Does creatine make you gain belly fat? Does creatine make you fat?
These are some of the most frequently asked questions about creatine. And the answer is not what you might have read or heard.
The truth is that creatine can make you appear fat, but not because of an increase in body fat.
At the same time, creatine can also make you lose body fat and speed up weight loss in general.
So, what’s the deal with creatine? What are the benefits of creatine and why is creatine so popular?
Don’t worry, because in this simple guide we provide all the answers to these questions – including does creatine make you gain fat, whether you should take creatine, and how to lose belly fat.
Why Do People Take Creatine?
Creatine is one of the safest, most popular sports supplements on the market. And it’s because it has the science-proven ability to enhance physical performance, boost muscle repair and recovery, and increase muscle mass.
Creatine is taken by everyone from casual weight lifters to top-level athletes. It’s also one of the cheapest performance-enhancing supplements you can buy.
So, How Does Creatine Work?
Creatine is naturally produced by the human body. It helps to produce a compound called adenosine triphosphate, better known as ATP, which works as an energy source and energy reserve for our muscles.
By supplementing creatine on a consistent basis, you are keeping your ATP stores “topped up”, giving you more muscle energy for any kind of physically demanding exercise.
In other words: creatine can help you to pump out more reps, lift heavier, and perform cardiovascular exercise for longer periods.
Does Creatine Make You Gain Fat?
The notion that creatine makes you gain fat is, in fact, a myth, or misconception.
So, the simple answer is no – creatine does not make you gain belly fat or any kind of body fat.
Creatine supplements contain no calories. Creatine supplements also have no direct effect on metabolism.
The only way you might gain fat while supplementing creatine is if you mixed creatine with a high-calorie shake. But, even then, the cause for fat gain would be due to excess calorie intake, and not a result of taking creatine.
If you didn’t quite catch that, make sure to read on as we explain it in detail down below.
Creatine And Water Weight Explained
The reason creatine is commonly associated with fat gain and weight gain is due to a thing called water weight, also called water retention or fluid retention.
One of the effects of creatine is that it pulls water into your muscles. This is part of the reason why creatine can increase muscle energy and strength, as it directly fuels your muscles and helps to transport nutrients.
With more water in your muscles, the more you are going to weigh, and the bigger your muscles are going to look.
Creatine users report an average weight gain of around 3 to 5 pounds (1-2 kg) due to water retention caused by consistently taking creatine.
For some, creatine water weight is not a bad thing, as it can make you look more muscular. Others disagree, claiming that it causes more of a bloated, puffy look.
Despite this, there is no disputing that creatine enhances muscular performance.
And because of that, it can also improve overall weight loss (reduce body fat) by giving you the energy to work out harder and for longer.
How To Lose Belly Fat – The Only Way
Whether you are supplementing creatine or not, the only way to lose belly fat is by being in a caloric deficit – which we briefly touched on earlier.
Exercise – often considered the best method for weight loss – can help you to lose body fat, but you can also exercise consistently and still not lose any body fat.
This is due to something called calories in vs calories out. And to lose body fat, including belly fat, you need to be burning more calories than you are consuming on a daily basis.
As an example, someone who needs 2000 calories a day to stay at the same weight can burn off 500 calories each day through exercise but still not lose any weight if they consistently consume a total of 2500 calories
For this person to lose weight/body fat, they would need to reduce their daily calories to fewer than 2000 calories, either through exercise or eating less high-calorie food.
Just remember: it is not possible to “spot reduce” belly fat. Despite that, one of the first areas where body fat is reduced is on the belly.
Foods High In Creatine
Along with creatine supplements, creatine is also possible to consume in a wide variety of food.
As a result, it is not entirely necessary to supplement creatine (if you eat a lot of high-creatine food), but it can help to better manage your ATP stores.
Foods that are high in creatine include salmon, chicken, pork, steak, tuna, cod, herring, plaice, and shrimp – essentially most meat and fish.
So, if you are vegetarian or vegan, you might need to get your creatine through supplementation.
When Should You Take Creatine?
Here’s the final question: when should you take creatine? Or do you need to take creatine?
Ultimately, creatine is a supplement that is your choice to take if you want its performance-enhancing benefits and muscle growth benefits.
Creatine is widely proven to increase muscular endurance and strength, as well as support muscle repair and muscle recovery.
The only real downsides to taking creatine are the ongoing cost of taking creatine (despite creatine being relatively cheap) and the natural water weight gain that comes with taking creatine.
For best results, creatine monohydrate (the most popular form of creatine) is taken daily as a 5-gram powder serving mixed with water. It can also be taken as swallowable pills. Creatine has no taste, with low risk of harmful side effects.
Final Verdict
The answer? No – creatine does not make you gain belly fat or any kind of body fat.
Creatine can cause weight gain by increasing muscle water weight, however, this is not body fat. Creatine contains zero calories and does not directly affect metabolism in any way.
Fat gain through creatine is a misconception. In fact, creatine can help you to lose body fat thanks to its performance-enhancing benefits, which can increase muscular strength and endurance to provide you with more energy when working out.
