By: Kenneth Bonett
1/22/25
First, I want to extend my gratitude to Dr. Darren Candow for his incredible contributions to science and medicine. I truly appreciate his time, effort, and willingness to collaborate with me, answering all the questions we’ve had about this fascinating compound. As awareness grows, I believe this supplement has the potential to create a significant impact, as expressed by Neurologist Dr. David Perlmutter:
“Creatine isn’t just about performance in the gym—its potential to improve brain energy metabolism could redefine how we approach neurological health.”
Q&A:
“What is creatine?”
It’s a nitrogen containing compound derived from reactions in the liver and brain from the amino acids arginine, glycine and methionine.
“What are the negative effects of taking too much creatine? Does it affect digestion/water absorption etc?”
High doses can cause cause acute water retention and weight gain and GI issues. Start out with a very low dose of creatine (around 2-3 grams a day) for the first week or so which should eliminate these potential adverse effects.
“Does creatine increase DHT and hair loss?”
hahah no evidence yet that it causes hair loss
“Is it possible to lose weight while taking creatine?”
100% combine creatine with exercise and a hypo-caloric diet (increased protein)
“What’s ideal dosing for supplementation?”
We don’t know the ideal dosing protocol yet but based on an overall body perspective, 5 grams or more is a viable way to go. I personally take 10-15 grams daily.
Personal question: “What’s the association between “Creatine” and the lab value “Creatinine”? Do you think for people that take creatine, Cystatin C can be a more accurate metric for measuring one’s renal function?”
Creatine is metabolized to creatinine. Thus, supplementation can increase serum creatinine levels and eGFR goes down, resulting in a false positive. Yes Cystatin C seems more reliable!
“What are the observed negative effects of creatine intake based on clinical trials? Do benefits offset the negative?”
There are essentially no negative effects. The only documented effects per se are acute water retention, weight gain and GI issues (compared to placebo) associated with the initial stages of supplementation. These issues almost entirely arise from the loading phase. The benefits are substantial from numerous perspectives.
“Can creatine help women build strength and improve performance, or is it something I should be worried about taking?”
Yes, absolutely! In fact, improving muscle performance is one of the most robust and consistent effects of creatine monohydrate in females.
Personal question: “Have you found different effects of Creatine monohydrate vs. Creatine HCL?”
No purported form of creatine has ever been shown to be superior to monohydrate.
“Is creatine safe in sport?! What are some good brands to choose from?”
Yes it’s very safe. The key things to look for is that the product is 3rd party tested, has no impurities, and has GRAS status (Generally Recognized As Safe). Creapure® is considered the best creatine monohydrate.
