Does Creatine Make You Gain Weight? Water, Muscle and Fat Explained

Does creatine make you gain weight? Yes, usually a little, and almost all of it is water at first, not fat. A loading phase of 20 g a day for 5–7 days typically adds 1–3 kg (about 2–6.5 lb) of body weight, mostly water drawn into the muscles. Over weeks of training, some of the extra weight becomes muscle. Creatine does not increase body fat; in a meta-analysis of 19 studies, people taking it lost slightly more fat than those on placebo.

That is why the scale often jumps in the first week and then settles. Here is what the gain is made of, how big it gets, and how to keep it small if the number on the scale matters to you.

The short version

• How much: about 1–3 kg (2–6.5 lb) in the first week of a 20 g/day loading phase.
• What it is: mostly water stored inside muscle cells, which is why muscles can look fuller rather than softer.
• Fat: no increase. A meta-analysis found slightly more fat loss with creatine than with placebo.
• Long term: several 4–10 week training studies found no lasting increase in total body water relative to muscle.
• To keep the jump small: skip the loading phase and take 3–5 g a day; your muscles fill more slowly, over about four weeks.

How this article was done

I have not taken creatine for this article. I read the 2021 review by eleven creatine researchers in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition that answers the most common questions about creatine, and the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s position stand. This is general information, not medical advice, and it follows my methodology.

Why creatine makes the scale go up

Creatine is stored mainly in muscle. It is carried into muscle cells together with sodium, and water follows to keep the cell in balance. So when you start taking creatine and your muscle stores rise, the muscles hold more water. That water is inside the muscle cells, not under the skin, which is why it does not usually show as puffiness.

The 2021 review states that a loading phase of 20 g a day for 5–7 days typically increases body mass by 1–3 kg, mostly from water retention. It describes water retention in the first several days as the most common side effect of creatine.

Does the water weight stay?

Mostly no, in the sense people worry about. The same review lists several training studies lasting 4 to 10 weeks, in which people took creatine (often after a loading week), that found no significant increase in total body water, intracellular or extracellular, by the end. In an 8-week study in resistance-trained men, creatine did raise intracellular water more than placebo, but the ratio of muscle mass to intracellular water stayed the same in both groups: the water went with new muscle.

The authors’ conclusion: creatine can increase water retention in the short term, mainly inside muscle cells, but over longer periods it does not appear to change total body water relative to muscle mass.

Does creatine make you fat?

No. The review cites a meta-analysis of 19 studies with 609 participants in which people taking creatine had a greater reduction in body fat percentage than those on placebo, and lost about 0.5 kg more fat on average, although the difference in absolute fat mass was not statistically significant. In a one-year study of low-dose creatine in postmenopausal women, body fat did not change. The review’s summary is that creatine does not increase fat mass across a range of populations.

Weight gain from muscle

The second, slower source of weight is real muscle. Creatine lets you do slightly more work in each training session, and over weeks and months that can add lean mass when combined with resistance training. This is the part of the weight gain most lifters want, and it builds gradually rather than in the first week.

How to limit the weight gain

• Skip the loading phase. The review concludes that loading is not required: 3–5 g a day raises muscle creatine stores too, just more slowly, over about four weeks. The water gain is then gradual instead of a sudden jump.
• Weigh yourself consistently, same time of day, and look at the weekly trend. A 1–2 kg step in the first weeks is expected and is not fat.
• Do not cut water. The water is stored inside your muscles; drinking less does not remove it and is a bad idea when training.
• Split large doses. If you do load, taking 20 g as four 5 g servings is easier on the stomach than one large dose.

Who might want to think twice

• Athletes in weight-class sports close to a weigh-in may prefer to avoid loading in the weeks before.
• People with kidney disease or on medicines that affect the kidneys should ask a doctor first, even though creatine has a good safety record in healthy people.
• Anyone who judges progress only by the scale should expect the first-week jump and measure waist or body fat as well.

Worried about the other common side effect? See does creatine cause hair loss for what the only direct trial found.

Wondering when to take it? Creatine before or after a workout covers what five head-to-head studies found.

Choosing a product? The best creatine powders compares six on purity, verified testing and price per 5 g.

For women, the weight question is covered in more detail in the best creatine for women.

For every reported side effect and what the trials show, see creatine side effects: what is real and what is a myth.

Wondering when you will see results? How long creatine takes to work gives the week-by-week timeline.

Common questions

How much weight do you gain on creatine?

Typically 1–3 kg (2–6.5 lb) during a one-week loading phase, mostly water in the muscles. Without loading, the gain is smaller and spread over about a month.

Does creatine make you gain weight without working out?

Yes, the water part happens whether or not you train, because it comes from creatine stored in muscle. The muscle part needs training.

Does creatine cause bloating?

The water is stored inside muscle cells rather than under the skin, so true bloating is uncommon. Stomach discomfort is more likely with large single doses, which is why loading doses are usually split.

Does creatine make women gain weight?

The same water effect applies, though women tend to gain less because they generally have less muscle. In a one-year study in postmenopausal women, low-dose creatine did not change body fat.

Will I lose the weight if I stop creatine?

The water held with muscle creatine gradually goes as your muscle stores return to normal over several weeks. Any muscle gained from training stays as long as you keep training.

Can I take creatine while cutting?

Yes. It does not add fat and may help preserve strength. Expect the scale to read a little higher than your fat loss alone would suggest.

Sources

• Antonio J et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2021 — water retention, the 1–3 kg loading gain, fat mass, loading and women.
• Kreider RB et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. 2017