Creatine is one the most researched supplements. Creatine is a well-known supplement in bodybuilding. What is so special about creatine? Creatine helps you reduce fatigue and increase your muscle strength. Also check our related article - is creatine considered a steroid.

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Adenosine triphosphate must be broken down by a phosphate group in order to allow a muscle's contraction. This is because ADP cannot be used by our bodies for energy. Solution? ADP uses a phosphate taken from your body's creatine phosphate (PCr), to make more ATP. Supplementation with creatine can increase the creatine stores and PCr availability, which results in faster ATP formation. Bottom line: More PCr means more work before fatigue sets in.

Creatine can be a very effective supplement for increasing body mass, strength, endurance, and performance in high intensity situations if taken correctly and consistently. Creatine is still surrounded by misinformation and myths about safety and side effects. Is it safe? Is it safe? Are your kidneys affected?

You've reached the right place if you are looking for answers. Let's take a look at six myths that creatine is associated with and what the truth really is.

Myth 1: Creatine Causes Liver and Kidney Damage

Fact: Long-term creatine supplementation has not been shown to cause any side effects on the kidneys or liver.

Rogue media reports claiming creatine causes liver damage or kidney stones are false. Concerns about creatine supplementation safety revolve around the quality of the blood filtering.

The confusion could be caused by elevated creatinine levels (a marker that can diagnose kidney problems) after supplementation with creatine. This false positive is not harmful to your body. There is no evidence that chronic supplementation of the recommended creatine dosage is harmful to kidney function. [3]

Numerous studies have shown no adverse effects from creatine supplementation on the kidney's ability to filter blood. There are hundreds of studies that have examined the safety of the supplement.

Because I don't expect that you will read every article, let me give you a brief overview of safety literature.

* Creatine supplementation for 12 weeks has no effect on blood cholesterol profiles. [6]
* Long-term creatine supplementation is not likely to adversely impact athletes' health markers. [7,8]
* Studies have so far not shown significant changes in muscle, renal, cardiac, or hepatic function after creatine supplementation. [9]

Ok, now you see the point. There have been numerous studies that show creatine is safe, some lasting as long as five decades. [9] The bottom line: Creatine is safe for the liver, kidneys and other organs.

Myth 2: Creatine Causes Gastrointestinal Distress

Fact: Creatine is safe, although some minor GI discomfort may occur.

Although there is some truth to the GI (gastrointestinal) problems associated with creatine supplementation it's very rare. It's estimated that only 5-7% of creatine users experience stomachaches.

Stomach distress is usually caused by too much creatine (e.g., a loading phase), or an empty stomach.

Micronized creatine forms, which are smaller versions of the original creatine, have been made readily available to help reduce GI distress. Micronization refers to the reduction of particle size in order to increase the solubility of the substance. This could potentially reduce GI distress. Micronization may allow for faster mixing and absorption. [10]

Myth #3: Creatine Causes Cramping, Dehydration

Fact: Creatine does not cause muscle cramps or dehydration.

Creatine supplementation is often feared for dehydration and cramping in hot and humid environments. This is not true. Creatine supplementation, on the other hand, has been shown to increase total body fluid and help maintain hydration. [11,12]

There is currently no evidence that creatine supplementation causes a decrease in body temperature or hydration. However, the majority of research reports no changes, or even an improvement. [12,13.14.15] San Diego State University researchers reported that creatine supplementation could reduce the core temperature rise during exercise in heat. [16]

Numerous studies also found that creatine supplementation can improve performance in hot and humid environments. Additionally, supplementation does not cause muscle cramping. [17,18]

Myth 4: Creatine Supplementation Can Cause Compartment Syndrome

Fact: Although there is a temporary increase in blood pressure after high doses creatine supplementation does not cause compartment syndrome.

A condition that causes excessive pressure within the muscle compartment is called compartment syndrome. The risk of developing compartment syndrome could be increased if creatine supplementation is used. This is because of fluid retention and the increased size of the muscle tissue. Let's not pretend for a moment. Compartment syndrome can be caused by injury, trauma, or possibly later as a result treatment for an injury that causes inadequate blood flow to the tissue. Nerve and tissue injuries can occur if left untreated.

Although media reports have suggested that creatine supplementation can cause compartment syndrome in college football players, these reports don't stand up to scrutiny. A case study of a bodybuilder with acute compartment syndrome was reported in the 2000 Journal of American Board of Family Medicine. [19]

The participant was an avid bodybuilder who had been doing so for five years. He had been taking 25 grams of supplementation per day, which is 5 times the recommended daily dose, for a period of one year. It is difficult to determine if the problem was caused by chronic supplementation at a high dose or if the participant was incorrectly training or using other supplements that were not mentioned in the study.

Numerous other studies have also examined the effects high-dose creatine supplementation on compartment syndrome. [20,21] Researchers did notice an increase in compartment pressure after high creatine intakes. However, the symptoms were not similar to anterior compartment syndrome and pressure values returned quickly to normal.

Myth 5: Creatine Supplementation Causes Rhabdomyolysis

Fact: There's no evidence to support creatine supplementation promoting rhabdomyolysis.

After a New York Times article suggested that creatine supplementation could be linked to high school football players suffering from rhabdomyolysis, this myth was quickly embraced by the media. Rhabdomyolysis is a severe break down of skeletal muscles due to injury. It typically presents as elevated creatine kinase and anterior compartment syndrome. Exercising in hot, humid climates can lead to this condition. This is especially true if the exercise continues for several days. [23,24]

Reports indicate that the athletes involved in this case were at a training camp, where they did repetitive exercises in a humid wrestling room. None of the athletes claimed to have taken creatine. Investigators suspect creatine may have been the cause of the problem.

Scientific literature does not support the claim that creatine supplementation causes rhabdomyolysis. Although creatine kinase levels increase after supplementation, they are not as high as those associated with rhabdomyolysis. There are numerous studies that support the safety of creatine supplementation for hydration and kidney function.

Creatine has been shown to be beneficial in hydration, increasing water retention and lowering body temperature. [25]

Myth 6: Creatine Leads To Weight Gain

Fact: Creatine loading can lead to an initial weight gain between 0.8 and 2.9 percent in the first few day due to water being drawn into the muscle. However, this is less likely to happen if you follow a low-dose protocol.

Creatine supplementation can cause weight gain due to water weight. Numerous researchers have seen acute increases in total water weight as a result creatine supplementation. [2,15]

Although an initial weight gain might be due to an increase of water, research has consistently shown that creatine supplementation, along with resistance training, leads to an increase or decrease in lean body mass, and a decrease in body fat. This results in a better body composition. [26,27] This could be due to a higher level of PCr or ATP, which allows for greater training intensity and volume. [1,28]