had likely had HIV because I was fatigued and had canker sores. Turns out (after doing private tests because doctors refused) I had a bad folate deficiency. Our healthcare system is broken and needs more checks and balances for all the modern nonsense the average patient could be experiencing.
My Doc also said low dose Creatine was risky and she had seen kidney damage even at low dose. I got scared and stopped taking as well, but would like to start back. It really helped my sleep and exercise performance. I will review the research for myself.
Thank you guys for this very important information. I have sarcopenia. I am doing an experiment on myself(n=1). Increasing high quality protein to equal a minimum of 150 g per day. Taking 5 g of Creatine per day and supplementing Leucine with each meal. Doing a 3 month Challenge.
How is it going after 2 weeks? I'm just curious. What's your age, weight/height, sport activities? Myself, I'm on carnivore diet for a month now and consume around 150-250g proteins daily. I'm 6' and 155 pounds.
@@Drelka I'm doing good. Been taking Creatine 5g for 3 weeks. Getting high quality Proteins through food and Whey (GNC Wheybolic)-I mix it with another Whey from Aldis to make it taste better. Wheybolic tastes awful but it is very high quality with lots of Leucine. Hitting the weights 2 times per week. Noticeable improvement in strength already. I am using dumbbells and a Cable Machine.also walking 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day.
@@lucfxgambitgaming7494 2 intense workouts works for me. I used to work out 4 days per week and I didn't get the gains. Its was the Law of Diminishing Returns. I dropped to 2 workouts a week and I am growing some muscle and getting stronger. For me less works better than more.
No I agree with the previous poster, 2 workouts per week is pathetic. 4 to 5 workouts per week is always, as in 100.0% of the time, better than 2 workouts per week.
Thank you for mentioning the fact that elevated liver enzymes do not always mean liver disease. Reference ranges need to be adjusted for a more individualized approach to reviewing bloodwork, especially for athletes who are lifting a lot of weights and/or carry a lot of muscle on their frame.
They are where they are so liver disease can be detected early. If your liver is fine, fine, but liver disease is slow and can hide for years and in the end livers don't grow on trees
Creatine's beneficial effects for me are profound in terms of strength, confidence and mood. But I have an issue with insomnia whenever I take it. I've been on and off it for over 5 years but find this effect to be consistent whenver I begin taking it again. I can get to sleep fine but am unable to maintain sleep and will wake up after about 4 - 5 hours of poor sleep, unable to return to sleep after this. It gives a wired, adrenaline like feeling. I've noticed a lot of anecdotal experiences suggesting the same thing and pointing to dopamine to adrenaline conversion as a possible cause. If anyone has any information on how to resolve this with the use of supplements etc, I'd be immensely grateful.
Interesting, I am exactly opposite. I take creatine at night because it helps me sleep. When I am off creatine I sleep horribly, on it, I sleep like a baby. Just solidifies the point that everyone responds to exogenous substances differently. There is no one size fits all.
I am experiencing insomnia as well. I wake up after about 5 hours and I am AWAKE. No getting back to sleep. Other than that I feel great and am lifting heavier weights. A friend uses good quality CBD gummies for sleeping. They worked pretty good for me but I didn’t like taking something with sugar in it.
the lack of deep sleep is most likely due to you burning out your serotonin stores throughout the day because creatine helps you with physical activity and keeps you going longer. try being sedentary for a day or two while taking creatine and see if that improves the sleep. certainty does for me. even though I feel like I have the capacity to just push a bit longer, I don't do it because of my low serotonin. probably caused by a bad gut.
Same here! studies have shown it decreases deep sleep in rats. So I mean u have more energy (ATP) available in your brain so I totally see how it can wreck your sleep. I had to stop it
I gain around 3-4kg when taking creatine but I feel lighter at the same time wich is a bit odd feeling. I also feel a little more energetic and stronger. Creatine does however increase the tendancy for muscle cramps in me.
In my opinion as important as creatine is magnesium. Maybe even more, so I buy monohydrate with magnesium in it, definitively better in terms of muscle cramps, especially when you don't have any problem with training but some with correct diet in some days. 🤔
When looking at the different brands, how do you know you’re getting the best quality Creatine? What should we want in the ingredients list? What should we avoid?
I started to take today specially for memory. I saw a podcast where the owner of MOMENTOUS was talking about the benefit of fish oil and creatine together for cognitive issues. I ordered both from MOMENTOUS is a great quality 😊
20 years ago I used Creatine in liquid form and I feel it helped my cycling fitness get better. Then I started getting cramping when I used any creatine, so I stopped using it and the cramping stopped. In 2021, I tried it again in power form without loading and cramped terribly within 2-3 days during cycling trainer rides. I consumed proper amounts of fluid and electrolytes pre, during and post workouts. So I stopped again and cramping stopped, but it took at least a week for cramped Muscles to recover!!!!
I think what’s happening here is you’re able to push beyond your typical exertion level causing your cramping. Try training at a lower intensity for a longer period, slowly increasing volume until you’re able to perform at a high level without the cramps. I’d bet if you did the same power without creatine you would cramp just the same.
I’m stopped taking creatinine years ago because of some older friends who blamed creatine for kidney issues. In hindsight, these people were on all types of other stuff that probably caused their issues.
I have been taking creatine for 22 years without taking a break...no side effects except if I'm not hydrated enough I sometimes got cramps but very very rarely and not necessarily due to creatine
Thanks for the video, really useful! Here's something I can't get my head around: If there was one study that showed that creatine supplementation might promote hair loss, through the increase in DHT, I really don't understand why we take for granted that it doesn't (one study out of one is a 100% average), and why other studies aren't being done. It sounds like an underestimation of the problem... I quit creating because of this possible side-effect being in my 40s and not wanting to take the risk. The bottom line is that one study has been done and it showed that it might promote hair loss 🤔
Sample size, type of research and other attributes matter as well. Perhaps the study lacks in some of these departments? Anyway, not an issue for me as I'm already bald and wouldn't mind to get rid of the rest of hair so I wouldn't have to shave it every second day, lol.
Bro, hear me out. The test was done on 20 college-aged rugby players, and not only is that an absurdly small sample size to begin with college-aged dudes involved in athletics very frequently take exogenous hormones and plenty of other substances to party. I understand that these trials ask their participants to adhere to a consistent diet/training routine and abstain from supplements/drugs but that doesn’t mean that they all listen. There is an absolute ton of room for error here
Glad Peter brought up the creatinine marker and not to pay much attn to it. I had severe proteinuria and a GFR of 38. My neohrologist did a little research to see i carried much more muscle than others and naturally would be higher with regard to creatinine lvls. Through proper diet, I was able to correct the proteinuria and got my GFR above 55 with 1 functioning kidney. Overall, i had been on creatine for years and didnt see much evidence of improvement. When i got off for good and only used a preworkout i didnt notice any loss of strength or endurance. I may have lost 3 or 4 lbs from water. I stayed under 12% bf for most of the year. I told many people to stop wasting the money on the supp and use it to something more worth the money.
I started taking creatine HCL last year and got some blood work done this past July which tested my eGFR (stands for estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) and found that it had dropped to below below 60 from a previous high of 72. Normal value is >59 mL/min/1.73. An eGFR below 60 mL/min for three months or more may indicate Chronic Kidney Disease. I immediately got off of the creatine! I'll test again in January and see if it's gone back up. Also, my Creatinine had gone up, but that wasn't as big as a concern. If your kidneys don't have a normal filter rate, though, that's a *bad* thing.
It’s also in Dr Chris Masterjohn’s methylation protocol to use creatine as a conservation measure. I think that has something to do with where creatine sits relative to ammonia pathway, but I would need to refresh my memory. Point is it’s not just beneficial to muscles.
Creatine helped me lift about 10% more and I gained about 14 lbs. My creatinine levels went sky high and my GFR went really low. I quit using it on the advice of a renal consultant. 45 year old male from UK.
I'm going to show this to my doctor the next time one of them tell me I have kidney issues because I'm tired of telling them my creatinine levels are high because I take creatine. I'm glad you've mentioned how resistance training can affect liver enzymes as well because I've had to tell them that as well.
Your doctor cant no anything about nutrition or fitness. Medical students do not have any classes on nutrition and fitness throughout their studies. They know how to help you, when you are in pain. But they cant give you tips on nutrition or fitness.
My experience at the VA has been 1000x better than private. Either way insurance won’t cover the weird tests that Attia recommends available. I just stop taking creatinine for a few days before they check the bun/creatinine levels
I 've been taking creatine for years and both my SGOT/AST and SGPT/ALT are through the roof (60 and 158 U/L resp). My creatinine is high but borderline (1.35 mg/dL). Anyone else experiencing similar spikes in their bloodwork? Needless to say, all doctors (plural) I consulted ordered me to quit cold turkey (which I did). Also, for those who stay on creatine (despite elevated numbers) what is a good periodic test to rule out liver/kidney issues? Great video btw, such good information is really hard to come by, especially when the default response of the medical community is to take the "easy way out".
Yeh I’ve had this issue - even had doctors tell me that creatine is bad for the kidneys. Couldn’t find evidence for this claim however. They told me to quit cold Turkey and of course my levels came back to normal. I think some doctors just get in the habit of treating the test result (trying to get it within ‘range’) instead of treating the patient. That said I think there is a test for kidney function that exists that people who take creatine and lift weights should take instead - as creatanine tests give a lot of false positives for hindered kidney function. I forget what it’s called though but could probably find it on Google easy enough. They covered this a little at around the 5 min mark. And mentioned a marker you could focus on more , but there are probably others.
@@739jep Thank you that's really helpful! I will start digging. How about a good periodic test on Liver function? My numbers were so high they thought I drink lots of alcohol (even though I don't even touch that stuff). I find it quite ironic though that an extremely healthy lifestyle such as ours is perceived as pathological by the medical community. Like you said, they treat results, not the patient.
Yep I had this same problem and they ultrasounded me like I was having triplets, all for nothing. I found a paper talking about highly abnormal blood metrics (incl AST) for weightlifting men. I abstained from weights for 2 weeks and everything went down below limits except for creatinine. So much for personalized medicine.
I'm a man in my early seventies in good health, and in a recent checkup, my GP told me that my Creatine levels are EXCELLENT. He added that I should not take a supplement because I could get hurt. What do you say? I drink coffee in the morning and the instructions on the Creatine box say specifically - not to combine caffeine with this product. WebMD also warns that one of the possible side effects is - stroke! If I also consume some tea in the afternoon - can I take this supplement with the tea or shortly afterwards or later in the evening?
Is Creatine ok for kids? What would a dose recommendation be if adults are taking 5g daily? My son is an 11year old with T1D. His BMI is < 5% on the growth charts. I have been adding MCT powder to his meals for some extra fat, but no noticeable change. He is playing soccer 3-4x a week and has also started Ninja Warrior classes.
I love how people deny that it causes hair loss. Just because they didn’t experience hair loss themselves, they act like it can’t for other people and it’s just all in their head. It’s the same people that could probably do an entire dht based steroid cycle and still have hair like Jay Cutler. There’s too much anecdote to ignore. Someone who doesn’t experience hair loss from creatine isn’t going to spend hours reading UA-cam video and Reddit comments. Makes no sense whatsoever. “ You we’re going to go bald anyways, bro, quit blaming creatine!” is a comment I always see people making. Why would anyone want to lose hair at 25 over 55?
I'm 61 years old, and I never had any side effect that affected my hair loss or even minor bloating from taking Creatine Monohydrate on a daily basis, in fact: I've seen more hair growth, improved skin, my nails grow faster than when I don't take creatine monohydrate. I've had to have a thyroidectomy with some minor kidney issues temporarily, but once I was placed on Synthroid (Levothyroxine) in 6 weeks I noticed more muscle fullness when I restarted creatine and my kidney functions improved, my nails keep growing, and my wife asks me why my hair is still growing out of control, I dont know? I even noticed my joints don't hurt as much vs being off of creatine. I have tried different creatine, and found the Monohydrate works best for me without a loading phase and it's more cost effective. I don't know why some people say it causes hair loss, other than the fact it may be genetic factors, and not creatine issues? I can honestly say I've kept the same waist line 28" since I was 17 years old, I have more muscle, and a Cardiologist told me I have a heart stronger than most 20 year olds from a complete work up, and stress test. I'm 61 again with about 9.9% bodyfat and feel better everyday, a good healthy diet is also the key.👍💪👊💯❤
Peter, I am curious because I had heard you say that VO2 max is the most important metric. However creatine supposedly has a negative effect on VO2 max. Is the impact low enough that you would still recommend creatine to older people? I am looking at optimizations for my parents in their 70's.
Severe muscle cramping. For what it’s worth, I’ve taken creatine monohydrate three times from different major suppliers. The first two times, I took 5g (no loading), but I had severe muscle cramps after a month or so. I researched more and could find very little info about creatine creating muscle cramping, only that it didn’t cause it. I also found that lower doses were often as effective, so I took 3g/day on my third try with another supplier. Same result. Severe muscle cramping, mostly in my legs, and I mean severe. Since creatine was supposed to be the most researched and "safe" supplement, I think that I’m done with supplements, especially since, if one was actually effective without negative side effects, you never know what’s going to be in the container next time.
I started taking 3g creatine monohydrate 8 days ago principally to help with mental health issues. After about 3 days I could already see physical improvements in dead lift, curls, dead hang, sprints. For the first time in a very long time I actually felt and had a „pump“ in my muscles. Regarding mental health effects, it’s difficult to outright say any effects are due to creatine. The physical aspects are solely due to creatine intake, my diet is otherwise exactly the same.
Creatine at 3 to 5 grams a day has freed me from a lifetime of treatment resistant depression in a fairly short period of time. Give it a little time. Here's hoping it works for your mental well-being too.
Thank you for posting this. I’m 5’2 and 120 lbs I’m struggling to gain muscle. I get concerned about taking anything other than vitamins and necessary medications. I am excited to try it now. It’s been sitting in my cabinet for 6 mths lol. Were you able to stay at 3mg and see continued results? I have depression and panic attacks so it’s good to know it helped your mental health
My only concern with creatine supplementation is the increase in cancer progression. Cancer cells in hypoxic conditions are known to utilize phosphocreatine in the absence of oxygen, and prefer it over glucose due to it's higher energy state over ATP. That being said, the risk is only to those with current CRC or pancreatic cancer diagnoses or early stage hypoxic cancers, which could be a large population unknown to themselves.
If you’re healthy and don’t have late stage cancer, take NMN (an NAD+ booster which is needed for healthy ATP production in the mitochondria) to mitigate and prevent cancer
Interesting take, because I am almost 3 years post-surgery for prostate cancer and was bee bopping along with negligible PSA tests until recently my PSA became detectable again. I've been supplementing with Creatine Monohydrate for the past year or so. It sounds like you have some training in biology. Are you familiar with Dr. Thomas Seyfried's work at BC?
@@GaryElliott-yv9cm no i’m not familiar with Dr. Seyfried. I do have a biology background and when posting my comment I remembered a presentation I did during my studies that was looking to treat hypoxic CRC’s/pancreatic cancers using a drug that mimicked creatine in structure so that it bound to the creatine receptors and stayed, preventing creatine from entering the cancer cells and resulting in significant reduction in the tumour sizes, with many subjects (mice) having complete tumour regression.
I've been taking creatine as an athlete for over 20 years. The only downside I've found is an increase risk of muscle pulls and tears of you're not extra hydrated. You need more water when you're on creatine
Anyone have any view on the effect of creatine on blood pressure? I used creatine (5 g/day) for about 2 months and my systolic presure jumped 10 pts. So I stopped using it.
I am weighing the same issue. I have been measuring my BP for the past six months. I started creatine about 3 weeks ago, and my blood pressure has skyrocketed like 10-30 on systolic and 10-15 diastolic for the past three days. I don’t typically have high blood pressure or weight issues, and I am having a hard time figuring out what else could be causing it. I wonder if creatine can have some specific effects on certain people. I don’t want to go off creatine, but BP of 150/85 is not good for me.
I started taking this just over 4 weeks ago. About 5-6 grams per day. I lift twice a week and do a core day. I cycle about 100 miles a week (18 mph) and run about 12 miles a week. This has been my pattern for over ten years. Also, I have maintained a body weight of 155lbs @ 5’8” consistently. In 4 weeks, same diet and slightly more lifting I have gained 9 lbs! It doesn’t affect me much on the bike, but running is quite a chore with the added weight. 8:36 Also I am 56 years old and do feel like recovery time is better. Hope I can drop some weight 😂
You may want to do a body composition scan so that you can see fat vs lean mass, and not worry about the number on the scale. Also, assuming you gained lean mass, I wonder if you will drop fat mass with the extra muscle, and I wonder how long that would take.
My dad's doctor said I should not be taking creatine because it's bad for the kidneys. How is one supposed to make an informed decision when it seems like there is no consensus among medical professionals? I feel great when I'm on creatine so I still take it but the lack of consensus is alarming.
Much of what many doctors have been taught in schools has been tainted by the pharmaceutical industry and many doctors do not have enough interest in their work to realize what knowledge they have is false. Do your own research on the topic and go by how you feel rather than solely what the doctor tells you.
Does anyone else get muscle cramping while supplementing creatine? Particularly my biceps and pecs will "lock up" or resist extension after being relaxed for a period of time.
And for some of us, it makes us lose our hair significantly faster. I also found it mucous forming, though not as bad as cow milk with A1 casein proteins or chicken egg whites.
@@IndependenceCityMotoring Permanent, but I'm in the process of trying to reverse it. I've been rubbing/massaging natural anti DHT stuff into my scalp in that region (a blend of Greemu with some rosemary and lavender oil), just started using a red light and infrared cap, and taking a mild internal anti DHT herb, Saw Palmetto (I haven't been as diligent with this though). It is slow going. There is also an old Edgar Cayce recommended treatment that reportedly helps as well. Crude, Pennsylvanian sweet oil rubbed in. I don't recommend this to others though because it could be mildly toxic. But many who are into or open minded to that source, have tried it and a large percentage says that it noticeably helps *over time.* (Like with the saw palmetto, I haven't been as diligent with this stuff, probably because it stinks to high heaven). But this is all slow going stuff. It takes months and months of consistent application to start to see any noticeable differences. It's amazing how fast it came out and how slow it comes back.
Exactly the pcp my husband went to said “it’s too hard on the liver” and my husband asked him to explain the reasoning or data behind it, and his doc got flustered and resorted to personal bias instead. Healthcare in US folks🎉
I just started taking it and I’m not that happy. I like a yoga runners body. Now I feel kind of like doughy water weight puffy girl. I think it did give me more energy working out, but the next day I was all puffy, like I had eaten a bunch of dairy or something. 👎
@@HH-gv8mx that’s the benefit of creatine, it encourages more water to collect in the muscles. I understand though, i think I see that affect being uncomfortable.
Creatine definitely sped up my hair loss. Stopped taking it, and my hair loss slowed significantly. Would be great to see more research on creatine and DHT levels though, since the creatine hair loss debate is all speculation around one paper from 2009 on rugby players.
I took creatine during most of my 20’s. No noticeable hair loss that I recall. Haven’t taken it since. I’m in my 40’s now and just heard about the hair loss side effect a few weeks ago. It’s given me pause on resuming it for sure lol.
Me too. It seems to be that it speeds up hair loss IF you have male pattern baldness. So if your make ancestors have full heads of hair, you are probably good to go. If not be more careful.
What do you guys think about creatine malate vs monohydrate? I've taken both and remember malate working better on me, at least that is what I remember (that was probably a decade ago). Most people say that creatine monohydrate is the most tested and always works, and always should go for this one. Do you have any opinions?
Creatine is a huge trigger for my gout. There should be a warning label that states this clearly - it would take weeks to recover if I were to take it. It actually pisses me off that this is not mentioned more!
So interesting regarding creatinine and liver enzymes. I've always suspected that but other than my hunch and forums I've never heard experts discuss this
@peter My experience on creatinine: 2017 - Creatinine 1.53 mg/dl, was hitting gym 5 days a week. Stopped gym ran around multiple doctors, everyone suggested a kidney biopsy for further prognosis. Couldnt believe the predicament after caring so much about health and fitness. Was around 82 KG for 168 cm height. 2018 - creatinine 1.4 mg/dl stopped going to gym, ate moderate amounts of protien. 2019-20- turned vegetarian, covid hit, no gyms, no blood tests. 2021 - Creatinine 1.27 mg/dl .No gym since a couple of years. Started losing muscle, over all body composition changed. 2022 - Sept, Creatinine 1.16 mg/dl, No gym since 3 years lost a lot of muscle body weight around 72KGs. 2022 - Nov started hitting gym. 2023 Feb - Cystatin C 0.69 mg/L, Creatinine 1.4 mg/dl ; started gym since 3 months, 5-6 days a week, 70-100 grams of protien per day Lost fat have put on decent muscle. 72KGs Ps: Never been on any sups, all these years.
I was using the GNC lime creatine for 3 years and developed severe cramping in my left calf so I went off it. Then, 10 years later I decided to give it another go and I realized the same great results. But a few months in, after having severe back pain, I woke up one morning with my left leg completely swollen and ended up checking into the hospital with a blood clot in my left side interior vena cava. After two operations the surgeon cleared out the severe blockage. His team of vascular specialists concluded that the creatine created a situation in my vein that resulted in the DVT. I would recommend avoiding creatine or going on for short periods of time only. Just do some research and you will see blood clot warnings.
Every time I take creatine I have adverse side effects. I had multiple issues with severe muscle cramping (I drink about a gallon of water a day and eat multiple bananas each day so hydration and potassium shouldn't be an issue) and then I started getting severe exertion headaches which abated within a week of going off of creatine.
I just started taking it and I’m not that happy. I like a yoga runners body. Now I feel kind of like doughy water weight puffy girl. I think it did give me more energy working out, but the next day I was all puffy, like I had eaten a bunch of dairy or something. 🏃♀ 🐷 👎
Is there ANY concern about cancer with creatinine supplements anymore? I am a daily runner in my 40s who just started lifting again after about a 20 year hiatus, lifted heavily in teens/20s. Naturally bulky but want to keep muscle for active lifestyle for as long as I can. I remember this was a theory at one point, appreciate any insight.
Be careful if you are prone to getting gout. The initial dosing of creatine can cause a rather intense flare up. It happened to me, and creatine was the only thing that I could attribute it to. I did some research on lifting forums, it was mentioned and discussed several times by other athletes. Other than it is the best supplement available.
Thank God for your comment!!!! I have experimented with Creatine for years. Every time about a week or two later I feel systemically inflamed. My entire rib cage gets sore. My SI joints hurt. Everyone tells me that it’s gotta be something else. I am a vegetarian so I don’t know if that’s playing into it but I really wanted the cognitive benefits supposedly from Creatine. I have never had any symptoms of gout or any other noticeable health issues. I tried at small doses too -30yrs old, 40,50 and 59. I was totally sold by the scientific confidence that there were no problems with it. But it fucks me up! Thank you for helping me relinquish this supplement. I felt so alone.
Today i decided to let creatine go😢. Im suffering from bppv symptoms from it. Im constantly on and off trying to figure out if creatine was really the culprit and sad to say yes. Ive been taking it straight 1 year and it was fine. Until recently. So i stopped it for a couple of months and bppv symtoms went away. Then trying my luck again because i really want the strength and the fullness of my muscle. After 6 days of taking it bppv symptoms starts again😢. Its just so unfortunate to lose the good benefit of creatine.
Excellent Vid. Some good studies out there on the benifits of Creatine (monohydrate) beyond those just for weight training.. Things like mood/depression.. seem to improve for those who take creatine.
I'm uising preworkouts containing 3-5g of creatine for the last ~20 years, and... I've no idea what their impact is, because I don't know how I would be doing if I didn't ever take them. On some very rare ocasions the mere fact that I already swallowed the preworkout has for sure motivated me to go to the gym in a rare moment of feeling weak and contemplating not going.
@@seanthegod4585 What kind of maximum benefit? I'm not interested in having an arm like this dude in the vid - this obviously is some kind of disability, probably result of some slight psychological issue on his part. I try to workout 5 times per week, not always manage that. On non workout days obviously I'm not taking preworkout (or anything else). 'Gains' were 1 of goals maybe in the first ~5 years, they aren't one since a long long time.
Any comments on the risks towards prostate cancer. Studies clearly indicate a real effect of increased creatinine on prostate cancer probability. Any opinions on this ?
I tested taking 25 grams of creatine a day for a few months and boy... it was a difference. I don't do that now, this was years ago and the GI issues were real. But it worked, my muscles got bigger if only due to more water but that pump and size gain was pretty noticable. People were starting to wonder whether I was on steroids.
@@elefantkaki some recommend 3-5 G's a day, some recommend it based on bodyweight to an average of 5 grams per 100 lbs bodyweight daily. Some say much higher doses are the only way to actually get cognitive benefits. Studies are fine as a reference, but they have flaws, always. Best to start with a low dose to gauge the gi distress for sure
I just started creatine today, actually. I'll be 72 next week, and have been weightlifting with vigor the last 7.5 years. I got sent to a nephrologist this spring with supposed CKD stage 3 with an eGFR of 47. A few things, I'm tall and like BMI they square your height in the calculation. Just correcting for my height of 6'1" gets the eGFR to something like 67. A 24 hour urine creatinine clearance test has my measured GFR at 97. So, call me skeptical about using creatinine levels for kidney disease diagnosis. I am curious if I notice any improvement in the gym. I am pretty satisfied presently, but you know how it is, lifting more is rarely a bad thing.
Kinda weird replying to my own post. Has creatine helped me in the gym....oh yeah. Every lift that I do has improved by a rep, or two. I rarely try to do a one rep max, generally work in the 7-9 rep range. But last week, out of curiosity, I did take a stab at that, while bench pressing. I easily pressed 240# which was a pleasant surprise.
I love what creatine does for me both mentally and physically but it raises my blood pressure and cause heart palpitations. It shouldn't be able to do this but reddit is full of people with the same issue. Some say it's due to dehydration which makes sense but i haven't found solid answers. Does anyone have info on this?
As a 66 year-old male who exercises 4-5 times a week doing HIIT bodyweight and mixing it up with dumbbells depending on the routine, I had been taking 5g of creatine daily. My creatinine levels were high and eGFR low. My nephrologist told me to take 5g every other day until my next blood test, which is in 30 days. I have read that supplementing with creatine can give false positives with these serum levels.
I was trying to reenter the military and they barred me from enlisting for a while because blood work I had, had done through the VA read that my creatinine levels were elevated. I told them that it was supefiscial due to creatine supplementation. They said I had stage 2 kidney failure or something extreme like that. I got off creatine for a month, got another blood test, and was fine. 🙄 Regardless, I got a lecture from the doctor on the hazards of creatine...
I won’t lie, I was working 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week, in a big labor job. I was taking 3 times the creatine I was supposed to everyday. And like 3 months into doing that, my hair started falling out like never before. HANDFULS of hair started coming out in the shower. I had no clue why… I stopped taking creatine, and it completely stopped. And my hair grew back completely.
The job was Ashley Furniture. Moving couches all day. 12 hour shifts. On 7/12s. I was taking creatine 3 times a day. Lots of protein, but also was a caffeine addict. It’s possible my dehydration, plus my massive creatine intake, caused that to happen.
It could be the Creatine too, it has caused DHT increase and if you are susceptible, i.e. you have the gene for hairloss then you will have hairloss when DHT levels go high. Simple way to check would be to take Creatine for a month and do everything else the same way as you are doing and see if you get hairloss again. You can go a step further and measure your DHT values before and after a month of taking it. However these tests are quite expensive.
A quick google says that there is potential for Creatine to improve energy transfer in the heart (similar to how it does in lean muscle tissue) and it may improve heart arrhythmia, but overall more dose-dependent and ingestion-timing needs to be considered and more studies are needed. IMO. While past studies did not specifically focus on heart function over a long period of time, it’s generally not brought up in discussion, leaving me to believe it has not been an issue for the majority of studies.
I would agree, but just bear in mind that Attia, Sinclair and other health experts are incredibly humble, science-oriented and responsible. That means that they would use phrases like "I would argue" or "there is data that suggests" instead of saying bogus things like "I is definitely proved" like most health magazines would say. Cheers, mate!
The concern I have regarding creatine is the possibility of dehydration. I work in the weather and it gets extremely hot and humid where I am. I already walk a fine line trying to drink enough water and get enough potassium so I don't dehydrate or cramp. Any thoughts will be appreciated! "No solutions only trade offs". Someone sounds like they've been listening to Thomas Sowell
Have you tried Liquid IV electrolytes? I like the passionfrutit flavor,Joe Rogan also takes it and says it keeps him hydrated and never gets cramps anymore
@@SolidGeddoe I do use that when I need it for different reasons. I just started creatine a month ago, so far so good. It hasn't gotten hot enough to where I'd be concerned about dehydration yet but the heat is coming.
@@Jeffthedude15 I see,I am taking Serious mass by Optimum Nutrition and it has 3G of creatine plus all the calories and vitamins and so far I noticed more strength and stamina,quicker recovery and already gaining some weight and it's only been 1 week of taking it.
You shouldn’t ignore Creatinine as a doctor. Yes, cystatin C is more shiny because it’s newer and could predict worsening kidney functiom a little before creatinine but isn’t exempt of limitations. There is no perfect cost effective gfr measuring marker, only inulin (not insulin), but it has serious limitations for measuring it. Cystatin C and Creatinine are both imperfect, and that’s why if you want to practice great medicine, you just have to take into account the patient’s full picture. Most patients can be followed on creatine. If you are doubtful you could add cystatin C and see if there’s correlation between the two. Cystatin C is imperfect because it is also affected by similar factors as creatinine, and it is partly metabolized by tubular renal cells (meaning not 100% accurate, and imperfect as creatinine).
Real glad you hit on the Creatinine vs Cystatin C issue in assessing kidney function. Creatinine levels can be elevated in individuals who strength train even if they don’t take creatine. Cystatin C is superior to creatinine as a marker for kidney function generally, and Creatinine as an indicator of kidney function is useless if you are taking creatine.
Not only if you’re taking creatine. High protein diets, high muscle mass and weight lifting will all increase creatinine out put. Combine all those together and levels will be high even if your kidney function is normal.
2018 - Creatinine 1.53 mg/dl, was hitting gym 5 days a week. Stopped gym ran around multiple doctors, ultrasound was normal, everyone suggested a kidney biopsy for further prognosis. Couldnt believe the predicament after caring so much about health and fitness. Was around 82 KG for 168 cm height. 2019 - creatinine 1.4 mg/dl stopped going to gym, ate moderate amounts of protien. 2020 - turned vegetarian, covid hit, no gyms, no blood tests. 2021 - Creatinine 1.27 mg/dl .No gym since a couple of years. Started losing muscle, over all body composition changed. 2022 - Sept, Creatinine 1.16 mg/dl, No gym since 3 years lost a lot of muscle body weight around 72KGs. 2022 - Nov : started hitting gym. 2023 Feb - Cystatin C 0.69 mg/L, Creatinine 1.4 mg/dl (face palm) started gym since 3 months, 5-6 days a week, 70-100 grams of protien per day Lost fat have put on decent muscle. 72KGs Ps- Never on sups during this period. Took creatine mono hydrate for a brief period on 2014 was on whey briefly in 2016.
I’m an ICU nurse. BUN and creatinine are always two main labs we check to help determine kidney function. Elevating BUN and Cr over a period usually indicates that someone may benefit from either hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy. Creatinine and Creatine ARE NOT the same thing. I’ve seen some people believe they are one in the same.
What about "Cystatin C" as a nurse shouldn't that also be a go to because taking Creatine could show elevated Creatinine but false determiner or cursor and should look to "Cystatin C" for optimal kidney function incase someone is fit and taking Creatin. It's about Creatin Vs Cyststin C. Drs and nurses can't be rigid to protocol is why the public is looking to now self help inany areas because rigidity in diagnosing is dangerous on so many levels!😊
I took a lot of creatine probably around 20 years ago. I had such great gains with it initially, that I booked an appointment to see my GP to ask if it was safe, he replied it was! The gains were almost on par with a low dose of Decca and Dianabol with regards to strength! After a several months on it I did notice reduced efficacy, this led me to take a 2 week break then come back to it. I tried the loading phase and just taking 5gms daily, I noticed no difference. I also tried taking 5gms twice daily, again no difference in performance! It's been a long time since I've taken creatine, and my sporting needs have changed. I'm no longer a strength athlete, but an endurance cyclist. And after pretty much 8 years off the weights I've now returned, albeit with a new approach to training! So a new chapter on creatine shall begin! Will be interesting to see if I see any improvement in my climbing ability on the bike, any increase in my FTP and maybe max power output, say 10 second?!
Has anyone else had issues with heart palpitations while taking creatine? Both times I've tried it in the past I would get heart palpitations and about a month after stopping they would go away. Wondering if there is something I could do to prevent palpitations while taking creatine.
Get your electrolytes checked. My palpitations were from low potassium, but it could be another electrolyte. It's hard to get enough potassium or even get good supplements, no issues since doctor prescribed me potassium
I alway hear the dosage is 5 grams, but is there no change for weight? I’m half the size of the guest’. Would 3 grams be just as effective for me? Or, is it that 5 grams is it just the dose that’s been studied?
I took creatine for a few weeks and suffered painful Charlie Horse muscle spasms for the first time in my life. This is a known side effect of taking creatine. Since I stopped taking it I've never had another Charlie Horse spasm since.
Unless every other variable stayed the same, which it probably didn’t, then it could have been a confounding factor. Did you attempt a couple weeks of higher than normal hydration?
I am thinking of taking Creatine since I am working out a lot. Just have quick question. Do you get high blood pressure issue? I am already taking medication for my high blood pressure. Thanks
Every time I took creatine I gained 3 lbs of muscle and never lost it. This repeated every cycle until I gained about 20 lbs over the years. Anyone heard of this before? It seems to go against what the science says regarding losing all the weight you gained after stopping
Yup. Got flagged once for high creatinine in my lab results. Did a 24-hr urine collection and was sent to a specialist. He took one look at me, asked if I worked out and took creatine, and when I said yes, he said there was no problem.
When he asked if you worked out you should have just bounced your pecs around lol
Same here
Ha this recently happened to me but my pcp basically told me it looks like I’m starting early kidney failure without considering to ask me about creatine even though I have told him I take it every day previously
Similar experience
I am not sure if people know this or if its till done as much, but used to live next door to pretty big drug dealer about 9yrs ago, and they cut the white stuff with creatine 1/2 & 1/2. it was the huge unflavored kind from GNC btw. also I know now some people also will use it in order to pass urine drug test when they are flushing out there system with water because low creatine is a dead giveaway. very random I know, just thought it might interest someone who has seen a different use of it.
I live in Houston and work outside in the field. Summer can be brutal. Creatine is a great tool for protecting yourself from heat stress. Like seriously good and effective. Kind of weird you don’t see that angle mentioned much.
Interesting. Thanks.
That’s very fascinating, how does that work or help with heat?
Live in the ahead in Queensland Australia, so heat running and working is similar in heat. Would be super keen to hear how Creatine helps with that
@@stevedevlin7511 probably due to increased water retention
That’s fascinating!
I guess I'm getting ready to find out if what you're saying is true. I work across the lake from New Orleans and it gets really hot here
It works amazingly for me. Muscles pumped. Best of all, no joint pain anymore. No cramping. Mind is clearer. The stuff is AMAZING. Use it.💪🏻💪🏻
which brand that you take?
was it really creatine not meth or coke? 🙂
Thank you for the straight to the point video. So many of the medical advice videos turn a 1 minute of content into a 20 minute video. Lots of gems in this one above and beyond the standard creatine videos. Thanks again.
Creatine pretty much changed my life, suffered from chronic depression for over 30 years never touched anti-depressants i always battled with my demons in my own way. Been taking a lower dose, 3g per day now for 3 months, after around 2 months i noticed the way i think has changed, i dont seem to have any dark thoughts, ive even tried to make myself depressed but it doesnt seem to work, which has worried me, strangely...its like i cannot be sad anymore.....my attention span has increased, i struggle to read and process what im reading, i would need to read something 3-4 times for it to 'sink in' now i read it once. The neurological benefits of this stuff seem to far outweigh the physical benefits, makes me wonder what the world would be like if everyone was on this.
Good job! You have a strong will.
Psychiatrists should really look more into Creatine as a mental health supplement. Sounds like there is a lot of research to be done on it.
Placebo ?
It’s actually a known benefit of creatine. Look into High Intensity Health’s creatine video, and he explains the benefits of creatine on mood and mental health. Very interesting.
Sounds great, i'm now taking 5gr/day for a month. Interesting to see/feel the benefits.
I have been using creatine since the mid 90's without any health issues. Best supplement on the market hands down.
No health issues or no detected health issues. When you dramatically increase anything in the body over a long period of time that it can produce itself, something's gotta give
@@NorThenX047 lol you're so mad bro
@@NorThenX047 beyond cringe
@@NorThenX047 Which brand do you recommend?
Do you cycle off of it after a certain amount of time due to kidney stress?
I started taking about two months ago to gain a little weight and add lean muscle. I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2000, not on meds since 2016. I was very surprised at the benefits of creatine in my bowels. Others have complained about GI discomfort but for me it was the opposite. Been having the best poops since I was diagnosed. Maybe something about the water absorption in the intestines. Either way was a very pleasant surprise for me. Thanks for all you do!
Wow that's super interesting, have you met or heard about any one else having similar results?
Are you taking creatine in isolation, or has your diet changed?
Taking it with whey protein, pinch of cinnamon and a teaspoon of olive oil. Wasn’t taking whey protein before either so it could be in combination with that. Other than that dirt hasn’t changed
@@Thegingercrew733 So not just added protein, but added energy (calories) as well. Thx for the reply.
Creatine is in trails for Crohns, UC and IBD.....ua-cam.com/video/GHKLNId2t_Q/v-deo.html
I got the answers to Literally ALL the questions I had about Creatine.
Creatinine elevation, loading, dosage, cycling. Thank you so much 🙏
For me the "saturation" (at 5 g/day) takes about 3 weeks to feel the full effect. It also takes about 3 weeks for its effects to fade away when I quit taking it.
@GG44 Everything just returns to normal. Not much strength loss. I pretty much kept the gains I'd made. For me, creatine seems to help with the last rep or two, especially towards the end of each section (body part) you're working. I believe that's where you make your progress/gains. Almost like premium vs regular gasoline.
@@biknjak since the last reps closer to failure are most effective for hypertrophy, creatine is incredible for size gains
Interesting talk I'm 67 years of age and still reasonably muscled however I've only recently joined a gym, Creatine seems like it is well tested and as I'm interested in at least keeping the muscle mass that I have and hopefully gaining some muscle mass I am going to start taking this supplement, much appreciated.
You’ll be glad you did. I’m 73 and I’ve been weight training hard twice a week.
People mistake me for being in my mid-fifties all the time. I have above average muscle mass.
I think (@peter or other experts please correct me if im off base here, genuinely want to learn) creatine by itself doesn't really improve or maintain muscle mass. Creatine offers additional energy for 3-5 second efforts so you can better progresively overload and build/maintain muscle.
You absolutely should start. I'm trying to convince my Dad who's around the same age to as well, he's gotten *out* of working out, and still has a good diet, but hasn't taken any supplements so far. Just google creatine related to aging!
@@DavidFritzIII Creatine is not just for muscles - the phosphocreatine system is also used by the brain! And as they mention in the video, it absolutely will increase muscle mass without exercise, if just through water retention (which they also mention could actually increase performance on its own).
Of course exercise gets even more important as people age, because most deaths after that relate to some kind of muscular failure (falling over, etc). So OP should definitely get some resistance training as well
@@jimmy5634 amazing! I just turned 50 and resumed lifting a year ago, I'm more in shape now than at 30. People like you give me something to shoot for! And haven't even tried creatin yet.
I’ve been using Creatine on and off(mainly on) for 22 years, consistently. No adverse effects and for me at least, it has not affected my hair. I’m mid 40’s with a full head of hair still. Too bad it has DOUBLED in price in the last two years.
As far as types, I’ve used them all from phosphagen HP back in the early 00’s, cell tech after that to the alkaline, micronized and good ole monohydrate. The latter is the way to go, especially if you can find the crea pure German stuff as it is much finer and dissolves completely. I loaded it when I was young because I thought you had to. That’s marketing crap, I just use 3-5g a day no loading and it still works as expected.
If you do not have the gene for hairloss, DHT will not affect your hair. If you do have the gene however, even regular levels of DHT will cause hairfall, Creatine will only make it worse by increasing the DHT.
i agree, and pretty much the exact timeline and products for me. crazy how much it cost now
@@r1mp2ge creatine doesn't increase DHT
used it for years but with the new prices it's not worth it for me anymore
@@woodenfishes not enough studies
3:30 Osmotic pressure 4:50 Creatinine, Renal func muscle mass
I just started taking it and I’m not that happy. I like a yoga runners body. Now I feel kind of like doughy water weight puffy girl. I think it did give me more energy working out, but the next day I was all puffy, like I had eaten a bunch of dairy or something. 👎
Creatine is so beneficial for me when training, I’m noticeably stronger, my muscles look fuller and it seems easier to fin muscle. But for me I always noticed a pattern where it would make my face bloated and my skin worse and in the end I decided it just wasn’t a trade off I was willing to make as you can stay in good shape without creatine
How did it make your skin worse? Acne?
@@AZ-gs6hj yea my spots always seems a bit worse (not terrible, but worse) and my skin just seemed to get a bit redder, be more sensitive/itchy
@@BasslineHeavy That's because of the DHT increase... The face blooting is also real, this is because the creatin osmotic effect occures everywhere where are muscles.
Also your brain will down regulate the hormon production because of the artificially elevated DHT, to decrease it back to normal levels. That's the obvious reason why creatin especially works the frist couple weeks and then you turn back to normal but with the blooting and maybe GI issues. The GI issues are also not to underestimate because it can cause deficianies in you system. This also explains why there are studies out there which show increase in injuries.
By the way the cognitiv increase is also caused by the elevation of DHT. DHT crosses the blood brain barriere if I remember correctly...
i noticed my face getting bloated as well after using it for a couple of weeks, so it was the creatine after all i guess
@@jiskefetisj For sure. It puts water in the muscles in a supraphisological way. Wheather the muscle is trained or not doesn't matter...
Creatine is a game changer. The first year I started getting back in the gym I wasn’t taking it. But have been taking it the last 3 years and it’s helped me substantially as far as endurance, recovery, and overall energy.
Recently got a full body test done as a precaution and had slightly elevated Creatinine (1.36, for a normal range of 0.9-1.3 mg/dL) and doc kinda scared me away from taking any Protein and Creatine supplements citing kidney damage. I have a high Lean muscle mass % and low body fat % and I’ve been into fitness and calisthenics since adulthood (33 now). This obviously scared me a bit and I went into the rabbit hole to find more about this, the more I read the more I felt the elevated levels were because of higher muscle mass (currently at weight 70.95kg with 58.46 kg Muscle Mass and 61.51kg fat free BW). Finally got to this video and the research papers mentioned and now a bit relieved. It was quite stressful for the last 2 weeks since the doc’s recommendation.
I will never forgive the dumb af stuff that some doctors have said to me that sent me into weeks worth of anxiety spirals. I was told I had likely had HIV because I was fatigued and had canker sores. Turns out (after doing private tests because doctors refused) I had a bad folate deficiency. Our healthcare system is broken and needs more checks and balances for all the modern nonsense the average patient could be experiencing.
My Doc also said low dose Creatine was risky and she had seen kidney damage even at low dose. I got scared and stopped taking as well, but would like to start back. It really helped my sleep and exercise performance. I will review the research for myself.
@@christaherron5759 Your doc is objectively wrong. There are no long term studies showing kidney damage from Creatine.
“There’s no solutions, there’s only trade-offs.”
Always love seeing Thomas Sowell quoted.
Nice! I didn't expect that anyone would catch that
Dr. Sowell is the GOAT
Thank you guys for this very important information. I have sarcopenia. I am doing an experiment on myself(n=1). Increasing high quality protein to equal a minimum of 150 g per day. Taking 5 g of Creatine per day and supplementing Leucine with each meal. Doing a 3 month Challenge.
How is it going after 2 weeks? I'm just curious. What's your age, weight/height, sport activities?
Myself, I'm on carnivore diet for a month now and consume around 150-250g proteins daily. I'm 6' and 155 pounds.
@@Drelka I'm doing good. Been taking Creatine 5g for 3 weeks. Getting high quality Proteins through food and Whey (GNC Wheybolic)-I mix it with another Whey from Aldis to make it taste better. Wheybolic tastes awful but it is very high quality with lots of Leucine. Hitting the weights 2 times per week. Noticeable improvement in strength already. I am using dumbbells and a Cable Machine.also walking 8,000 to 10,000 steps per day.
@@hikedayley9309 All this hustle for 2 workouts a week? Paaathetic
@@lucfxgambitgaming7494 2 intense workouts works for me. I used to work out 4 days per week and I didn't get the gains. Its was the Law of Diminishing Returns. I dropped to 2 workouts a week and I am growing some muscle and getting stronger. For me less works better than more.
No I agree with the previous poster, 2 workouts per week is pathetic. 4 to 5 workouts per week is always, as in 100.0% of the time, better than 2 workouts per week.
Thank you for mentioning the fact that elevated liver enzymes do not always mean liver disease. Reference ranges need to be adjusted for a more individualized approach to reviewing bloodwork, especially for athletes who are lifting a lot of weights and/or carry a lot of muscle on their frame.
They are where they are so liver disease can be detected early. If your liver is fine, fine, but liver disease is slow and can hide for years and in the end livers don't grow on trees
It’s his MO. Interrupt the guest to show how smart he is. Incredibly tiresome. Why bother getting the guest on in the first place
Creatine's beneficial effects for me are profound in terms of strength, confidence and mood. But I have an issue with insomnia whenever I take it. I've been on and off it for over 5 years but find this effect to be consistent whenver I begin taking it again. I can get to sleep fine but am unable to maintain sleep and will wake up after about 4 - 5 hours of poor sleep, unable to return to sleep after this. It gives a wired, adrenaline like feeling. I've noticed a lot of anecdotal experiences suggesting the same thing and pointing to dopamine to adrenaline conversion as a possible cause. If anyone has any information on how to resolve this with the use of supplements etc, I'd be immensely grateful.
Interesting, I am exactly opposite. I take creatine at night because it helps me sleep. When I am off creatine I sleep horribly, on it, I sleep like a baby. Just solidifies the point that everyone responds to exogenous substances differently. There is no one size fits all.
I am experiencing insomnia as well. I wake up after about 5 hours and I am AWAKE. No getting back to sleep. Other than that I feel great and am lifting heavier weights.
A friend uses good quality CBD gummies for sleeping. They worked pretty good for me but I didn’t like taking something with sugar in it.
I am exactly the same on this. Came to the comments to find some anecdotal reports. I stopped taking it because it was so bad.
the lack of deep sleep is most likely due to you burning out your serotonin stores throughout the day because creatine helps you with physical activity and keeps you going longer. try being sedentary for a day or two while taking creatine and see if that improves the sleep. certainty does for me. even though I feel like I have the capacity to just push a bit longer, I don't do it because of my low serotonin. probably caused by a bad gut.
Same here! studies have shown it decreases deep sleep in rats. So I mean u have more energy (ATP) available in your brain so I totally see how it can wreck your sleep. I had to stop it
I gain around 3-4kg when taking creatine but I feel lighter at the same time wich is a bit odd feeling.
I also feel a little more energetic and stronger.
Creatine does however increase the tendancy for muscle cramps in me.
In my opinion as important as creatine is magnesium. Maybe even more, so I buy monohydrate with magnesium in it, definitively better in terms of muscle cramps, especially when you don't have any problem with training but some with correct diet in some days. 🤔
Drink more water, take more electrolytes because creatine will make you use up water
@@perryscifi yep need more magnesium with creatine use
When looking at the different brands, how do you know you’re getting the best quality Creatine? What should we want in the ingredients list? What should we avoid?
I started to take today specially for memory. I saw a podcast where the owner of MOMENTOUS was talking about the benefit of fish oil and creatine together for cognitive issues. I ordered both from MOMENTOUS is a great quality 😊
20 years ago I used Creatine in liquid form and I feel it helped my cycling fitness get better. Then I started getting cramping when I used any creatine, so I stopped using it and the cramping stopped. In 2021, I tried it again in power form without loading and cramped terribly within 2-3 days during cycling trainer rides. I consumed proper amounts of fluid and electrolytes pre, during and post workouts. So I stopped again and cramping stopped, but it took at least a week for cramped Muscles to recover!!!!
I think what’s happening here is you’re able to push beyond your typical exertion level causing your cramping. Try training at a lower intensity for a longer period, slowly increasing volume until you’re able to perform at a high level without the cramps. I’d bet if you did the same power without creatine you would cramp just the same.
@@sturdyvw I definitely was not working above my normal abilities/levels in effort or duration!!!!!!!! You'd loose that bet!!!
I am so glad I came across this because I have always been worried about taking out my kidneys by taking creatine.
I’m stopped taking creatinine years ago because of some older friends who blamed creatine for kidney issues. In hindsight, these people were on all types of other stuff that probably caused their issues.
I have been taking creatine for 22 years without taking a break...no side effects except if I'm not hydrated enough I sometimes got cramps but very very rarely and not necessarily due to creatine
PIckle Juice...:)))))))
Thanks for the video, really useful!
Here's something I can't get my head around: If there was one study that showed that creatine supplementation might promote hair loss, through the increase in DHT, I really don't understand why we take for granted that it doesn't (one study out of one is a 100% average), and why other studies aren't being done. It sounds like an underestimation of the problem...
I quit creating because of this possible side-effect being in my 40s and not wanting to take the risk. The bottom line is that one study has been done and it showed that it might promote hair loss 🤔
Sample size, type of research and other attributes matter as well. Perhaps the study lacks in some of these departments? Anyway, not an issue for me as I'm already bald and wouldn't mind to get rid of the rest of hair so I wouldn't have to shave it every second day, lol.
Bro, hear me out. The test was done on 20 college-aged rugby players, and not only is that an absurdly small sample size to begin with college-aged dudes involved in athletics very frequently take exogenous hormones and plenty of other substances to party. I understand that these trials ask their participants to adhere to a consistent diet/training routine and abstain from supplements/drugs but that doesn’t mean that they all listen. There is an absolute ton of room for error here
Absolute money supplement. Been using it for years. Game changer.
Glad Peter brought up the creatinine marker and not to pay much attn to it. I had severe proteinuria and a GFR of 38. My neohrologist did a little research to see i carried much more muscle than others and naturally would be higher with regard to creatinine lvls. Through proper diet, I was able to correct the proteinuria and got my GFR above 55 with 1 functioning kidney.
Overall, i had been on creatine for years and didnt see much evidence of improvement. When i got off for good and only used a preworkout i didnt notice any loss of strength or endurance. I may have lost 3 or 4 lbs from water. I stayed under 12% bf for most of the year. I told many people to stop wasting the money on the supp and use it to something more worth the money.
I started taking creatine HCL last year and got some blood work done this past July which tested my eGFR (stands for estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate) and found that it had dropped to below below 60 from a previous high of 72. Normal value is >59 mL/min/1.73. An eGFR below 60 mL/min for three months or more may indicate Chronic Kidney Disease. I immediately got off of the creatine! I'll test again in January and see if it's gone back up. Also, my Creatinine had gone up, but that wasn't as big as a concern. If your kidneys don't have a normal filter rate, though, that's a *bad* thing.
Any update on this? Very curious. I work in Dialysis with End stage renal disease patients
@@sergioledezma2000 Not yet. I go to the doctor for my next physical in January 2025.
It’s also in Dr Chris Masterjohn’s methylation protocol to use creatine as a conservation measure. I think that has something to do with where creatine sits relative to ammonia pathway, but I would need to refresh my memory. Point is it’s not just beneficial to muscles.
Creatine helped me lift about 10% more and I gained about 14 lbs. My creatinine levels went sky high and my GFR went really low. I quit using it on the advice of a renal consultant. 45 year old male from UK.
I have had zero increases in creatinine. Sorry it doesn’t work for you.
@@jimmy5634 Glad to hear that and thanks. Doing well without :)
I'm going to show this to my doctor the next time one of them tell me I have kidney issues because I'm tired of telling them my creatinine levels are high because I take creatine. I'm glad you've mentioned how resistance training can affect liver enzymes as well because I've had to tell them that as well.
If you have to educated your doctor on health and fitness you should probably find a new doctor lol
@@visionforetold4568 well it's the va, so not a lot of viable options.
Bro, same here!
Your doctor cant no anything about nutrition or fitness. Medical students do not have any classes on nutrition and fitness throughout their studies. They know how to help you, when you are in pain. But they cant give you tips on nutrition or fitness.
My experience at the VA has been 1000x better than private. Either way insurance won’t cover the weird tests that Attia recommends available. I just stop taking creatinine for a few days before they check the bun/creatinine levels
I 've been taking creatine for years and both my SGOT/AST and SGPT/ALT are through the roof (60 and 158 U/L resp). My creatinine is high but borderline (1.35 mg/dL). Anyone else experiencing similar spikes in their bloodwork? Needless to say, all doctors (plural) I consulted ordered me to quit cold turkey (which I did). Also, for those who stay on creatine (despite elevated numbers) what is a good periodic test to rule out liver/kidney issues? Great video btw, such good information is really hard to come by, especially when the default response of the medical community is to take the "easy way out".
Yeh I’ve had this issue - even had doctors tell me that creatine is bad for the kidneys. Couldn’t find evidence for this claim however.
They told me to quit cold Turkey and of course my levels came back to normal. I think some doctors just get in the habit of treating the test result (trying to get it within ‘range’) instead of treating the patient.
That said I think there is a test for kidney function that exists that people who take creatine and lift weights should take instead - as creatanine tests give a lot of false positives for hindered kidney function. I forget what it’s called though but could probably find it on Google easy enough.
They covered this a little at around the 5 min mark. And mentioned a marker you could focus on more , but there are probably others.
@@739jep Thank you that's really helpful! I will start digging. How about a good periodic test on Liver function? My numbers were so high they thought I drink lots of alcohol (even though I don't even touch that stuff). I find it quite ironic though that an extremely healthy lifestyle such as ours is perceived as pathological by the medical community. Like you said, they treat results, not the patient.
@@Why_Alex_Beats_Bobbie unfortunately can’t help you much with the liver function question. Hope you find the answers you’re looking for!
@@739jep Thank you anyway and good luck to you too!
Yep I had this same problem and they ultrasounded me like I was having triplets, all for nothing. I found a paper talking about highly abnormal blood metrics (incl AST) for weightlifting men. I abstained from weights for 2 weeks and everything went down below limits except for creatinine. So much for personalized medicine.
I'm a man in my early seventies in good health, and in a recent checkup, my GP told me that my Creatine levels are EXCELLENT. He added that I should not take a supplement because I could get hurt.
What do you say?
I drink coffee in the morning and the instructions on the Creatine box say specifically - not to combine caffeine with this product. WebMD also warns that one of the possible side effects is - stroke!
If I also consume some tea in the afternoon - can I take this supplement with the tea or shortly afterwards or later in the evening?
Is Creatine ok for kids? What would a dose recommendation be if adults are taking 5g daily? My son is an 11year old with T1D. His BMI is < 5% on the growth charts. I have been adding MCT powder to his meals for some extra fat, but no noticeable change. He is playing soccer 3-4x a week and has also started Ninja Warrior classes.
My hair thins and my gyno noticeably reduces when I use creatine, so anecdotally at least there is quite a strong DHT-related mechanism.
You’re just balding already man. If you knew about the hair loss claims before taking it, you’ll be 10x more self conscious about your hair.
@@AZ-gs6hj My hair has gone back to normal now that I've ceased consumption.
I love how people deny that it causes hair loss. Just because they didn’t experience hair loss themselves, they act like it can’t for other people and it’s just all in their head. It’s the same people that could probably do an entire dht based steroid cycle and still have hair like Jay Cutler. There’s too much anecdote to ignore. Someone who doesn’t experience hair loss from creatine isn’t going to spend hours reading UA-cam video and Reddit comments. Makes no sense whatsoever. “ You we’re going to go bald anyways, bro, quit blaming creatine!” is a comment I always see people making. Why would anyone want to lose hair at 25 over 55?
Get finasteride.
I'm 61 years old, and I never had any side effect that affected my hair loss or even minor bloating from taking Creatine Monohydrate on a daily basis, in fact: I've seen more hair growth, improved skin, my nails grow faster than when I don't take creatine monohydrate. I've had to have a thyroidectomy with some minor kidney issues temporarily, but once I was placed on Synthroid (Levothyroxine) in 6 weeks I noticed more muscle fullness when I restarted creatine and my kidney functions improved, my nails keep growing, and my wife asks me why my hair is still growing out of control, I dont know? I even noticed my joints don't hurt as much vs being off of creatine. I have tried different creatine, and found the Monohydrate works best for me without a loading phase and it's more cost effective. I don't know why some people say it causes hair loss, other than the fact it may be genetic factors, and not creatine issues? I can honestly say I've kept the same waist line 28" since I was 17 years old, I have more muscle, and a Cardiologist told me I have a heart stronger than most 20 year olds from a complete work up, and stress test. I'm 61 again with about 9.9% bodyfat and feel better everyday, a good healthy diet is also the key.👍💪👊💯❤
Peter, I am curious because I had heard you say that VO2 max is the most important metric. However creatine supposedly has a negative effect on VO2 max. Is the impact low enough that you would still recommend creatine to older people? I am looking at optimizations for my parents in their 70's.
Severe muscle cramping. For what it’s worth, I’ve taken creatine monohydrate three times from different major suppliers. The first two times, I took 5g (no loading), but I had severe muscle cramps after a month or so. I researched more and could find very little info about creatine creating muscle cramping, only that it didn’t cause it. I also found that lower doses were often as effective, so I took 3g/day on my third try with another supplier. Same result. Severe muscle cramping, mostly in my legs, and I mean severe. Since creatine was supposed to be the most researched and "safe" supplement, I think that I’m done with supplements, especially since, if one was actually effective without negative side effects, you never know what’s going to be in the container next time.
Muscle cramps could be from magnesium/minerals deficiency, dehydration or lack of stretching.
I started taking 3g creatine monohydrate 8 days ago principally to help with mental health issues. After about 3 days I could already see physical improvements in dead lift, curls, dead hang, sprints. For the first time in a very long time I actually felt and had a „pump“ in my muscles.
Regarding mental health effects, it’s difficult to outright say any effects are due to creatine. The physical aspects are solely due to creatine intake, my diet is otherwise exactly the same.
Creatine at 3 to 5 grams a day has freed me from a lifetime of treatment resistant depression in a fairly short period of time. Give it a little time. Here's hoping it works for your mental well-being too.
Thank you for posting this. I’m 5’2 and 120 lbs I’m struggling to gain muscle. I get concerned about taking anything other than vitamins and necessary medications. I am excited to try it now. It’s been sitting in my cabinet for 6 mths lol. Were you able to stay at 3mg and see continued results? I have depression and panic attacks so it’s good to know it helped your mental health
My only concern with creatine supplementation is the increase in cancer progression. Cancer cells in hypoxic conditions are known to utilize phosphocreatine in the absence of oxygen, and prefer it over glucose due to it's higher energy state over ATP. That being said, the risk is only to those with current CRC or pancreatic cancer diagnoses or early stage hypoxic cancers, which could be a large population unknown to themselves.
If you’re healthy and don’t have late stage cancer, take NMN (an NAD+ booster which is needed for healthy ATP production in the mitochondria) to mitigate and prevent cancer
Interesting take, because I am almost 3 years post-surgery for prostate cancer and was bee bopping along with negligible PSA tests until recently my PSA became detectable again. I've been supplementing with Creatine Monohydrate for the past year or so. It sounds like you have some training in biology. Are you familiar with Dr. Thomas Seyfried's work at BC?
@@GaryElliott-yv9cm no i’m not familiar with Dr. Seyfried. I do have a biology background and when posting my comment I remembered a presentation I did during my studies that was looking to treat hypoxic CRC’s/pancreatic cancers using a drug that mimicked creatine in structure so that it bound to the creatine receptors and stayed, preventing creatine from entering the cancer cells and resulting in significant reduction in the tumour sizes, with many subjects (mice) having complete tumour regression.
Creatine gives me constant mild headache and I’m very well hydrated. So annoying because I want to take it. I’ve tried different brands and doses.
I've been taking creatine as an athlete for over 20 years.
The only downside I've found is an increase risk of muscle pulls and tears of you're not extra hydrated.
You need more water when you're on creatine
Yep!
😮
Anyone have any view on the effect of creatine on blood pressure? I used creatine (5 g/day) for about 2 months and my systolic presure jumped 10 pts. So I stopped using it.
I am weighing the same issue. I have been measuring my BP for the past six months. I started creatine about 3 weeks ago, and my blood pressure has skyrocketed like 10-30 on systolic and 10-15 diastolic for the past three days. I don’t typically have high blood pressure or weight issues, and I am having a hard time figuring out what else could be causing it. I wonder if creatine can have some specific effects on certain people. I don’t want to go off creatine, but BP of 150/85 is not good for me.
I started taking this just over 4 weeks ago. About 5-6 grams per day. I lift twice a week and do a core day. I cycle about 100 miles a week (18 mph) and run about 12 miles a week. This has been my pattern for over ten years. Also, I have maintained a body weight of 155lbs @ 5’8” consistently. In 4 weeks, same diet and slightly more lifting I have gained 9 lbs! It doesn’t affect me much on the bike, but running is quite a chore with the added weight. 8:36 Also I am 56 years old and do feel like recovery time is better. Hope I can drop some weight 😂
You may want to do a body composition scan so that you can see fat vs lean mass, and not worry about the number on the scale. Also, assuming you gained lean mass, I wonder if you will drop fat mass with the extra muscle, and I wonder how long that would take.
@@alvc22 because of the water weight added to the muscles, from creatine my body composition scale has me at 25% body fat. I normally am around 12%.
@@SprintTri57 I guess those scales aren't accurate. A scan would be better.
I’ve been taking Creatine for 3 months and no hair loss whatsoever…it’s actually thickening my hair?
My dad's doctor said I should not be taking creatine because it's bad for the kidneys. How is one supposed to make an informed decision when it seems like there is no consensus among medical professionals? I feel great when I'm on creatine so I still take it but the lack of consensus is alarming.
Put lemon in your water every day. Drink lots and lots of water (48 to 64 Oz a day) and pay attention to your electrolytes.
It is
Much of what many doctors have been taught in schools has been tainted by the pharmaceutical industry and many doctors do not have enough interest in their work to realize what knowledge they have is false.
Do your own research on the topic and go by how you feel rather than solely what the doctor tells you.
Does anyone else get muscle cramping while supplementing creatine? Particularly my biceps and pecs will "lock up" or resist extension after being relaxed for a period of time.
And for some of us, it makes us lose our hair significantly faster. I also found it mucous forming, though not as bad as cow milk with A1 casein proteins or chicken egg whites.
Was your hair loss from creatine temporary and it grew back, or permanent?
@@IndependenceCityMotoring Permanent, but I'm in the process of trying to reverse it. I've been rubbing/massaging natural anti DHT stuff into my scalp in that region (a blend of Greemu with some rosemary and lavender oil), just started using a red light and infrared cap, and taking a mild internal anti DHT herb, Saw Palmetto (I haven't been as diligent with this though).
It is slow going. There is also an old Edgar Cayce recommended treatment that reportedly helps as well. Crude, Pennsylvanian sweet oil rubbed in. I don't recommend this to others though because it could be mildly toxic. But many who are into or open minded to that source, have tried it and a large percentage says that it noticeably helps *over time.* (Like with the saw palmetto, I haven't been as diligent with this stuff, probably because it stinks to high heaven).
But this is all slow going stuff. It takes months and months of consistent application to start to see any noticeable differences. It's amazing how fast it came out and how slow it comes back.
Exactly the pcp my husband went to said “it’s too hard on the liver” and my husband asked him to explain the reasoning or data behind it, and his doc got flustered and resorted to personal bias instead. Healthcare in US folks🎉
I just started taking it and I’m not that happy. I like a yoga runners body. Now I feel kind of like doughy water weight puffy girl. I think it did give me more energy working out, but the next day I was all puffy, like I had eaten a bunch of dairy or something. 👎
@@HH-gv8mx that’s the benefit of creatine, it encourages more water to collect in the muscles. I understand though, i think I see that affect being uncomfortable.
Exactly
Creatine definitely sped up my hair loss. Stopped taking it, and my hair loss slowed significantly. Would be great to see more research on creatine and DHT levels though, since the creatine hair loss debate is all speculation around one paper from 2009 on rugby players.
Agreed! Took it for like 2 months & hair started balding immediately!
I took creatine during most of my 20’s. No noticeable hair loss that I recall. Haven’t taken it since. I’m in my 40’s now and just heard about the hair loss side effect a few weeks ago. It’s given me pause on resuming it for sure lol.
I had the same experience
Me too. It seems to be that it speeds up hair loss IF you have male pattern baldness. So if your make ancestors have full heads of hair, you are probably good to go. If not be more careful.
Look at Peter’s hair. Rapamycin side effect? 😂
What do you guys think about creatine malate vs monohydrate? I've taken both and remember malate working better on me, at least that is what I remember (that was probably a decade ago). Most people say that creatine monohydrate is the most tested and always works, and always should go for this one. Do you have any opinions?
Anything besides monohydrate is a waste of monaay
I took it for a time and then noticed my blood pressure up and attributed it to the creatine. Any idea if this is the case?
Yea this is why i stopped but not sure if it actually caused my bp to go up or if it was something else
one thing layne has brought up alot before is we know more about non responders and that non responders are more common than previously thought
Creatine is a huge trigger for my gout. There should be a warning label that states this clearly - it would take weeks to recover if I were to take it. It actually pisses me off that this is not mentioned more!
Maybe they are assuming that you’re metabolically healthy.
You are obviously not atm
All the best
Ya got an underlying health issue my friend. Get to the root of the gout. Check your diet.
I bet you eat sugar and bad carbs. Ever since I went no sugar and carnivore, no more gout.
Once again the pharma/medical Mafia has lied.
So interesting regarding creatinine and liver enzymes. I've always suspected that but other than my hunch and forums I've never heard experts discuss this
@peter
My experience on creatinine:
2017 - Creatinine 1.53 mg/dl, was hitting gym 5 days a week. Stopped gym ran around multiple doctors, everyone suggested a kidney biopsy for further prognosis. Couldnt believe the predicament after caring so much about health and fitness. Was around 82 KG for 168 cm height.
2018 - creatinine 1.4 mg/dl stopped going to gym, ate moderate amounts of protien.
2019-20- turned vegetarian, covid hit, no gyms, no blood tests.
2021 - Creatinine 1.27 mg/dl .No gym since a couple of years. Started losing muscle, over all body composition changed.
2022 - Sept, Creatinine 1.16 mg/dl, No gym since 3 years lost a lot of muscle body weight around 72KGs.
2022 - Nov started hitting gym.
2023 Feb - Cystatin C 0.69 mg/L, Creatinine 1.4 mg/dl ; started gym since 3 months, 5-6 days a week, 70-100 grams of protien per day
Lost fat have put on decent muscle.
72KGs
Ps: Never been on any sups, all these years.
I was using the GNC lime creatine for 3 years and developed severe cramping in my left calf so I went off it. Then, 10 years later I decided to give it another go and I realized the same great results. But a few months in, after having severe back pain, I woke up one morning with my left leg completely swollen and ended up checking into the hospital with a blood clot in my left side interior vena cava. After two operations the surgeon cleared out the severe blockage. His team of vascular specialists concluded that the creatine created a situation in my vein that resulted in the DVT.
I would recommend avoiding creatine or going on for short periods of time only. Just do some research and you will see blood clot warnings.
Also I noticed breathing issues. My cardio ability definitely reduced from taking it
Every time I take creatine I have adverse side effects. I had multiple issues with severe muscle cramping (I drink about a gallon of water a day and eat multiple bananas each day so hydration and potassium shouldn't be an issue) and then I started getting severe exertion headaches which abated within a week of going off of creatine.
Drink more water a gallon is pretty low
@@Realhater1352 too much water will deplete your sodium levels
Just started taking creatine a week ago and already got a PR on a climbing segment on the mountain bike. That's out of 140 attempts.
I just started taking it and I’m not that happy. I like a yoga runners body. Now I feel kind of like doughy water weight puffy girl. I think it did give me more energy working out, but the next day I was all puffy, like I had eaten a bunch of dairy or something. 🏃♀ 🐷 👎
Is there ANY concern about cancer with creatinine supplements anymore? I am a daily runner in my 40s who just started lifting again after about a 20 year hiatus, lifted heavily in teens/20s. Naturally bulky but want to keep muscle for active lifestyle for as long as I can. I remember this was a theory at one point, appreciate any insight.
Be careful if you are prone to getting gout. The initial dosing of creatine can cause a rather intense flare up. It happened to me, and creatine was the only thing that I could attribute it to. I did some research on lifting forums, it was mentioned and discussed several times by other athletes. Other than it is the best supplement available.
Thank God for your comment!!!!
I have experimented with Creatine for years. Every time about a week or two later I feel systemically inflamed. My entire rib cage gets sore. My SI joints hurt. Everyone tells me that it’s gotta be something else. I am a vegetarian so I don’t know if that’s playing into it but I really wanted the cognitive benefits supposedly from Creatine. I have never had any symptoms of gout or any other noticeable health issues. I tried at small doses too -30yrs old, 40,50 and 59. I was totally sold by the scientific confidence that there were no problems with it. But it fucks me up! Thank you for helping me relinquish this supplement. I felt so alone.
High fructose corn syrup is the problem for me. No more Gatorade, pop, pan kake syrup, or hard candy. Haven't had a problem since
Lot of your vegetables have oxcylate in them 12:40 s@@petermaharajh2088
Today i decided to let creatine go😢. Im suffering from bppv symptoms from it. Im constantly on and off trying to figure out if creatine was really the culprit and sad to say yes. Ive been taking it straight 1 year and it was fine. Until recently. So i stopped it for a couple of months and bppv symtoms went away. Then trying my luck again because i really want the strength and the fullness of my muscle. After 6 days of taking it bppv symptoms starts again😢. Its just so unfortunate to lose the good benefit of creatine.
Excellent Vid. Some good studies out there on the benifits of Creatine (monohydrate) beyond those just for weight training.. Things like mood/depression.. seem to improve for those who take creatine.
I'm uising preworkouts containing 3-5g of creatine for the last ~20 years, and... I've no idea what their impact is, because I don't know how I would be doing if I didn't ever take them. On some very rare ocasions the mere fact that I already swallowed the preworkout has for sure motivated me to go to the gym in a rare moment of feeling weak and contemplating not going.
You gotta take creatine everyday, for it's maximum benefit. Unless you're using that pre workout everyday, which I doubt. 😬
@@seanthegod4585 What kind of maximum benefit? I'm not interested in having an arm like this dude in the vid - this obviously is some kind of disability, probably result of some slight psychological issue on his part. I try to workout 5 times per week, not always manage that. On non workout days obviously I'm not taking preworkout (or anything else). 'Gains' were 1 of goals maybe in the first ~5 years, they aren't one since a long long time.
@@maciejguzek3442 Creatine stores in your body. Taking it one day does nothing for that day.
@@bucsfan2565 thanks for advice, I was only taking it 4-5 times a week for the last ~21 years
I'm interested to hear about creatine benefits for endurance sports if any? Could the extra water weight negate any performance benefits?
👍
If you discontinue creatine completely, will your muscle saturation drop and then you lose that muscle mass ? Thank you.
Excellent information! Very helpful. No rambling, just facts.
Monohydrate always effs my gut up, but never had an issue with hcl
Any comments on the risks towards prostate cancer. Studies clearly indicate a real effect of increased creatinine on prostate cancer probability. Any opinions on this ?
I tested taking 25 grams of creatine a day for a few months and boy... it was a difference.
I don't do that now, this was years ago and the GI issues were real. But it worked, my muscles got bigger if only due to more water but that pump and size gain was pretty noticable.
People were starting to wonder whether I was on steroids.
ofc you had gi issues, ur supposed to take 5 grams not 25
@@elefantkaki some recommend 3-5 G's a day, some recommend it based on bodyweight to an average of 5 grams per 100 lbs bodyweight daily. Some say much higher doses are the only way to actually get cognitive benefits. Studies are fine as a reference, but they have flaws, always. Best to start with a low dose to gauge the gi distress for sure
I couldn't poop, caused a blockage in my intestines.
had to go to the hospital.
@@MUCKFOOT399 so you got 100% of the gains from your food? Nice. Jokes aside that sounds terrible
@@rockyevans1584 I was taking 2-3 scoops a day.
Creatine has such a significant impact on my performance that I worry about having some kind of underlying condition, when not taking the creatine.
I just started creatine today, actually. I'll be 72 next week, and have been weightlifting with vigor the last 7.5 years. I got sent to a nephrologist this spring with supposed CKD stage 3 with an eGFR of 47. A few things, I'm tall and like BMI they square your height in the calculation. Just correcting for my height of 6'1" gets the eGFR to something like 67. A 24 hour urine creatinine clearance test has my measured GFR at 97. So, call me skeptical about using creatinine levels for kidney disease diagnosis. I am curious if I notice any improvement in the gym. I am pretty satisfied presently, but you know how it is, lifting more is rarely a bad thing.
Kinda weird replying to my own post. Has creatine helped me in the gym....oh yeah. Every lift that I do has improved by a rep, or two. I rarely try to do a one rep max, generally work in the 7-9 rep range. But last week, out of curiosity, I did take a stab at that, while bench pressing. I easily pressed 240# which was a pleasant surprise.
@@406dn7 You're a stud!
@@406dn7 How's it going now? I just started.
I love what creatine does for me both mentally and physically but it raises my blood pressure and cause heart palpitations. It shouldn't be able to do this but reddit is full of people with the same issue. Some say it's due to dehydration which makes sense but i haven't found solid answers. Does anyone have info on this?
I took EAS Phosphogen back in the day and loved it.
As a 66 year-old male who exercises 4-5 times a week doing HIIT bodyweight and mixing it up with dumbbells depending on the routine, I had been taking 5g of creatine daily. My creatinine levels were high and eGFR low. My nephrologist told me to take 5g every other day until my next blood test, which is in 30 days. I have read that supplementing with creatine can give false positives with these serum levels.
Can anyone share the paper, Peter spoke about, that says Cystatin C should be an ideal bio marker for renal function test.
I was trying to reenter the military and they barred me from enlisting for a while because blood work I had, had done through the VA read that my creatinine levels were elevated.
I told them that it was supefiscial due to creatine supplementation.
They said I had stage 2 kidney failure or something extreme like that.
I got off creatine for a month, got another blood test, and was fine. 🙄
Regardless, I got a lecture from the doctor on the hazards of creatine...
I won’t lie, I was working 12 hour shifts, 7 days a week, in a big labor job. I was taking 3 times the creatine I was supposed to everyday. And like 3 months into doing that, my hair started falling out like never before. HANDFULS of hair started coming out in the shower. I had no clue why… I stopped taking creatine, and it completely stopped. And my hair grew back completely.
The job was Ashley Furniture. Moving couches all day. 12 hour shifts. On 7/12s. I was taking creatine 3 times a day. Lots of protein, but also was a caffeine addict. It’s possible my dehydration, plus my massive creatine intake, caused that to happen.
Ye I don't think it was creatine, it was lifestyle+that caffeine much more than just creatine. Also could be alopecia, happened to my colleague once
It could be the Creatine too, it has caused DHT increase and if you are susceptible, i.e. you have the gene for hairloss then you will have hairloss when DHT levels go high.
Simple way to check would be to take Creatine for a month and do everything else the same way as you are doing and see if you get hairloss again.
You can go a step further and measure your DHT values before and after a month of taking it. However these tests are quite expensive.
This happened to me too
Telogen effluvium - stress-based temporary hair loss - may also have been the cause or played a role.
I take 2.5 grams to 5 grams of creatine on days I work out and DEFINITELY notice a difference. Great supplement
Could you please discuss the research and application of creatine for ME/CFS and fibromyalgia?
THIS!!!!!!!
I'm very nterested in this too 😊xx
Does creatine only send extra water to skeletal muscle? Why is it so selective, in other words, what does it do to the heart muscle?
that is the Q they never address.
A quick google says that there is potential for Creatine to improve energy transfer in the heart (similar to how it does in lean muscle tissue) and it may improve heart arrhythmia, but overall more dose-dependent and ingestion-timing needs to be considered and more studies are needed.
IMO. While past studies did not specifically focus on heart function over a long period of time, it’s generally not brought up in discussion, leaving me to believe it has not been an issue for the majority of studies.
Creatine is notoriously cruel. It doesn't effect the heart. It's heartless
The more I watch these videos the more I am struck by how little we can definitively say about exercise and nutrition.
Have to wonder if that's intentional. Supplements are a multi billion dollar industry. I doubt they are interested in funding studies.
I would agree, but just bear in mind that Attia, Sinclair and other health experts are incredibly humble, science-oriented and responsible. That means that they would use phrases like "I would argue" or "there is data that suggests" instead of saying bogus things like "I is definitely proved" like most health magazines would say. Cheers, mate!
Research $ for nutrition science is hard to come by because it's hard for corporations to make $ from good nutrition. They make $ from BAD nutrition.
@@kddidit08 I think it's mostly that people respond so wildly different to certain foods, no gut microbiome is the same.
the good thing is these two are prob the best in the field of no bullshit sports training and nutrition. loved this pod
I’m a 70-year-old woman with FHS muscular dystrophy. I’m contemplating taking creatine, but I am not sure?
I wonder how it effects cellular aging? Is its relationship like protein, insulin etc and mTor
Read reports on creatine and aging and brain function. Magic
Oh I love that 925 Black Bay! Great choice.
The concern I have regarding creatine is the possibility of dehydration. I work in the weather and it gets extremely hot and humid where I am. I already walk a fine line trying to drink enough water and get enough potassium so I don't dehydrate or cramp. Any thoughts will be appreciated! "No solutions only trade offs". Someone sounds like they've been listening to Thomas Sowell
Have you tried Liquid IV electrolytes? I like the passionfrutit flavor,Joe Rogan also takes it and says it keeps him hydrated and never gets cramps anymore
@@SolidGeddoe I do use that when I need it for different reasons. I just started creatine a month ago, so far so good. It hasn't gotten hot enough to where I'd be concerned about dehydration yet but the heat is coming.
@@Jeffthedude15 I see,I am taking Serious mass by Optimum Nutrition and it has 3G of creatine plus all the calories and vitamins and so far I noticed more strength and stamina,quicker recovery and already gaining some weight and it's only been 1 week of taking it.
@@SolidGeddoe In 3 more weeks you should see even better results
Check out one of the comments here. A guy sad it really protects him from heat stress in Houston…that’s a hot place in summer
I take losartan hydrochlorothiazide for high blood pressure. Working towards getting off it. Is there a problem with taking creatine with it?
You shouldn’t ignore Creatinine as a doctor. Yes, cystatin C is more shiny because it’s newer and could predict worsening kidney functiom a little before creatinine but isn’t exempt of limitations. There is no perfect cost effective gfr measuring marker, only inulin (not insulin), but it has serious limitations for measuring it. Cystatin C and Creatinine are both imperfect, and that’s why if you want to practice great medicine, you just have to take into account the patient’s full picture. Most patients can be followed on creatine. If you are doubtful you could add cystatin C and see if there’s correlation between the two. Cystatin C is imperfect because it is also affected by similar factors as creatinine, and it is partly metabolized by tubular renal cells (meaning not 100% accurate, and imperfect as creatinine).
Should one not take creatine before certain medical tests? If so which ones?
im also interested in this answer@@victorygarden556
Would be interested to learn more from an endurance athlete perspective
Real glad you hit on the Creatinine vs Cystatin C issue in assessing kidney function. Creatinine levels can be elevated in individuals who strength train even if they don’t take creatine. Cystatin C is superior to creatinine as a marker for kidney function generally, and Creatinine as an indicator of kidney function is useless if you are taking creatine.
Not only if you’re taking creatine. High protein diets, high muscle mass and weight lifting will all increase creatinine out put. Combine all those together and levels will be high even if your kidney function is normal.
2018 - Creatinine 1.53 mg/dl, was hitting gym 5 days a week. Stopped gym ran around multiple doctors, ultrasound was normal, everyone suggested a kidney biopsy for further prognosis. Couldnt believe the predicament after caring so much about health and fitness. Was around 82 KG for 168 cm height.
2019 - creatinine 1.4 mg/dl stopped going to gym, ate moderate amounts of protien.
2020 - turned vegetarian, covid hit, no gyms, no blood tests.
2021 - Creatinine 1.27 mg/dl .No gym since a couple of years. Started losing muscle, over all body composition changed.
2022 - Sept, Creatinine 1.16 mg/dl, No gym since 3 years lost a lot of muscle body weight around 72KGs.
2022 - Nov : started hitting gym.
2023 Feb - Cystatin C 0.69 mg/L, Creatinine 1.4 mg/dl (face palm) started gym since 3 months, 5-6 days a week, 70-100 grams of protien per day
Lost fat have put on decent muscle.
72KGs
Ps- Never on sups during this period. Took creatine mono hydrate for a brief period on 2014 was on whey briefly in 2016.
What’s the best form of Creatine for cognitive benefits?
I’m an ICU nurse. BUN and creatinine are always two main labs we check to help determine kidney function. Elevating BUN and Cr over a period usually indicates that someone may benefit from either hemodialysis or continuous renal replacement therapy. Creatinine and Creatine ARE NOT the same thing. I’ve seen some people believe they are one in the same.
When Creatine is used to create ATP a byproduct is creatinine
“I’m an ICU nurse” 🚩🚩🚩🚩
so what are your thoughts on creatine hcl supplementation
Please provide the time stamp of where they said that creatine and creatinine are the same thing. I'll wait.
What about "Cystatin C" as a nurse shouldn't that also be a go to because taking Creatine could show elevated Creatinine but false determiner or cursor and should look to "Cystatin C" for optimal kidney function incase someone is fit and taking Creatin. It's about Creatin Vs Cyststin C. Drs and nurses can't be rigid to protocol is why the public is looking to now self help inany areas because rigidity in diagnosing is dangerous on so many levels!😊
I took a lot of creatine probably around 20 years ago. I had such great gains with it initially, that I booked an appointment to see my GP to ask if it was safe, he replied it was! The gains were almost on par with a low dose of Decca and Dianabol with regards to strength!
After a several months on it I did notice reduced efficacy, this led me to take a 2 week break then come back to it. I tried the loading phase and just taking 5gms daily, I noticed no difference. I also tried taking 5gms twice daily, again no difference in performance!
It's been a long time since I've taken creatine, and my sporting needs have changed. I'm no longer a strength athlete, but an endurance cyclist. And after pretty much 8 years off the weights I've now returned, albeit with a new approach to training!
So a new chapter on creatine shall begin! Will be interesting to see if I see any improvement in my climbing ability on the bike, any increase in my FTP and maybe max power output, say 10 second?!
Very funny. Just for a moment you almost had me there.
Has anyone else had issues with heart palpitations while taking creatine? Both times I've tried it in the past I would get heart palpitations and about a month after stopping they would go away. Wondering if there is something I could do to prevent palpitations while taking creatine.
Get your electrolytes checked. My palpitations were from low potassium, but it could be another electrolyte. It's hard to get enough potassium or even get good supplements, no issues since doctor prescribed me potassium
I alway hear the dosage is 5 grams, but is there no change for weight? I’m half the size of the guest’. Would 3 grams be just as effective for me? Or, is it that 5 grams is it just the dose that’s been studied?
I'm 150 pounds and get great results with 2 grams a day
Body weight definitely matters with very supplement you consume. Adjust accordingly
What's a good creatine recommendation?
I took creatine for a few weeks and suffered painful Charlie Horse muscle spasms for the first time in my life. This is a known side effect of taking creatine. Since I stopped taking it I've never had another Charlie Horse spasm since.
same here
Just depends on the person I’ve been a decathlete in college for 3 years now and have taken it every single day almost and I’ve never cramped ever
You weren't staying hydrated. When you take creatine you need to up your water intake 3x your normal daily requirement.
and the Q, if it causes spasms in legs, what about heart! I get muscle spams whenever i try creatine at 3 g.day
Unless every other variable stayed the same, which it probably didn’t, then it could have been a confounding factor. Did you attempt a couple weeks of higher than normal hydration?
I am thinking of taking Creatine since I am working out a lot. Just have quick question. Do you get high blood pressure issue? I am already taking medication for my high blood pressure. Thanks
Every time I took creatine I gained 3 lbs of muscle and never lost it. This repeated every cycle until I gained about 20 lbs over the years. Anyone heard of this before? It seems to go against what the science says regarding losing all the weight you gained after stopping
What brand i wannnit??!!
If that's true that might be the best reason to use it...on a limited basis.
Amen on cyastatin-C test. I was told by doctor that I was in stage 3 kidney failure so I recommended the other test and my eGFR was 90.