Creatine - is anyone taking it and noticed any positive results?

[YogaLite]

Considering it for my disabled ds, Holland&Barrett are selling male and female version, no idea if it's just a gimmick?

what are you hoping it will achieve for your DS? I use it to help performed in the gym and to help with menopausal cognition. I’ve never seen male and female version in any of the gym supplement shops. Is there other ingredients in there because as far as I’m aware, creatine is creatine.

Dh uses it for the gym I am going to research if it has any other benefits for me to take. But there’s no male and female creatine just creatine anything else is a gimmick.

I took it for a month, I saw it was recommended for post meno women. It gave me bloating, to the point I was having to unbutton trousers etc. so gave it up.

Thank U for your replies 🙂
He has muscle weaknesses and some progressing cognitive issues but most importantly one of his blood tests shows very low creatinine (highlighted as deficiency in fact) which is a metabolite of creatine so it could be that he is deficient in that particular substance. Until recently I didn't understand how to supplement as there is no creatinine supplement - until I realised the link with creatine.

Do you feel it's helping?

I wouldn't go as far as making him unwell but tempted to try.

I’d honestly speak with your sons medical team before doing this, Iv seen a few families in America have started the trend of giving it their kids but my EXH used to have awful side effects of it if he didn’t go the gym an stuff to burn it off so I havnt given it to mine just of that but I did look into it for them as we have similar issues medically but their isn’t enough research to give clear answers or doses from what Iv found. Hope this helps! X

I sleep better with it. I think it helps you get oxygen into your blood better.

Some people I know do report stomach problems as PP have said but I’ve not noticed any. I do weigh more because you retain water but the results in the gym are more important to me than weight.
Im not sure you’ll see results in muscle tone with creatine without load bearing exercises of some sort. It doesn’t increase muscle on its own.

I think if there is a chance of more oxygen (thank U @Whiski) I will try a low dose.

As it's a supplement, the drs don't really comment, in fact GP never advised anything. It's not like it's something obvious like, say, iron. He is currently on some other prescribed stuff for unrelated issues and even that is stated as trial and error.

I take it religiously. There is no male or female creatine. It helps with pulling water into muscles. You need the micronised. I use this. I noticed a difference in days, I could suddenly do more, what I was lifting before seemed easier.

you don’t need him to do the loading phase, we all reach muscle saturation within 3-4 weeks anyway, loading just gets you there quicker, but leads to gastro issues.

i take a scoop in a small amount of cold water, you shouldn’t heat it. And I just swig it down.

it also helps with brain fog etc and they recommend everyone takes it.

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FXWS4T6N?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_1

@messychaos thank U, not sure I understand correctly, are any of your DCs affected by some medical condition that's why you were considering it? Are they on any medication for it?

We declined something in the past as the side effects listed were all that mine already had so didn't want to risk it. He is not on anything currently except some digestive stuff

@Firesidechatter thank you! That looks better than what I saw in H&B

I’ve just started and it’s probably too early to tell but not had any side effects. Workouts have been good.

There is an interesting episode of the BBC radio series called ‘Sliced Bread’ dealing with creatine, I think it was broadcast in October 2025 but it is still available.
Experts tend to be positive about it.

It just sounds like a food issue

If you can't do the results in the weights without taking a supplement...

@Firesidechatter what's the deal with the muscle and the water?

Half the people at My gym seem to be taking it but I have concerns because I don't want water retention and weight gain

can I lift a bit heavier with it? It was also recommended on a thread where I talked about tiredness after the gym, actually.

My teens have zero health issues. But they are incredibly active- do 2 hours of sports every day- so I give them the one I take. They seem to have benefited, grown, no stomach issues. If you buy good quality stuff without addictives and other crap in, there should be no gastro issues. I’ve taken it for almost a year with zero bloating

@Huckleberries yes you can lift heavier, recover easier, not as sore, can do more etc in the gym. This is why I take it alongside menopausal benefits like reduced brain fog, more even energy etc etc

I've never had any gastro or bloating issues. I took a bigger dose to start with (can't remember the details) and now take a small dose daily. I thought it wasn't doing anything and stopped, then had quite a few soft tissue injuries. I now take it again.

My son in late 20s takes it whilst he’s been losing weight and going to gym for first time ever - he def feels it’s helped with strength and feeling a bit fitter

Someone mentioned about not heating it? Do you know why? Just wondered as started taking it this week but have been putting it in hot water as it doesn’t dissolve properly in cold water

I think mixing it into a hot drink and drinking immediately is fine. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures does degrade it. I mix mine into warm coffee and then drink it in the morning.

I find it doesn’t dissolve in any water so I take a shot if the dry powder and then drink water from a cup.