Are there any side effects?
As with almost all supplements, there may be side effects when taking creatine. However, since creatine is also taken in everyday life, for example through food, and since it is a substance produced naturally in the body, the expected side effects are very low. Especially in people who do not consume much creatine through food or in people who are in the initial phase of supplementation with creatine, side effects can occur.
The most common side effects of creatine are related to the digestive tract, such as bloating, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, or unpleasant bad breath. The symptoms usually subside as soon as creatine intake is reduced. Another typical side effect of taking creatine is water retention.
This can be simply explained by the fact that creatine transports more water into the muscle cells. This is therefore also a reason for the rapid weight gain at the beginning of the intake of creatine. In order to avoid side effects as much as possible, it is important to pay attention to the correct dosage of creatine and only buy products that can guarantee good quality.
Are there interactions with other supplements?
Creatine is a substance that is well tolerated by most other supplements and foods. This is best explained by the fact that creatine is an endogenous substance. The interactions of creatine with other supplements are more likely to have positive effects.
When creatine is combined with the following supplements, desired interactions occur: ß-Alanine is an amino acid that increases muscle performance, reduces fatigue and increases the concentration of carnosine, which has positive effects on muscle endurance. When creatine and ß-alanine are combined, both substances show synergetic effects, i.e. they complement each other in their effects. BCAA (Branched Chain Amino Acids), which consists of the three amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine, serves the body to produce energy.
In combination with creatine, it supports the improvement of mass and strength through training. Especially after training it can be useful to dissolve creatine in its protein shake. Not only is the solubility there improved, but the absorption of the creatine is further enhanced by the protein.
- Creatine and ß-Alanine
- Creatine and BCAA
- Creatine and protein shakes