Thread: Stomach Pains From Creatine?

Hi there. I started loading creatine mono for the first time 2 days ago. 15g the first day and 20g today. All this time I have felt discomfort in my stomach. I have been drinking around 3-4 litres water/day. Now that I've realised that, I see I need to drink more. Could that be the problem? While writing this I also thought it might be bloating. I don't usually associate bloating with discomfort so I didn't think of that initially.

I just wanted to check that it wasn't serious. What do yas reckon?

Cheers.

Cramping is common with Creatine, expecially mono.

Drink more fluids, and Taurine can also help.

Consider switching to Tri Creating Malate or Creatine Ethyl Ester. Sides, including bloating are not generally as bad

I have never had the issue but I have read (and by the companies that sell creapure creatine) that the supposed cheaper quality creatine mono will have bloat and effects like this. Perhaps you could try a creapure creatine.

Although I personally think it's just a marketing ploy.

You could also try a more conservative creatine load

Thanks for the info guys. I knew about the likelihood of bloating but tbh, I forgot or it didn't seem too worrying before buying 1kg of Creaflex. This is a risk we take when buying in bulk I guess. It's been 4 days now and the problem isn't as bad as it was the first 2 days so I'm not concerned. Discomfort only lasts about an hour or less after taking it and not as bad as the first two days.

I assume it should be right once I'm down to 5g a day but I might cut that down like Sim882 advised. I usually do 5 or 6 days/week at 1-1.5 hrs per session with medium weight. Do you guys reckon my workload requires at least 5g/day?

Mate cut it down till you feel minimum upset, 5g should be good dw about loading it's not that important.

AS DAVA said. My friend had the same problem then went to ethyl ester and didnt have a problem. Good luck

Originally Posted by Beeto

AS DAVA said. My friend had the same problem then went to ethyl ester and didnt have a problem. Good luck

Yea true I agree 100% but if you already bought 4kg of mono there's no reason to waste it and go out and buy some other creatine.

Mono is fine it's a great supp i get stomach cramps also so i take it 1 hour before going to the gym and after WO in small dose's...

Those doses are very big, no surprise you have had bloating problems.

Even on 5g a day, maximum saturation will occur, it just takes a little longer. Many people get around creatine sides by taking it in smaller doses a few times a day, 3g x 3, or 5g x 3 if loading.

I know some people that are on as low as 2g a few times a day, which seems to work well.

I thought loading 4x5g per day for the first week was the standard and it was only during that time that it was a concern.

Now I'm only taking 5g pre-workout it's not a worry, although it's still not a great feeling and i might do 3g pre and 3g post workout instead.