Your muscles and brain naturally contain the amino acid creatine.
Although your liver, pancreas, and kidneys produce it, consuming red meat or shellfish will increase your body’s creatine levels.
To enhance athletic performance, creatine can also be used as a supplement, most frequently in the form of creatine monohydrate.
Your body transforms creatine into phosphocreatine, which is used as an energy source by your muscles.
Consequently, taking a supplement can increase your athletic performance by supplying your muscles with additional energy.
Additionally, there is some data that suggests creatine may be beneficial for a number of medical ailments, including certain neurological abnormalities and congestive heart failure.
There is no proof that creatine causes acne or other skin conditions, exacerbates acne, or is a steroid.
Read on to learn more.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
✅ There is no proof that creatine can worsen acne or that there is a connection between creatine and acne.
✅ In reality, creatine is regarded as one of the most secure and efficient supplements for muscle growth.
✅ It’s crucial to see a doctor before taking any supplements, despite the lack of evidence supporting many of the purported side effects of creatine.
✅ They can assist in ensuring that you are following a supplement and workout regimen that is appropriate for you.
Acne and Creatine
Creatine and acne have no known relationship. In reality, creatine may be good for your skin, particularly for preventing the effects of aging. There is some proof that creatine helps lessen UV damage, wrinkles, and sagging skin.
Many individuals mistakenly believe that creatine is an anabolic steroid, a kind of medication likewise used to aid in muscle growth. A steroid is not creatine. Steroids are artificial medications that are chemically comparable to testosterone, whereas creatine is an amino acid that is produced naturally by the body and found in the diet. One reason why people believe creatine might cause acne is that they confuse it with steroids, which can also cause acne.
The main advantage of creatine supplementation is that it enables you to work out longer and harder. This may cause you to perspire more than you normally would while working out, which could lead to acne.
Other alleged negative effects of creatine
In general, creatine is regarded as a highly safe dietary supplement. But possible negative effects that have been mentioned include:
- nausea
- dizziness
- Muscle spasms
- diarrhea
- dehydration
- a hefty gain
- bloating
- Intolerance to heat
- Abdominal discomfort
- Kidney injury
- Liver injury
- Compartment syndrome
- Kidney stone
In healthy individuals taking creatine supplements, there is scant evidence to support any of these negative effects. In reality, a recent evaluation of the available studies on creatine demonstrates that it is both safe and efficient for enhancing muscle mass. Before taking creatine supplements, you should consult a doctor if you have a history of renal or liver issues.
Despite the fact that creatine is a harmless ingredient by itself, some bodybuilding products that advertise they don’t include hormones may actually combine anabolic steroids with other compounds, which might have negative side effects.
What advantages do taking creatine have?
One of the best supplements for helping athletes, bodybuilders, and others gain muscle and mass is creatine.
In particular, creatine helps your muscles produce more energy, enhancing your ability to engage in high-intensity activity. You may work out longer and harder because of this enhanced energy, which in turn promotes muscular growth.
Creatine works best at enhancing your capacity for strength training, such as weightlifting. There is conflicting evidence on its usefulness for cardiac exercises. However, creatine can help you work out in the heat since it induces water retention. By aiding in the repair of muscle damage, creatine can also speed up the healing process after injury.
Although the evidence is less clear, creatine may provide clinical advantages in addition to its advantages for athletes. Possible medical advantages include:
- enhancing clinical indicators for neurodegenerative illnesses like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and muscular dystrophy (ALS)
- Congestive heart failure treatment
- addressing creatine deficient disorders
- bringing down cholesterol
- decreasing blood sugar, which can aid in diabetes prevention
- reducing bone loss
- managing fatty liver disease unrelated to alcohol
- decreasing mental exhaustion
- enhancing cognitive function
Additionally, there is some evidence to support the use of creatine supplements during pregnancy. Researchers contend that depriving a newborn of oxygen at birth may increase the infant’s chances of survival and improve organ performance. It might also benefit the growth and development of the fetus.