Creatine may cause weight gain through temporary water retention or long-term muscle growth, but it doesn’t directly increase fat mass.

Creatine is an amino acid naturally found in skeletal muscle and provides energy to your cells.

It’s often consumed as a supplement because it can help improve exercise performance and build muscle mass, strength, and power.

Sometimes, creatine supplementation may cause weight gain, but studies have found that this isn’t due to an accumulation of fat mass.

Instead, creatine weight gain is due to water retention and increases in muscle mass.

In fact, some research suggests that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training may contribute to lower levels of fat mass.

Keep reading to learn more about how you might experience creatine weight gain and how to manage or reverse it.

Some people report feeling “plump,” “bloated,” or “swollen” shortly after starting creatine supplementation. While some think this is due to fat increases, it’s actually related to short-term water retention.

Creatine draws water into your muscles to provide them with energy. Although creatine is naturally produced in the body, most people’s creatine stores are only 60% to 80% full.

Many people do a creatine loading phase when they begin creatine supplementation. This involves taking higher amounts of creatine for 5 to 7 days to saturate your muscles with creatine and maximize creatine stores.

According to the International Society of Sport Nutrition (ISSN), a creatine loading phase is often responsible for short-term weight gain because your muscles temporarily retain up to 1 liter of water.

Your muscles will hold onto this water, resulting in bloating or puffiness around your arms, legs, or stomach. Your muscles may even appear bigger, even if you’ve just begun your training.

Despite causing some water weight gain, research has consistently found that creatine supplementation can help increase muscle mass, size, and strength.

Over time, increases in muscle mass can lead to weight gain on the scale, even if your waist circumference hasn’t changed or you appear leaner or more muscular. Skeletal muscle mass is denser than fat and water, so it weighs more when comparing volume size, but not in units of weight.

You may also be concerned about non-muscle weight gain, namely fat. But despite a seemingly rapid increase in weight, research suggests that creatine supplementation itself doesn’t cause increases in fat mass.

Fat mass is primarily caused by consuming more calories than you burn each day over a period of time. This is known as a calorie surplus. A standard 5-gram (g) serving of creatine monohydrate doesn’t contain any calories, so it’s unlikely to contribute to your total energy expenditure.

There are many myths that creatine may contribute to several health conditions and complications, such as:

  • liver, kidney, and heart problems
  • hair loss
  • muscle cramping or dehydration

However, researchers have found that most studies don’t support any of these claims. Creatine is generally safe and causes few adverse side effects.

That said, some people have reported experiencing minor side effects like muscle cramps, nausea, diarrhea, heat intolerance, and dizziness.

Consider speaking with a healthcare professional before taking creatine, especially if you have an underlying health condition or are taking any medications. They could advise you on whether it’s appropriate for you.

Creatine weight gain due to water retention is temporary, but there may be some things you can do to help manage it:

  • Drink plenty of water: Drinking water stimulates urination, which helps remove excess water from your body.
  • Skip the loading phase: Many people do a creatine loading phase to quickly saturate the muscles. But it’s not necessary for long-term benefits, and may reduce the effects of water retention.
  • Reduce sodium intake: Too much sodium may contribute to fluid retention. Aim to limit your sodium intake to less than 1,500 milligrams (mg) per day, with a maximum of 2,300 mg.
  • Reduce carbohydrate intake: Carbs are stored in the body as glycogen, but glycogen also stores water, so it can contribute to water retention. Limit your carbohydrate intake to around 130 g daily.
  • Exercise: Exercise may help reduce water retention by producing sweat and using stored energy.

Creatine can boost your energy stores and increase your athletic performance, but it may cause some weight gain due to short-term water retention or long-term muscle gain.

Eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and drinking plenty of water are some ways to help you manage creatine weight gain.