Busting Creatine Myths: Separating Fact From Fiction

Summary

In this informative video, Dr. Mike dispels myths about creatine's negative effects, asserting its benefits for enhancing performance and muscle size. He recommends creatine monohydrate as the best form, suggests a daily dose of 2-5 grams, and addresses common misconceptions. Dr. Mike also highlights creatine's health benefits, including neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties, while advising on proper usage and timing for optimal results.

Takeaways

• 🚫 Creatine is not harmful; the speaker dismisses myths about creatine being bad for you without evidence.
• 🏋️ Creatine is beneficial for improving performance in sets of exercises, sprints, jumps, and grappling.
• 💪 It helps to increase muscle size slightly, which is a primary reason why people take it.
• 🧬 Creatine is neuroprotective, potentially enhancing cognitive function and nervous system health.
• 💓 It is cardioprotective, reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
• 🦴 Creatine is also beneficial for bone health.
• 💊 Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and recommended form of creatine to take.
• 🔢 The recommended daily dose of creatine is between 2 to 5 grams, with no significant benefits to taking more.
• 🔄 Creatine loading can speed up muscle saturation but is not necessary for effectiveness.
• ⏰ The timing of creatine intake is flexible; it can be taken at any time of the day for consistency.
• 💧 Creatine may cause water retention in muscles, which can enhance their appearance but is not typically a concern for subcutaneous water retention.

Q & A

What is the main argument of the video regarding creatine's effects on the body?

The video argues that creatine is beneficial for enhancing physical performance and muscle size, and it dispels myths about creatine being harmful, stating that there is no reliable evidence to suggest negative health effects from its use.

What are the core benefits of creatine as mentioned in the video?

The core benefits of creatine include improved repeat performance, sprint performance, jump performance, grappling performance, increased strength in the 3 to six repetition range, and a small but notable increase in muscle size.

What type of creatine does the video recommend for consumption?

The video recommends creatine monohydrate as the best option for consumption due to its extensive research, safety controls, and effectiveness.

What is the suggested daily dosage of creatine according to the video?

The video suggests a daily dosage of 2 to 5 grams of creatine for almost everyone, with the possibility of 5 to 10 grams for pro strongman-sized individuals on occasion.

Does the video support the idea of creatine loading? If not, why?

The video states that while creatine loading does work to fill muscles faster, there is no compelling reason to load versus not loading, as the benefits of loading are minimal and it may just be a marketing strategy to sell more creatine.

What is the video's stance on the timing of creatine intake?

The video suggests that the timing of creatine intake does not significantly matter, but recommends taking it at a consistent time each day to maintain intramuscular concentrations.

What are some of the health benefits of creatine mentioned in the video?

The video mentions that creatine is neuroprotective, cardioprotective, and may enhance bone health.

How does the video address the misconception about creatine and creatinine?

The video clarifies that creatine and creatinine are different and that high levels of creatinine may indicate kidney issues, whereas creatine does not have a negative impact on creatinine levels or kidney function.

What advice does the video give for those who experience stomach issues with creatine?

The video suggests ensuring that the stomach issues are not caused by something else in one's diet, trying a different brand or type of creatine, and considering not taking creatine if the issues persist.

What is the video's advice for beginners, intermediates, and advanced users regarding creatine use?

For beginners, the video suggests creatine might not be worth the investment. For intermediates, it recommends using creatine for a few months at a time. For advanced users, it highly recommends creatine for best results, with the option to take breaks during maintenance and active rest phases.

How does the video address the concern about creatine causing water weight gain?

The video explains that creatine typically causes intramuscular water gain, which can make muscles appear more defined, and that any subcutaneous bloating is rare and may require adjusting creatine intake or trying different brands.

Outlines

00:00

💊 Debunking Creatine Myths and Benefits

In this paragraph, Dr. Mike from RP Strength addresses common misconceptions about creatine, asserting that there is no reliable evidence to suggest it is harmful when used appropriately. He emphasizes that creatine can enhance repeat performance, sprint and jump performance, and muscle size. He also dispels myths propagated by various sources, such as school nurses and supplement salespeople, and highlights the importance of creatine monohydrate as the most studied and vetted form of creatine. Dr. Mike recommends a consistent daily dose of 5 grams for most individuals and touches on the health benefits of creatine, including its neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties.

05:00

🏋️‍♂️ Creatine Dosage, Loading, and Timing

This paragraph discusses the optimal dosage of creatine, suggesting that 2 to 5 grams per day is sufficient for most people, with higher doses being unnecessary. It also addresses the concept of creatine loading, explaining that while it can speed up muscle saturation, it is not mandatory. Dr. Mike advises against loading due to cost and suggests a steady daily intake instead. The timing of creatine intake is also explored, with the conclusion that it can be taken at any time of day for consistency, and it is not necessarily tied to workouts or meals for better absorption.

10:01

🚰 Creatine and Health: Separating Fact from Fiction

Dr. Mike clarifies that creatine has health benefits, such as being neuroprotective and cardioprotective, and potentially enhancing bone health. He counters the notion that creatine is harmful by explaining the difference between creatine and creatinine, a waste product that can indicate kidney issues if present in high levels. He assures viewers that creatine does not negatively impact kidney function or creatinine levels and should not be confused with the latter.

15:02

💪 Advanced Creatine Use and Considerations

In the final paragraph, Dr. Mike provides guidance on creatine use for different levels of fitness enthusiasts. Beginners may not need creatine, while intermediate users can cycle it for muscle gain or cutting phases. Advanced users are advised to consider continuous use for optimal results. He also touches on the potential for water weight gain and stomach issues, suggesting that most people do not experience these side effects and offering advice for those who do. Lastly, he hints at the possibility of taking breaks from creatine during maintenance or active rest phases.

Keywords

💡Creatine

Creatine is a naturally occurring substance that helps supply energy to muscles. In the context of the video, it is presented as beneficial for enhancing physical performance and increasing muscle size. The script discusses creatine's effects on repeat performance, sprint performance, and muscle growth, and it dispels myths about its potential negative health effects.

💡Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine Monohydrate is the most researched and widely recognized form of creatine supplement. The video emphasizes its safety and effectiveness, recommending it over other forms like creatine chloride or creatine ethylester, which may not be as effective or bioavailable.

💡Repeat Performance

Repeat performance refers to the ability to perform the same exercise with more intensity or for a greater number of repetitions. The script mentions that creatine can help increase the number of repetitions one can do in a set, thus improving overall performance in the gym.

💡Sprint Performance

Sprint performance is the ability to perform short, intense bursts of speed. The video suggests that creatine can enhance this type of performance, which is crucial for athletes involved in activities like sprinting or high-intensity interval training.

💡Muscle Size

The script discusses how creatine can help increase muscle size, which is a common goal for bodybuilders and fitness enthusiasts. It mentions that creatine can add a small but significant amount of muscle mass to the body.

💡Myths

The video aims to debunk several myths surrounding creatine, such as its supposed toxicity or negative health effects. It emphasizes the need for evidence-based information and criticizes misinformation spread by non-experts.

💡Dosage

Dosage refers to the amount of a substance taken at one time. The script provides specific recommendations for creatine intake, suggesting that 2 to 5 grams per day is suitable for most people, with higher amounts for very large individuals like professional strongmen.

💡Creatine Loading

Creatine loading is a practice where individuals take higher doses of creatine to quickly saturate their muscles. The video explains that while this method works, it is not necessarily better than a consistent daily intake of 5 grams.

💡Health Benefits

The script outlines several health benefits of creatine, including its neuroprotective and cardioprotective properties, as well as its potential to enhance bone health. These benefits highlight creatine's role in maintaining overall health, not just athletic performance.

💡Creatinine

Creatinine is a waste product that can be confused with creatine. The video clarifies that creatinine is not the same as creatine and that high levels of creatinine can indicate kidney problems, whereas creatine is not associated with such issues.

💡Stomach Issues

Some individuals may experience stomach discomfort from creatine supplementation. The video suggests that this is not a common reaction and provides advice on how to troubleshoot potential stomach issues related to creatine intake.

💡Maintenance Phase

A maintenance phase in bodybuilding refers to a period when an individual is not actively trying to gain muscle or lose fat but is instead focused on maintaining their current physique. The video suggests that creatine may not be necessary during this phase.

Highlights

Creatine is generally considered safe and has no proven negative effects when taken in recommended doses.

Dr. Mike clarifies common myths about creatine, emphasizing its benefits for performance and muscle size.

Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and recommended form of creatine for safety and effectiveness.

A daily dose of 2 to 5 grams of creatine is suitable for most individuals, with no significant benefits to higher doses.

Creatine loading can speed up muscle saturation but is not necessary for effectiveness.

The timing of creatine intake does not significantly affect its benefits, suggesting flexibility in supplementation schedules.

Creatine is neuroprotective, potentially enhancing cognitive function and nervous system health.

Creatine is cardioprotective, showing benefits for cardiovascular health and disease prevention.

Creatine may enhance bone health, though more research is needed to confirm this benefit.

Creatine's health benefits are often misunderstood, with myths debunked by Dr. Mike's explanation.

Creatinine is a separate substance from creatine and should not be confused with its effects on kidney function.

Creatine can cause water retention in muscles, which can enhance the visual appearance of muscularity.

Some individuals may experience stomach issues with creatine, but this is not a common side effect.

For beginners, creatine may not be necessary, but intermediate and advanced individuals can benefit significantly.

Dr. Mike suggests taking breaks from creatine supplementation to assess its effects and save money.

RP Strength offers a comprehensive program including diet and workout guides for optimal results.

Creatine's impact on subcutaneous water should be monitored, especially for those preparing for bodybuilding shows.

Dr. Mike provides practical advice on creatine supplementation, including brand recommendations and dosage tips.

Transcripts

here's how creatine is bad for you in

order to find that out you're going to

have to go to your school nurse and have

a ratoff make belief cuz it's all make

belief they have not found any reliable

ways in which creatine is bad for you if

you take 5 grams of it per day for

months on end it's just not a thing next

time folks tell you creatine's bad ask

them how maybe you'll learn something or

maybe they'll just talk themselves into

not having anything to say cuz they

didn't to begin

with hey folks Dr Mike here for RP

strength I've been a professor of

exercise and Sport Science for a while

at am a competitive bodybuilder and

Brazilian juicer Grappler but none of

that matters because today we're talking

about creatine and creatine loves you no

matter who you are unfortunately

creatine comes with some facts about its

use and what it does and a crapload of

myths and I'm sure you've heard a lot of

these myths in the past we are going to

generate some clarity today and get to

the real real about how to take creatine

what it does what the downsides are and

so on Creatine technically helps a bit

with the following parameters one Repeat

Performance if you typically do sets of

10 on Creatine you might be able to do

of 11 or 12 nothing has changed other

than the ability to push a little harder

towards the end it can improve Sprint

performance jump performance and even

grappling performance in repeat style

creatine can help boost your strength a

little bit over time in the 3 to six

repetition range it can also do that and

creatine robustly helps add a small but

notable amount of muscle size to your

body which is dope which is why most

people take it it's got a few other cool

health benefits later we'll talk about

but for now those are its core

proposition of why people take it that's

the reality but there are lots of myths

out there your school nurse may have

told you that creatine is going to

poison you it's coming for you even when

you sleep your dad's 90-year-old Doctor

Who half the time doesn't know who he is

and the other half says creatine is bad

for you your mom I'm not buying you

creatine that's poison you're only 15

years old I she's Jewish congratulations

the Bro at the GNC isn't helping much

either because you come to your parents

and your school nurse and your dad's

90-year-old doctor for some fucking bad

advice and then you go over to the GNC

bro who sells you supplements no offense

GNC and he's like yeah man this fucking

revolutionize your shit bro you're going

to get five times bigger and 18 times

more jacked and this kind of creatine

man I don't usually give it to people

that young because it's fucking more

powerful than steroids which is all

bullshit creatine does not measure up to

Pharmaceuticals but it does work pretty

well and it we'll get to what kind of

Health side effects it has in a bit so

let's get some facts and fiction sorted

before we know more false things about

creatine than we do real ones which is

really the case for a lot of people all

right let's get to Source first where

should you be getting your creatine

other than the store Amazon which is

also a store on the internet but

seriously creatine monohydrate is the

standard it's been studied the most it's

been the most vetted it's been the most

safety controlled everything down the

line other creatines can work creatine

chloride I believe is effective for

example but other creatines don't work

for example creatine ethylester which

used to be a big deal of a few years

back doesn't even clear the GI tra it

does not leave your gut you just shit it

right the fuck out mostly unaltered

which means it doesn't get into your

muscles and it doesn't do you any

goddamn good so buy creatine am of

hydrate is my overwhelming best advice

to you and unless it's fake creatine

creatine is so easy to make usually the

brands don't matter either so just take

the cheap stuff from Brands you know

that sell good stuff I usually buy

creatine from like Optimum Nutrition

because they've been around for like a

generation and the creatine is price

competitively and it's just creatine and

it's all I fucking want no fancy

bullshit now to be completely honest I

just lied to you there I don't actually

use opun nutrition creatine I use a

special blend that they make personally

for me it is infused with diamonds

diamonds darling that's actually what

it's called creatine diamonds Darling by

Dr Mike why because I like to urinate

out an obscene amount of wealth if

you're not into that category don't buy

fancy creatines just get creatine

monohydrate it's the best you're welcome

I just saved you a ton of money what

about the dose okay we have the source

how much creatine do we take anywhere

between 2 to five grams per day is good

for almost everyone unless you are pro

strongman sized then maybe 5 to 10 grams

on occasion is a fine idea almost

everyone including very large 200

something pound bodybuilders can start

with and end with five grams of creatine

per day that's really good there's no

reason to take less there's no reason to

take more in almost any

case some folks will try to get you to

take more creatine than that because

they will allege that you will become

Superman from doing it but they usually

just want to sell it to you and make

more money off of you and want you to go

through it faster so you Reby again

other people will say you take less

creatine you don't need five grams just

two is good it's less toxicity but

creatine does not have an acute or

chronic toxicity enhancement effect it

is just not a concern so fuck them

that's bullshit five grand folks you

heard of here first hopefully not first

but you heard of here anyway what about

creatine loading you get this question a

lot sometimes on the package it'll say

take you know five grams of creatine

four times a day for a week straight

you'll load it up into your muscles and

then you Coast on just five grams a day

for the rest of that time it definitely

works it loads the creatine into your

muscles faster however there's no

compelling reason to load it versus not

loading it if you don't load it it's

just going to take about two weeks for

the creatine to fully fill up it's a fun

ride you don't blo up super quick your

body weight Rises over time your muscles

feel more turgid oo turgidity and stiff

and tone Tony the entire time it's

awesome it's a good ramp in so I would

say just save your money take five grams

a day and in a few weeks you'll be

kicking it and you'll take creatine for

another long time after you don't have

to quadruple the dose some allegations

were at the companies found the research

on creatine loading compelling but not

so compelling they just put it on their

labels because they want to sell you

more creatine some companies definitely

that selfish and shortsighted other

companies are not in any case creatine

loading is some combination of optional

and pointless so I would say just five

grams and you're good to go timing got a

lot of details so far but when do I take

my creatine technically speaking by a

small fraction taking it after your

workout with carbohydrate in it can open

up the whole insulin pathway and the

non-insulin pathway get creatine into

your muscles faster and fill them up

more by a very small fraction and

there's no acute effect of taking

creatine there's a lot of creatine in

pre-workout products got to get my

creatine in except creatine loads into

your muscles literally over days and

weeks and an acute intake of creatine

does nothing to the insides of your

muscle it doesn't boost performance it

doesn't boost anabolism it does diddly

dick timing for creatine thus does not

really matter you can take it at any

time of the day and what I would highly

recommend to you is to take it at a time

of your day that's scheduled in

regularly so that you don't forget if

you start missing creatine doses here

and there the intramuscular

concentrations will fall and then you

will pay the price for not really using

your creatine properly you have to be

consistent when you take your creatine I

do mine every morning with my vitamins

and shit creatine nmn powder vitamins

minerals Etc CBD oil and I'm fucking

golden every morning it's the same

ritual whether I train or not creatine

probably shouldn't be tied to your

workout because first of all there is no

effect there that boosts creatine

absorption by any uh margin that you can

go home and and really really uh get

excited about but probably you don't

train every day and creatine should be

taken pretty much daily to keep those

concentrations growing at first and high

after that so you know I wouldn't tie

the creatine to the workout I would just

kind of take it in the morning and yes

you can dry scuba but then have a gulp

of water after that if you want you can

mix creatine into your shake the night

before there are concerns that the

creatine breaks down and there's no

longer available but uh that takes

probably a week or more for creatine in

water solution to break down to a

meaningful extent so it's not a big deal

if you put your Shake in the fridge and

you insist on putting creatine in your

shake if you put your Shake in the

fridge the night before something you do

it workout that's totally fine but then

again I wouldn't take creatine with a

shake I would just take it in the

morning so you can be nice and regular

with it all right what about health

there's all these Health downsides right

I mean my school nurse isn't totally out

of her mind do you believe that maybe

multiple studies so far have confirmed

or rather gave us huge huge ideas that

creatine is neuroprotective that is it

protects the Integrity of your nervous

system making you healthy in your

nervous system for longer which me means

you are probably more intelligent for

longer in your life among other things

it is cardioprotective so it is good for

the cardiovascular system reduces the

chance of various cardiovascular

diseases and it also seems to enhance

bone health here's how creatine is bad

for you in order to find that out you're

going to have to go to your school nurse

and have a ratoff make belief because

it's all make belief they have not found

any reliable ways in which creatine is

bad for you if you take five grams of it

per day for months on end it's just not

a thing so you don't have to worry about

it creatine's fucking amazing next time

folks tell you creatine's bad ask them

how maybe you'll learn something or

maybe they'll just talk themselves into

not having anything to say because they

didn't to begin with and by the way

watch out for this one they may be

mistaking creatine for creatinine

creatinine which is a totally different

thing is a byproduct of kidney function

and if you have a lot of kidney function

sorry it's a it's uh something that

comes out of your muscles regularly and

if a lot of it appears in your urine a

lot of it appears in your bloodstream

then your kidneys are malfunctioning as

one candidate mechanism among 50 others

if it's insanely High your kidneys are

almost certainly malfunctioning because

when they do your kidney screens when

you go to the doctor yes your

90-year-old doctor will even do this

creatinin is something they measure and

some people and guys I wish I was lying

but I'm not are so fucking out of it

they don't even know that creatinin and

creatine are not the same thing so

they'll be like oh creatinin is too high

it's bad oh yeah and then later their

son wants to buy creatine they're like

what are you kidding me kid my doctor

says I'm dying from this stuff get in

the car it's two different things and

creatine does not have some kind of

delarius effect on the kidneys or on

creatinin it's just not related

everything's going to be fine creatine

is good for your health period if you

follow the plan of our simple Science

Diet we guarantee you'll see results or

your money back how can we make this

promise well we've spent over 10 years

researching and experimenting with real

diets and real people using them which

means we really know how to get this

process right for basically everyone as

part of our offer at no extra expense to

you you'll receive the RP gyf free at

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Fitness knowledge together with detailed

guides on meal preparation and

strategies for maintaining a healthy

diet while away from home if you're

ready to change your body click the link

in the description of this video to get

started

but maybe you shouldn't take it all the

time some folks have hypothesized

including me that you need some time off

for creatine now I've looked into the

literature and it doesn't seem like

exogenous creatine coming in from

outside of the body interferes with

endogenous creatine production in a

meaningful way that is creatine you make

yourself naturally because you do make

some doesn't seem like there's a lot of

evidence for any kind of interference

effect but I will say you don't always

need creatine if you're in a maintenance

phase and you're just kind of chilling

and let your body heal up you don't need

creatine like what do you need the

superpower for active rest phase like

really you're going to bring your

creatine uh on your fucking vacation and

also vacations two weeks of active rest

one week of vacation you don't need to

take your creatine so I come off for

most of those times um and that means I

can uh have creatine in my program when

I need it when I'm gaining muscle when

I'm losing fat and I take breaks of it

just out of convenience and to save

money which means Judaism powers

activate hey you know how superheroes

power up they're like and then they're

like super saiyan superhero Jewish

superhero guy the powering up hurts and

scares him my allergies oh no I've got

this terrible burden of superpowers aay

anyway saving money that's a fucking

superpower okay Mike fine creatine's

great but it makes me gain a shitload of

water weight what the fuck is up with

that here's the thing in the vast

majority of cases creatine actually

brings water into the muscle bringing it

out of the extracellular compartment

around it which means it's intramuscular

water gain that you get from creatine

shit up to 5 pounds in some cases and

not subcutaneous gain not the shit that

makes you seem watery so visually it

makes your muscles pop more which is

amazing gaining five pounds on Creatine

visually comes really close to gaining

five pounds of actal muscle it's a look

that you want that happens for the

average person even happens for almost

all people some people seem to complain

that creatine makes them bloated in the

subcutaneous way if that's the case I

would experiment with some things but if

it's still the case consider dropping it

out one or two weeks before your

bodybuilding show if you compete to get

that extra crispy look but I will say

most people should keep creatine in for

the show because it'll blow you up in

the best way possible inside the muscles

and not underneath the skin what about

stomach issues some people say dude I

love this I want all the creatine I just

can't fucking handle it it fucking

wrecks my stomach well creatine doesn't

reliably cause stomach issues in any of

the studies that they've done about it

and they've done a crap load but some

people get stomach issues from all kinds

of weird shit if creatine seems to be

bothering you I would try a few things

one make sure it's your creatine

supplement and that's something else in

your diet because sometimes you take a

bunch of supplements together and you're

like it's the creatine but you stop

taking the casine protein and your

stomach feels fine and you're like fuck

it was the caseine so try a few things

next try changing the brand maybe the

brand is adding some bullshit in there

you don't like you get a more pure brand

something like Optimum Nutrition some

shit like that all of a sudden you're

feeling just fine and everything's hunky

dory and maybe you can change the type

of creatine there are a few types and if

one of them's not doing well maybe you

can go that don't choose the brand that

doesn't work so take ethylester and

completely remove it from the equation

give this a thought you don't have to

take creatine if you get stomach issues

whatever most people don't get stomach

issues from it and if they think they do

it's usually not the creatine so let's

wrap all this up if you're a beginner

you probably don't need creatine it's

probably just not worth your money if

you're an intermediate creatine is great

and I would enjoy it for a few months

here and there and come off for a few

months here and there just to Coast or

make some gains without it put it in

kind of as a special superpower towards

the end of a muscle gain phase you know

uh last six weeks of a muscle gain phase

last 68 weeks of a cutting phase

creatine can be really awesome and of

course more than that if you like and

for the advanced folks creatine is

highly recommended for best results I

wouldn't skimp on it you should probably

come off during maintenance and active

rest and not take creatine or at least

consider it and really monitor the look

that creatine gives you to make sure the

subcutaneous water isn't being affected

cuz if you compete you'll have to know

that and you'll have to pull the

creatine out which is a really really

good idea if you want more information

about other supplements what to spend

your money on what to not waste your

money on just Google RP strength

supplements or Dr Mike is Rell

supplements we got tons of videos for

you click on things buy things like

things love me please God see you next

time

hey