Creatine is a go-to supplement for many athletes and fitness fanatics. It is mainly known for its ability to boost performance, build muscle, weight gain, and increase strength. Research even shows that creatine supplements are safe for most people for intake. But there’s an important piece of the puzzle that often gets overlooked – water. Staying properly hydrated while taking creatine isn’t just a better idea; it is essential.
In this article, we’ll discuss how water and creatine are co-related and how one without the other affects our body. We will break down why hydration matters when using creatine, how it affects our muscles, and what to do for better performance.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally found chemical set up in your bones that helps your skeletal muscles. One percent of the body contains creatine while the remaining 95% consists of skeletal bones. Although it is naturally present in our body, it can be found in some foods like milk, red meat, and seafood. It is also made as a dietary supplement to provide better performance in a short duration while working out. The most common form of creatine supplement is creatine monohydrate which in a study, is said to give much better results than other forms of creatine.
It is mostly used to improve performance and muscle mass over a short period of time. So, athletes and people who take a lot of weight in the gym would find it useful. Creatine supplements usually exist as powders, tablets, capsules, and energy bars. The most common way of intake is in the form of creatine monohydrate powder. Taking it via mouth seems to improve strength in younger and older adults. But in some cases, taking it differently gives more results rather than taking it orally.
Creatine acts as a shuttle of energy for the muscles and brain. Creatine supplies energy to the body so our muscles get more engagement while exercising. 95% of the energy from creatine goes to our muscles and the rest goes to our other tissues, brain, and heart. It works by diverting water to muscles therefore, it’s better taken with plenty of water to make sure the body gets all the water it requires.
How much water should I drink on creatine?
While taking Creatine, it is usually recommended to drink enough water to make sure your muscles are properly hydrated and to help the supplement dissolve. The amount of water you should drink, although depends on your activity level and size. For males and females, the amount could vary but could start from 3/5g daily up to 20g for heavy-weight lifters.
Generally, no matter how much you take creatine, 3-4 liters of water per day is suggested other than the water we drink with each dose for effective hydration for muscles. A normal person must drink at least 250-500ml (8-32 ounces) of water with each dose. This is because creatine draws water into the muscle cells for its effective function if not, there is a possibility we could get muscle cramps.
Does creatine cause dehydration?
What creatine does is, it causes a buildup of water in the muscle cells which ultimately could cause an increase in urination and dry mouth which in turn, could cause dehydration. To overcome this, we have to drink at least three to five liters of water.
Increased feelings of thirst all the time, stomach pain, nausea, and muscle cramping are some symptoms of dehydration. A dehydrated person tends to sweat less than usual and feels lightheaded at times. Other symptoms may be rapid heartbeat and breathing.
Creatine and water retention
Water retention occurs when the body is unable to maintain fluid levels in the organs of the body. A recent study says that a creatine intake of 20g per day for six days can cause water retention but it may not alter the total body water over longer periods with proper water intake. So, water retention only occurs when a superfluous amount of creatin is taken. A standard advice would be at least 4 liters of water no matter the amount of creatin you take but this can also depend on the type of clothes you are wearing and the climate where you live.
Conclusion
Adding creatine to your workout routine can offer impressive benefits like more strength, better endurance, and quicker recovery. But to gather all its benefits, we need to stay hydrated. Creatine’s power comes from its ability to pull water into the organs which creatine acts on making staying hydrated key. By making sure this happens, we can enhance our performance and safeguard our health making our fitness journey productive and worthwhile.
FAQs
If you don’t drink enough water on creatine, you might experience muscle cramps, fatigue, and an increased urge to drink more water. You could also experience headaches and darker urine as all the water in the body is pulled into the muscle for the effective function of the supplement.
If your creatine levels are high, you should at least drink eight glasses of water a day unless your physician suggests otherwise. Dehydration can cause higher creatine levels, you could also try to eat fruits and vegetables rich in water.
When you start taking creatine, the first few pounds are gained during the first two days and subsequently, lean muscle gain is built up with a steady intake of creatine with water. Most people maintain their creatine intake to three to five grams daily which depends on each individual.
While taking creatine, avoid caffeine and alcohol. Since creatine and caffeine are energy boosters, taking them together will nullify both its effects. Likewise, alcohol and creatine should not be combined because alcohol dehydrates the body while creatine draws in water that doesn’t exist, which in turn, means that alcohol hurts the organs that produce creatine.
Yes, we need to drink more water for the effective intake of the supplement as all water in the body is being pulled into the muscles. Only when proper water intake occurs, our body will be able to show results of creatine.
