Bodybuilding icon Arnold Schwarzenegger has followed the supplement industry closely in retirement. In a recent Arnold’s Pump Club Newsletter, Schwarzenegger opened up on the benefits of creatine and whether using it will cause bloating.
Creatine is a natural substance used in supplement form that helps the muscles produce energy and grow. It remains the most highly studied and proven supplement on the market with people of varying fitness levels using it for performance benefits.
In addition to its exercise-maximizing and muscle-building properties, creatine can have unwanted side effects, including water retention. This has led Arnold Schwarzenegger, a seven-time Mr. Olympia, to examine the substance and its impact on bloating.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Breaks Down Creatine Myths, Discusses If It Makes You Bloated
First and foremost, ‘The Austrian Oak’ underlined that creatine decreased fat mass in controlled trials.
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“Does Creatine Make You Bloated?
Have you been avoiding creatine because you heard it makes you bloated? Then, you’ll want to pay extra attention to a recent meta-analysis.
Scientists analyzed 12 randomized controlled trials and found that creatine decreases fat mass.”
Schwarzenegger also revealed that those who took creatine in the study reduced their body fat percentage by 1.2 percent in as little as four weeks compared to those who didn’t.
“In particular, the studies reviewed people performing resistance training for as little as four weeks and as long as four months. The research compared people who lifted weights and took creatine to those who did similar workouts but did not use creatine. Across the studies, people taking creatine reduced their body fat percentage by 1.2 percent and didn’t gain any additional fat mass.
Research continues to find that one of the biggest misunderstandings about creatine is how it interacts with your muscles.”
According to Schwarzenegger, creatine will not cause bloating, and its use results in healthier, hydrated muscles.
“Creatine pulls more water into your muscle cells, meaning you have hydrated, healthier muscles — not bloating. And this relates to another myth about creatine causing dehydration.
When researchers looked at hydration, they found that people who used creatine had less cramping, heat illness, dehydration, muscle tightness, and muscle strains than those who took a placebo sports drink.”
In addition to pulling water into the muscles, Schwarzenegger contends that creatine helps you lose body fat by increasing lean mass.
“Scientists believe creatine helps you lose body fat by helping you increase lean mass, meaning you’re gaining muscle without adding any fat. It might also help you exercise harder — which could result in burning more calories and supporting other metabolic processes.”
He recommends taking a high-quality creatine product for optimal effectiveness and safety.
“If you want to take creatine, it’s one of the most researched ingredients, with thousands of studies suggesting effectiveness and safety. But — the key is making sure you’re taking a high-quality product. Your body naturally produces creatine, and it’s found in small amounts in food, but in supplements, it’s engineered in a lab. However, not all labs follow strict pharmaceutical principles.
When researchers analyzed 175 other creatine brands, they found that 88% used a form of creatine with limited or no evidence of effectiveness or safety,” Schwarzenegger shares.
Fitness and health expert Dr. Andrew Huberman has credited creatine as one of his three essential supplements for workout performance. He highlights that the timing of the dose doesn’t seem to affect its efficacy.
“Now it’s very clear you can take a daily dose of creatine and that it really doesn’t matter when you take that creatine, you could take it post-workout as many people do you could take it pre-workout it really doesn’t seem to matter.”
Men’s Open Bodybuilding star Hunter Labrada has also backed creatine as one of his go-to supplements. He described it as safe and effective.
“Creatine is an awesome supplement. Creatine is one of those tried and true, been around for forever, and key point, has a ton of clinical research behind it. It is very safe. It is very effective and all of the studies that have been done on it are typically done on a five-gram dose.”
From maximizing workouts to enjoying a brain boost, creatine has become arguably the most popular supplement in the fitness industry. Schwarzenegger suggests using a high-quality form and says it doesn’t cause bloating.
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