Busting Creatine Myths: Separating Fact From Fiction

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0:00 What creatine helps with
2:36 Creatine Source
4:04 The Dose
5:05 Front Loading
6:08 The Timing
8:06 Creatine and Health
11:01 Time Off?
12:15 Water Weight
13:20 Stomach Issues
14:20 Outro

[@randomvideosifeellikeposti1560]

I took creatine and had a heart attack. The doctors said it was the 8 bacon cheeseburgers a day but I think it was the creatine

[@gregorygrayson8044]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@leecasper6657]

It was the bun.

[@batguy39]

👩🏼‍🦼👩🏼‍🦼👩🏼‍🦼

[@jayg473]

🤦🏾‍♂️🤣😂🤣😂 that would be my exact conclusion too

[@Apollocreed2076]

😂😅😅

[@Notalobster]

Creatine helps my output so much, that my wife got pregnant without me even sleeping with her! Crazy strong stuff...

[@Reciprocation_of_goodwill]

xD I'm speechless

[@user-xd5kg8yq6u]

I'm guessing you got the blackmarket version and the baby was black because of it

[@Mchelsea2924]

@@user-xd5kg8yq6uyou killed a great comment…

[@wardaaron]

😂😂😂

[@yo-no9879]

Creatine, ruined my life. Took it for 6 months and lost $20, I'll never financially recover for this.

[@billfarmer7984]

An obvious joke, but in this economy... lol...

[@jadenwalker8727]

Dr. Mike! 6 Months ago I found your channel while restarting my fitness journey after the birth of my daughter. I’ve lost 36 pounds since then and have learned so much. Thank you and the RP community for the work that you guys do!

[@UrFavAmir]

Hey Good job man, keep it up!

[@joeguyton5365]

Keep going brother 🤜

[@thealmightycat69]

[@namebrandmason]

Everytime Dr. Mike specifies that he's a "Professor of Sports and Exercise Science," I get this mental image of him wearing a lab coat with the sleeves cut off.

[@RedfishCarolina]

Also wearing a squat belt around the outside of the jacket.

[@newellbriand1732]

Cut? They would very obviously be torn off. Ya goof.

[@leviconrad86]

Houston Jones style

[@IronMic-ee4kt]

It's like being a professor in liberal arts. Has about the same value as toilet paper

[@LTDLetsPlays]

@@IronMic-ee4ktdamn that’s a great line

[@OniBarix]

Creatine ruined my life. I started taking it daily for that "better performance" but instead it just helped me get jacked and didn't increase the performance I was looking for at all!

[@michaelhenderson3241]

So in what way did it ruin your life?

[@user-mr9yy3yf9q]

Buffoon, unless this was a joke.

[@noobsaibot1234]

Got jacked as a side effect? 🤓

[@eddiev.261]

​@@michaelhenderson3241 The sarcasm flew over ya head

[@duartecabral55]

So getting 'jacked' ruined your life? What were you looking for, fat and out of shape? Lol

[@vmateo2842]

Loved this, doc. Kudos from the Caribbean!

[@TheBrandonn]

I literally just started watching vids about creatine last night and then you upload this. Wild timing

[@Large_Sarge]

Creatine ruined me. I've been taking it for 2 months and I don't look like Ronnie. Fake news.

[@bestopinion9257]

Same here. It did not made me look like Ronnie. It made me look like Phil Heath. It is not what you expect for sure.

[@20ftBurmesePythonChaser]

Yeah , I'm taking creatine for 5 months but the best part is, it doesn't lengthened my dong but made it more jacked for sure.

[@jasonshults368]

The supplement you are looking for is melanin.

[@anonymous134y]

what's funny is that he didn't touch on the biggest elephant in the room. Contaminated chinese made creatine is 90% of the market.

[@TheAdatto]

Mine did. But current Ronnie

[@danhurikan]

The automatically created english subtitles for this said "...competitive bodybuilder and Brazilian juicer Grappler..." at the beginning

[@Amar061]

Dunno why you felt the need to simply point out that the translation was accurate like that 🤔

[@forrestdick2104]

Sounds abt right 🤣

[@michaelshine6060]

@@Amar061hahah right!? I was like am I missing something here…

[@sebastianm.8576]

KZbin is exposing Dr Mike haha

[@mithilaum]

I mean, only one of those words is wrong …. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@Aaron-nm1ob]

Thank you! I'm about to start using it and I have really been looking for information that's honest and researched.

[@NaaaaYaaaa]

Almost 2 million subs! Happy early 2 Mills Dr. Mike!! and Mr. Scott!!

[@robcook4500]

I have been arguing with my mom, coaches, and Army leadership for the better part of 17 years about The difference between creatine and creatinine. Thank you for making me realize I’ve been right this whole time

[@fox20rps94]

People who can't even complete a Google search, yikes 💀

[@sleepy1066]

Id understand maybe back in '07 google and the internet wasnt as big of a thing in terms of looking for scientific studies, but after like 2010 its absurd

[@pricklycats]

👍😭👍

[@BentusiProgenitors]

The fact you haven't won the argument in 17 years reflects just as badly on you as it does them

[@LastAphelion]

@@BentusiProgenitors Nah, try arguing with family members about how the homeopathics they keep buying because the nice Norwegian fake doctor they really adore told them to take it 30 years ago, doesn't actually do anything. They never listened then and they'll never listen now because it's what they want to believe.

[@getsmart3701]

47 year old ex athlete here. I never used Creatine until about one year ago and I can tell you it is the duck's nuts, it hydrates the muscles and helps me train and recover. Great stuff and I shall never be without it going forward.

[@millie35998]

Duck's nuts😂

[@Trench_j]

BRO THE DUCKS NUTS 😂 im stealing this

[@davidf5609]

@@millie35998 Aussie thing. If kids around you say duck's guts.

[@tshelumamakhe]

Why didn’t you take it as an athlete? I took it as a student athlete and it was incredible

[@jcortes1791]

Dr. Mike, I'm so glad you do what you do and create quality content for KZbin. Educational and your sense of humor is top notch. You totally crack me up man, i love it! Thanks for all you do!

[@user-mh7ek6ud8e]

Quality content??? The amount of swearing and the recycled information, known for years before this internet "phd" turned up do not constitute "quality content".

[@adamrodriguez7463]

Thanks Dr Mike, i appreciate you sharing the knowledge.

[@MyMfDominoes]

“The bro at GNC isn’t helping much either!” Can confirm. Last time I went to buy ON monohydrate they told me you can only absorb something like 60% of ON’s monohydrate, but if you buy the $60 whatever-brand gummies you’ll absorb all 100% of it

[@356z]

I just got some for the first time. My guy was pretty cool. He did tell me the monohydrate was the typical standard one, but he did mention the water retention and bloating, but that it leaned more into water in the muscles. But I mentioned I compete in triathlons and he said it might be better to take HCL because it won't have that water retention, which could be beneficial for endurance events. But I went with the monohydrate to look jacked

[@niccisherwood1550]

Fellow Dr. here. Something females or smaller individuals need to know is how taking too high a dose of creatine can affect you. I had vertigo issues for 8 months and took me 3 blood tests, an MRI and a F$%$ tone of research to finally figure out it was creatine. This is why, the inner ear helps with creatine mobilization in the body and too much creatine can generate pressure in that area and or the neck if you have finer or smaller structures (such as in females). This results in a constant low grade vertigo till you let the creatine levels drop, the dizziness disappeared between one and two weeks of not taking creatine. I spoke to hundreds of folks I could find on the internet with similar symptoms, a GP who is also a body builder and tested it myself by deliberately overloading again to see if vertigo appears and it did after a month of taking 5g per day. I have reduced my intake to 1g and no negative side effects. This is something not studied as of yet but probably should be!

[@herpyderpy4366]

Are you sticking with 1g per day for good or have you experimented with intermediate amounts to see how much you can take before it becomes an issue? Just curious on what your journey to 1g was like, whether it was being extra safe or if you worked your way down there, etc.

[@niccisherwood1550]

@@herpyderpy4366 not yet. 😁

[@JagatJoti10]

Fantastic, thank you! I eat quite a lot of animal protein and figured 5g wasn't needed for someone my size and would level up if I gained more muscle mass. Good to know that this supplement can be even cheaper; at 1-2g a day, a tub will last forever

[@JayEmCraft]

Thank you! This is great information to keep in mind in case I ever come across a patient or friend with those symptoms.

[@ohurley11]

The inner ear helps with creatine mobilization? Explain please.

[@DragonWarrior1524]

Literally the biggest reason I hear anyone say they wont take it is cause of that one paper that said the rugby participants experienced accelerated rates of hairloss, being androgenic alopecia from higher levels of dht. Wish you would've addressed this because lots of people say it's murky waters on that in particular.

[@retardo-qo4uj]

thats not even close. DHT is testosterone, not creatine. If creatine increase your DHT, then its a fking gear. People will take more of them. Testosterone does makes you bald, balding always a men problem

[@stephen7715]

Bro doesn't have hair so it slipped his mind 😂

[@thelastsigmamale]

Literally my concern as well. I usually always went to one hairdresser who told me I’d never have problems with hairloss given my hair quality and given the fact that literally noone in my family had hairloss issues from both my mom’s and dad’s side. Coincidentally I started taking creatine and changed the hairdresser for a year or so and recently I came back to my old hairdresser and she was in awe how much my hair has thinned and told me to start taking some stuff for hairgrowth and stop with creatine immidiately. I’m extremely skeptical now given the fact that I was never supposed to have any issues with hairloss and never had before taking creatine… I stopped taking creatine now and will see what happens

[@DrEckig]

Iirc they measured total dht serum levels and not the local dht concentration at the hair follicles that actually causes hair loss at high concentrations. Creatine doesn’t affect the local dht level at the follicles is what they found if my memory serves me right. Jeff Nippard probably has a video about this.

[@FO0TMinecraftPVP]

​@stephen7715 it slipped his shiny head

[@RoDo13]

As always the best facts out there thanks Mike ! ❤

Your creatinine blood levels WILL increase when you take creatine, but creatinine itself isn't harmful. It's just an indicator that something might be wrong with your kidneys. But if your levels are high because you're taking creatine your kidneys are probably fine. Your doctor can do additional tests to verify since creatine levels doesn't tell them squat when you're taking creatine. That's what my doctor did.

[@tristanwegner]

You are right, and Dr. Mike was wrong to say they are completely different.

[@Edited_Comment]

Creatine can make the test show higher creatinine levels, but it doesn't actually increase the levels, if it does It's so small it's nothing to worry about. It makes the levels look higher in test they do for Kidneys but won't actually increase it.

[@robertt9342]

@@tristanwegner…or people take what was said out of context then freakout

[@swacfan2791]

Don't trust doctors... just get advice from a retired nurse.

[@J6802-u2f]

Exactly, and mike just said creatine has no effect on creatinine and they are not related, which is completely wrong.

[@elcora7465]

As far as I know, Creatine gets broken down into Creatinine and then filtered out of your blood by your kidneys. So external Creatine intake may raise Creatinine serum levels. But because Creatinine is just a biomarker for kidney health, high creatinine levels may be meaningless for folks taking creatine because the underlying cause for the high levels is not a kidney disfunction but the external intake. Not sure why Dr. Mike says they are completely unrelated because they are clearly not.

[@tristanwegner]

Yeah. Mike saying they are a completely different thing is flat out wrong. Creatine even spontaneously breaks down into Creatinine in water over time. The biggest blunder I have caught Dr. Mike with.

[@DjDolHaus86]

Also take a break for a week or so if you know you've got a kidney function check coming up, might lead to false alarms or worse, hiding symptoms of an actual problem

[@Terron35]

Yeah creatinine is a byproduct. I have Lupus and my rheumatologist freaked out at my elevated creatinine levels. I told him I take creatine and he made me go to nephrology. The nephrologist checked my cystatin c levels to make sure I was all good but said it was from my creatine supplementation.

[@elcora7465]

@@Terron35 Physionic addressed exactly what youre describing. Pretty interesting video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqGcqqqGhceBqs0si=257HhBqkS-N62WBz

[@Mike.Oxlong]

I was thinking the same

[@BBQDad463]

Thank you for this video. Great information!

[@-atreya52]

Thank you so much for this valuable information.

[@ShaunRF]

Instructions unclear, ate diamonds.

[@danielhuff1397]

@@ShaunRF 🤣

[@GilFavor101]

I'm a plumber, where are you located?! HAhahaha!!!

[@DjDolHaus86]

Good news - you'll get them back within 48hrs Bad news - you'll have to retrieve them within 48hrs

[@starlord2184]

☠️🍻

[@JP-xd6fm]

@@DjDolHaus86 Worse news: diamonds will grind you from inside....

[@mitchellsteindler]

As a vegetarian, taking creating was insane. Ive never felt and been so strong. My muscles got huge. Really unbelievably effective for me.

[@beanmachine8509]

Same here, vegetarian 5 years, the strength/muscle gains have been insane. That's not to say I was weak/small before, but I've been asked/told "you must train... wow you've put on size, etc" a few times within the month after creatine loading phase.

[@darkmistico]

Imagine if you just ate meat

[@julianparra1350]

@@darkmisticoor imagine if you eat meat and eggs + creatine. People tell me I’m looking more jacked every week at work😭legit been taking creatine seriously for around 3 months and seriously lifting the last 4-5 months. Life’s great after transitioning from a lil thin dweeb to a beefed up Chad

[@user-fo7mf9nd2h]

@@julianparra1350 Nooby gains involved here.

[@mitchellsteindler]

@@darkmistico for real! You meat eaters have it easy in that sense! Althouh i may also just respond well, since 5g per day is more than most people get from meat.

[@Toria1980]

This is awesome as I’m waiting for mine, thanks 😊

[@johnfreeman1272]

Love your sense of humor. Your awesome knowledge is cool, too.

[@leomdk939]

On the hair loss question that wasn't even addressed: DHT is directly what causes hair loss, and there are multiple factors that cause its production (testosterone, Alpha-5 enzyme and Alpha-5 receptors). If your T levels are the limiting factor, then more DHT can be produced by elevating your T levels, but there can be multiple limiting factors, such as not enough receptors or Alpha-5 enzyme. That's why some people lose hair when elevating T levels and others don't.

[@GlorifiedGremlin]

When I got into rock climbing, I noticed it was actually a serious enhancement for that slow static type stuff. Way more endurance, and short term recovery

[@taefithendo]

I also rock climb along with high intensity workouts and with only 5g about 4 days a week I also notice a difference. Recovery is abnormal.

[@zacharylaschober]

there used to be concerns in climbing about increasing weight and vasoconstriction on creatine, but these were never merited out and would easily be overcome by slightly greater PCr stores on the rock and during training. while I do not give my clients dietary advice, there are a variety of supplements pushed onto climbers with smaller and irregular effects from less research, but creatine is one I am always confident with an athlete taking if they're curious. however, I often note you will be unable to notice the effect. there is research to support, but the effect is simply too small over background noise to say, and the advantage is for higher end force production and recovery of this energy pathway. you'll make strong, static moves more easily as a result of additional training capacity and quality.

[@gxbrielwatches4088]

😂😂 I am also starting creatine to see if it will help with my climbing ability

[@ThomasAT86]

New ad woooooo! I almost never skip you guys' ads.

[@nomoreliberties]

Dude, seriously you are the best!

[@davidazzolin1019]

Creatine aggravated my gout. I may have been taking too much, but once metabolized it can lead to production of uric acid, as explained to me by my rheumatologist. I hadn't had any issues with gout for years, was working out again, started trying to work through a plateu, added creatine, and had a pretty severe bout of gout about 3 or 4 weeks after. Stopped taking it and haven't had any issues since. So not shit talking creatine, but if you have issues with gout, this may be a specific instance to monitor closely.

[@HypnoticPattern]

Mike, known your wife through the medical community and car community for eva. Just got into strength training and really appreciate your humor injected and scientific approach. Keep doing awesome stuff. this was helpful.

[@Thereallocalanarchist]

He has a wife??!!?!!

[@Thereallocalanarchist]

Impossible

[@johnnyrock852]

Love the hoodie! Thanks for the facts...

[@thecreepman09]

I love the new visual upgrade to the videos holy

[@robburgandy6072]

Congrats on 2M subs when you reach it guys! Creatine loves me twice a day. Keep up the excellent and informative work. Keep grinding to be jacked all you certified kings 💪🥳

[@mambofever]

Extremely well timed video for me. Currently going through tests for Kidney stones. Doctor's are certain it's between creatine and coke zero that is causing them..... Whilst refusing to acknowledge a family history of them. I'm gonna pre-load 50g right now in protest. Edit: Gents thank you for all the advice. It's much appreciated and will be taken onboard.

[@BenSnyder0701]

still need to drink a lot of water when taking creatine

[@mambofever]

@@BenSnyder0701 I do brother. It's just the last couple years they have started (in 30's now) had 5+ years on creatine no problems.

[@clipertun]

@@mambofeverIt’s inevitable to get some kidney stones within your lifetime

[@SquatchWatcher]

​@@mambofever Study up on foods high in oxalates & see how many are in your regular diet. Definitely stay away from Spinach.....but Kale is ok

[@thunderchubbs7640]

When I told my doctor i take creatine he looked at me like I told him his mama wears army boots.

[@TheGd2812]

I m getting back into doing basic exercises,,watching all the videos now I just do everything in slow motion...not able to do a lot of reps but it's super effective ,thanks for this technique

[@samchoate1719]

Dudes like you inspire me to be more myself. Thank you

[@Ceredron]

As an intermediate/advanced lifter, I started creatine about a year into my lifting and it was the perfect time to do so. I will say, it gave me a little bit of stomach trouble at the beginning, but I've since lowered from 5g to 3g and taken it religiously since, and the problems stopped about a week or two in. I'm not convinced it wasn't something external but I definitely had some digestive issues for a little bit before getting into the groove.

[@WoundChannel.]

Same here, being on the smaller side (150lbs) after my muscles were loaded I had to drop to 3gs a day to stop from having stomach issues.

[@WoundChannel.]

@just9911 I didn't even think to do that! I'll give that a shot

[@frankr2921]

5g at a time bloats the shit outta me. 3g is no issue. I agree

[@yewtewbstew547]

I had that the first time I tried it when I did the BS "loading" thing. I can't remember how much I took there but it was obviously more than 5g. I figure it's probably just because you're digesting (relatively) large quantities of something that you wouldn't normally, so it causes a bit of a temporary upset.

[@jameslynnbudlong5658]

I'm 63, been lifting for years, and have taken creatine at 5 g. for years no problems. I heard a study that for older people 10 g. daily can help even more. For 2 weeks I have been taking 10 g. daily with no problems. I see some increase in strength. I set a pr today with 8 reps on 15% inclines with 46 kilo dumbbells. Maybe it's a myth, but I'm sticking with 10 g. per day for a bit to see if I get some more gains.

[@AriesShark]

Awesome

[@leeyokum]

Man, i feel that advice on scheduling. Have missed multiple days in a row because of that missing. I like that idea of taking it in the morning, great idea to go along with my vitamins

[@Fede_uyz]

Started taking creatine 3 days ago and i get this fresh info, excellent service!

[@lokwidator]

I would've loved Dr. Mike to comment on the study that connects creatine to hair loss.

[@PriusTurbo]

There has only been one study out of thousands on creatine that focused on hair loss. Creatine does increase serum DHT levels which impacts DHT sensitive follicles which causes hair loss in those individuals. Since there is a concerning lack of studies on this topic, one is forced to look into anecdotal evidence, of which there are plenty of stories to show that creatine does cause hair loss. I used to take it in my 20s when I was not prone to hair loss and then stopped for over 10 years. Resumed it about the same time my brother started taking it an I had no idea it was linked to hair loss. Three months in to taking it, we had a conversation about our hair loss coincidentally and then I looked into it and was surprised to find all of this information. We stopped taking it and immediately noticed the loss stop. I came to the conclusion that there is not enough of a gain from creatine to jeopardize my hair but other than that, from experience, it is a great supplement.

[@lucasbertolini4896]

Up

[@zants_]

Even in the research that found an acceleration of hairloss in individuals, these individuals were already predisposed to such hairloss patterns, it simply accelerated something that was already going to happen. Given this, if you're genetically predisposed to hairloss, your first concern should be if you want to use hairloss products/treatment or if this doesn't bother you, and from there decide if you would also want to take creatine or not. Basically, don't put the cart before the horse.

[@davesprivatelounge]

this is my concern as well

[@SteveJonesOwnsDSP]

Big Creatine lobby doesn't want anymore studies done with the link between Creatine and Hair Loss via DHT increase. These supplement companies will do anything to protect their profits

[@nile_prince7498]

Another clear no bs video, love your work. Can you comment about the studies showing an increase in serum DHT and its relation to accelerated male pattern hairloss?

[@TilerYo]

He wants us to be bald like him. /s

[@thaddius1727]

I already knew all this, I just like hearing you talk.

[@winstonbaldacchino80]

Thank you Doc!

[@BootStrapTurnerVideography]

A side effect I noticed was intense swelling of my muscles. Makes me feel like I did when I was growing as a kid. Wife says to not worry about it and perhaps double up on the creatine.

[@mslice09]

What exactly was swelling that your wife liked .😮😮😮

[@Sneak222]

Your wife thinks you’re too small

[@BootStrapTurnerVideography]

@@Sneak222 after 31 years, she could have traded up if size matters. I would argue form and proper technique is key.

[@CoffeeAndSteel]

Dr. Mike's channel is on creatine. Look at all those gains!

[@leotorres2121]

I love how your videos are based off an evidence-based approach! And not just some random anecdotal evidence! In that vein, would you mind linking some of the creatine studies you used as sources for the video and general training?

[@brookesenfrance3852]

Super funny and Ultra good information. I am now a subscriber 😎💪👍

[@Sbermuz]

By the way, creatine metabolism DOES increase your serum level of creatinine, they're not 2 completely separate compounds, one is the metabolite of the other.. Creatinine gets anyhow filtered by the kidneys and it's still relatively little increased under creatine use. This said, it's just important to take it into account and maybe (maybe) as a doctor I would not suggest it for people with chronic renal diseases. For the rest, on point as always 👌

[@agustinreyes6111]

My egfr drops to 61 (normally at 78)with creatine and high protein diet. My Cystatin C egfr is always on the 90’s.

[@Yoalli_1337]

@@agustinreyes6111 Having a lower eGFR means you have more creatinin in you blood wich correlates to you higher protein diet and creatinin intake. That means it does increase your creatinin-production. The kidney has a kind of fixed elimination of your pee and with that you creatinin. Having a lower creatinin clearence is either because of your kidney getting unhealthier or you create a lot of creatinin that your kidney doesnt eliminate fast enough. (And yes there are a lot of different factors, but this are the two main things for your situation now) Can i ask what kind of estimated GFR calculation your physician used? Because that is a pretty low gfr for a healthy young man. It should be over 90ml/min for a healthy individual.

[@Sbermuz]

@@agustinreyes6111 that’s why it’s considered more reliable than creatinine eGFR :) it’s an interesting find nonetheless

[@agustinreyes6111]

@@Yoalli_1337 I don’t know which they used but I was concerned about it too until my Cystatin C showed better numbers. I should add I’m on TRT.

[@hunterbinkley8739]

Cool story bro

[@Alistarwormwood]

wait, you didn't mention the balding myth. I've heard in one study it was linked to elevated levels of dihydro testosterone, which might cause early balding? that's like the only thing that ever made me think twice about it

[@rainyleefa1984]

I had awful hairloss 2-3 months into taking creatine. I stopped taking it and a year later my hair has recovered. I am scared to take it again. :/

[@AD-sg9tr]

It does not cause baldness, but accelerates the process for those genetically predisposed to baldness.

[@AD-sg9tr]

"One theory put forward to explain the potential link between creatine and hair loss is that creatine may increase levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a hormone linked to male pattern baldness. However, it should be stressed that studies have yet to conclusively confirm this theory. It's important to understand that genetics also play a major role in hair loss, and that creatine may only be a triggering factor in predisposed individuals. "

[@AriesShark]

​@@rainyleefa1984 Cap 🧢

[@rainyleefa1984]

@@AD-sg9tr that's the same thing since literally all of us are predisposed to lose hair eventually.

[@nomoreliberties]

Dam bro u destroying it. Your fucking humor is better than humor can be defined. I now look forward to any video of urs in my feed!

[@V12BenzAMG]

Thank you for the logically and evidence based breakdown on creatine 🙏

[@davidbaker3889]

Dr. Mike's has some secret villain motivation for not disclosing the possibility of hairloss..."if everyone is bald, nobody will be!"

[@aarons1350]

Surprised there was no mention on the effects creatine has on dht and thereby hairloss

[@pindot787]

hairloss is mostly genetics anyway, I took creatine for yearss for every single day, didnt experience any hairloss.

[@jaroslavsvaha6065]

I'm already bald, if creatine can get rid of the rest so I can stop shaving my head every 3 days, I'm in.

[@aarons1350]

@@pindot787 it accelerates hair loss for those genetically disposed to it. Big difference between losing your hair at 40 vs 30. If your follicles aren’t sensitive to dht (genetic) it will have no effect on

[@dimosereqko2]

I was looking for that the whole video! That`s the only reason I don`t take creatine

[@shiroff]

Dr. Mike, could you consider a video on TRT being pushed from treatment into enhancement range for guys in 40s-50s?

[@PrimePrius]

Thank you, Doctor

[@jt-oz]

Fast becoming the best health and fitness channel on the internet

[@zachwilliams0]

Creatinine is a metabolite of creatine, though, which means that supplementation of creatine can lead to an increase in serum creatinine (not harmful) and thereby an over-diagnosis of CKD. Creatine is not harmful at recommended dosages but is not entirely unrelated to creatinine.

[@tristanwegner]

true

[@AriesShark]

​@@tristanwegner I held hands with your grandma consensually

[@MrRobot-tz5dv]

I understand this isn’t a universal experience, but here’s mine. I used creatine for about 5-6 months and noticed significant hair loss. Every morning, I’d find hair on my pillow. Once I stopped taking creatine, the hair loss ceased. This whole “optimization culture” seems misguided to me. I spent most of my twenties immersed in it. Now, at 32, I’ve abandoned calorie counting, creatine, and protein powder. Surprisingly, I’m now in the best shape of my life-bigger, more ripped, and healthier than ever. The key? I quit drinking, started running, prioritized sleep, and nurtured healthy relationships. I also focus on a varied and balanced diet 90% of the time It’s not about being huge or lifting massive weights. I’ve been there. It’s about variety, balance, and longevity. Just my opinion, though!

[@Boogie_Woogie_Bugle_Boy]

I don't remember where, but i believe I recall Mike saying something about how minimizing drinking, being social, adding 10 lbs. Of muscle and losing 20lbs. Of fat is a "near-panacea" for healthy living

[@dimitargatev9861]

Hey Mike, thanks for the deep dive! In a previous video you recommended the load up phase, that why the change of tone?

[@schulme123]

A KZbin M&Ms ad right after the in video ad for the RP diet app, classic!

[@tjpld]

My anecdotal evidence is that my scalp dried out quite a lot leading to shedding hair and bad dandruff, when I started taking creatine. Fixed itself in 1-2 months after getting off it. I gave it another try and the side effect returned immediately.

[@samkitt]

Same here!

[@GlorifiedGremlin]

Well it causes muscle fluid retention, meaning you have to drink more water to stay hydrated. Are you sure you weren't just chronically dehydrated? Lol

[@capcohan931]

Yeah my beard and hair started getting flaky too. Came off of it twice and I'm sure creatine is what's causing it. Also Dr. Mike didn't touch on the DHT increase for some reason

[@tjpld]

@@GlorifiedGremlin I already drink a lot of water on a daily basis. Piss was also running clear.

[@ayushw]

Yep came to say the same thing, led to increased hair loss for me, it'll probably be fine for you just keep an eye out and monitor

[@eculturer]

I just bought creatine and I just needed this ❤ Dr. Mike always share something so useful and professional

[@hadykhalid4735]

Would love to see a video on NMN Great content as always 🦍

[@Korhanne]

worth noting: Creatine is in egg yolks at about 1.9g+ per chicken egg. I tend to eat 4 eggs as a result, and it will keep you going for quite a while. (I am mistrustful of supplements/prefer to get my macros from actual food rather than supps. I understand why people use them though. ydy.)

[@BullJoezer]

That's false. A simple google search says two eggs contain 10mg of creatine.

[@Korhanne]

@@BullJoezer I did a simple google search and got that number. *shrug*

[@Korhanne]

@@BullJoezer source was fit audit. I've seen it said that they contain none, some, or a lot. IDK what to believe at this point, but at any rate, they have lots of protein and such, so i'm not stopping eating eggs.

[@AriesShark]

I mean eggs are great and I love them but doesn't change the fact that Australia has a population of 42 million kangaroos

[@Korhanne]

@@AriesShark Hard to go Big Hoppy Hunting when across the ocean >.>

[@coulortiz5352]

From what I have found there is a link between Creatine and Creatinine "Creatinine is a naturally occurring substance in the human body. It is a relatively simple compound that is produced in the muscles from the breakdown of creatine."

[@JagatJoti10]

I think that one of the reasons so many people are afraid of creatine is not for mistaking it for creatinine, but conflating it with the disease/injury marker creatine kinase assay (CK). Elevated CK could point towards muscle disorders and/or acute injury, such as rhabdomyolysis after car wreck. However it doesn't always mean a health problem, since working out REALLY hard, or participating in a breakdown event (like ultra-marathoning) could also cause temporary elevations in CK. Lab values, most of the time, cannot be determined clinically significant on their own. But I am sure there are people that have heard they had elevated CK, heard it was bad, then will give advice not to take creatine because "creatine" is bad.

[@philhooper4196]

I had the same issue. One doctor said I was going through renal failure, but took a different test and showed otherwise. They intially tested for Creatinine. Anther doctor told me that creatinine is a byproduct of Creatine

[@ahrneely]

I have also seen my creatinine blood serum levels increase when taking 5g of creatine daily. I stopped taking the creatine and the creatinine levels dropped. My hypothesis is that the creatine breakdown has increased creatinine and artificially indicates some kidney function issues that don't really exist.

[@stewvlogs5084]

Great video. Thank you for making this. I use Creatine monohydrate daily and will continue to do so. No side effects yet.

[@chrisfournier6144]

I had questions you have answers. I love you Dr. Mike. From afar.

[@duke605]

10:11 is so wrong. Creatinine is a byproduct of creatine. Yes it is naturally produced but when supplementing with creatine, you will have higher levels of creatinine. There is nothing wrong with this. You just need to tell your doctor that you supplement with creatine so they know why your creatinine are elevated. If your creatinine levels are elevated than that could indicate that something is wrong. High levels of creatinine aren't inherently bad, they're just a data point that can be used with other data points to gauge kidney function.

[@tristanwegner]

Yeah. Dr. Mike was factually wrong there.

[@IronMic-ee4kt]

Dr Mike proving once again that Exercise Science is not a medical degree for a reason. It's the liberal arts degree of the medical world.

[@jamesdavis8731]

@@tristanwegner he is wrong in a number of his videos.

[@IronMic-ee4kt]

We need to remember, he doesn't have any sort of recognized medical qualifications. He essentially has a PhD in broscience.

[@JP-xd6fm]

@@jamesdavis8731 So maybe he is *not* a doctor. Maybe is like Dr. Dree?

[@PriusTurbo]

There has only been one study out of thousands on creatine that focused on hair loss. Creatine does increase serum DHT levels which impacts DHT sensitive follicles which causes hair loss in those individuals. Since there is a concerning lack of studies on this topic, one is forced to look into anecdotal evidence, of which there are plenty of stories to show that creatine does cause hair loss. I used to take it in my 20s when I was not prone to hair loss and then stopped for over 10 years. Resumed it about the same time my brother started taking it an I had no idea it was linked to hair loss. Three months in to taking it, we had a conversation about our hair loss coincidentally and then I looked into it and was surprised to find all of this information. We stopped taking it and immediately noticed the loss stop. I came to the conclusion that there is not enough of a gain from creatine to jeopardize my hair but other than that, from experience, it is a great supplement.

[@arghnews]

Upvoted and pitching in, as someone who took it, saw considerable hair thinning, and has since stopped.

[@jameswalker7420]

28 years of mostly taking creatine, hair is still as thick and full as it ever was.

[@leomdk939]

Did your hair grow back after stopping creatine? (And were you taking any meds like minoxidil or finasteride to prevent hair loss?)

[@eggman6605]

Same here. I got some serious hair loss/receding hairline on creatine. My hairline has receded about 10yrs ahead of expected based on the other men in my family. Stopped taking it because it wasn't worth it as a casual lifter.

[@eggman6605]

​@@leomdk939It didn't grow back in my case. The hair follicles affected by DHT shrink and eventually die.

[@alcripple]

Good info, thanks! What about the relation between creatine and high blood pressure? Some people complained that creatine has made their blood pressure very high!

[@clubbizarre]

i love the humor in this

[@alexfortin7209]

These are your best videos: 1) precise 2) short 3) actionable

[@benahaus]

And with a modicum of psycho Mike.

[@DestinLegends]

I took creatine every day for a month then spent too much time outside and got sun burnt. Thanks creatine.

[@danton13]

Just this morning I had a kidney ultrasound because of concerns by my doctor due to high levels of blood creatine. I have no risk factors for kidney disease, the scan showed nothing, and all other blood and urine tests were negative. I don't know if the doc has mistaken creatine for creatanin, or if I actually have high creatanin and should be worried. But she definitely said the word creatine. This video came at the perfect time for me to realise what might be going on here. Thanks Dr Mike!

[@colbyscott8545]

Dr. Mike, I wish you had addressed the claim that creatine causes hair loss. From what I understand, creatine doesn't necessarily cause hair loss, but it can accelerate hair loss in individuals genetically predisposed to it. What is your understanding on the matter?

[@dROUDebateMeCowards]

Creatine helps build skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle produces small amounts of testosterone in excess of that produced by your testes, and also down regulates hpg mechanisms that would signal for your body to reduce production based on the increase. Any increase in testosterone balance will also increase DHT unless you’re deficient in 5a-reductase generally, have a loss of function mutation (partial or complete) in the gene that codes for it, or taking drugs that inhibit it. If you are predisposed to male pattern baldness, this would likely cause a small effect. However, just training your muscles to get the same extra size and strength with no creatine would have the exact same effect. And it would still be very small because the increase in testosterone production from skeletal muscle is marginal unless they are very huge.

[@colbyscott8545]

@@dROUDebateMeCowards thank you!

[@Chevsilverado]

From what I can tell, there’s a mechanism that creatine mayyy increase risk of hair loss in some people, but to such a small and random extent that other factors play a much larger part in hair loss. The fact that you’re training and building muscle, and therefore increasing testosterone, far outweighs any increase in hair loss creatine may cause in just some individuals. You see this logic with tons of foods too. A study says “____ increases risk of cancer”. It ends up in the news and everyone repeats that statement. In reality the study shows a tiny correlation that’s barely statistically relevant, and likely the product of fudging some numbers anyway… Then you do some comparison and find out that being in the sun for 10 minutes increases risk of cancer far more than whatever the study claims for that food.

[@jameswalker7420]

I've taken creatine for most of 28 years now. Still have a 100% full head of hair. Only side effect I've ever had is muscle cramping,

[@Sup3rManolo]

@@dROUDebateMeCowards Appreciate the informative write-up.

[@ericc2129]

Serious question. What about hair loss on creatine? That a thing or just a myth?

[@Account-on2ev]

Up up up

[@djaldd420]

Seriously how did he not address this? This is the only reason I don’t take it

[@ystconnection]

Yeah it can lead to premature hair loss. Doc Mike doesn't exactly need to worry about it though lol Personally, that's the reason I won't take it. Never had a problem getting muscle in my life (yet) and I don't want to, possibly AND permanently, sacrifice my magnificent hair for temporary semi-superficial muscle gains. I just drink a coffee/energy drink and push it in the gym or at work until actual physical exhaustion. Never been shredded, but I've never been weak either (I like to enjoy life and eat delicious food, you just gotta earn it, imo). When I hit 50-ish and stop caring, I'll probably take it since I'll want a higher quality of life and will want to slow down my physical and mental decay.

[@AriesShark]

Oil up

[@AriesShark]

​@@ystconnection oil up lil bro, I'll be there in 5

[@vigorouspocketpibbleton2394]

I would love to see a video on the long and short term effects of high doses of caffeine and energy drinks like bang and reign

[@BruthaB100]

I Love u man! 😂

[@craig42069]

Why is it always a bald guy saying creatine doesn't make you bald

[@Mikathedog100]

Because intelligent types who are highly capable of reading and interpreting studies are more likely to go bald 😉

[@archygrey9093]

They are bald cause their brain so big no room left for hair follicles ​@@Mikathedog100

[@mikefacts9405]

Hahahahahhahahahahahaha

[@TheFluffyTRex]

Because many of them also do Testosterone - which makes you bald faster

[@lt3880]

​@@TheFluffyTRex bingo

[@Nicaveli]

The baldy says there's no downsides people

[@mikefacts9405]

Hahahahhahaha

[@BrianL69]

I’m noticing improvement !

[@dubsdube]

Great detailed breakdown, thanks for this. I’ve been taking creatine mono steadily for years now. It’s a staple of my supplementation, which is basically protein, creatine, collagen, fish oil, magnesium, and vitamin D.

[@marioarcadia3611]

Funny he didn't mention the myth about creatine and hair loss 😂

[@benniemcnhungo3124]

For obvious reasons 😂

[@Totemist888]

"Rattle off a bunch of make-believe" 😂😂

[@estuardo2985]

i would love to see Dr. Mike do one on polypeptides whether it be on specific ones and/or in general.

[@user-zf5hh9xm7i]

I’m surprised the link between creatine and hair loss wasn’t addressed

[@AriesShark]

I'm surprised he didn't oil up and did glute spread

[@corexmaily]

Me too, as I personally experienced noticeable hair thinning when using it, which went away in the following 6 weeks after I stopped taking creatine. I would've chucked it up to chance but considering the thinning reversed after I stopped, theres no real way I can just say "nah creatine is fine". It might be for you, but for me (and a lot of others) it speeds up, or triggers hair thinning/loss.

[@curtwilliams8802]

​@@corexmailyI think that's just person dependant i have been taking 5g in pre workout and 5g after gym and not noticed anything different and have been doing this for around 2months now and i have a head full of hair and no thinning touch wood (touched my empty head)

[@corexmaily]

@@curtwilliams8802 it 100% is, thats why theres conflicting info on it. It seems to affect people who are already predisposed to balding/thinning hair, accelerating / kickstarting the process for some

[@Tomaso-TheGreat]

@@corexmaily Same with me, made my hair thin so I came off it and it grew back. Experimented again a few months later with creatine and the same results as last time. Real shame because I looked bigger when on creatine especially when I got a pump from the gym. Never seen myself with such great shoulders but now I am off it I just don't have the look I want anymore. I sum it up to just valuing my hair more.

[@JoeyBeeFit]

Something that Dr Mike neglected to mention is that creatine actually can promote hair loss. This isn't a joke, it's serious. Many people who I've told to take creatine in the past have come to me and said that they immediately start shedding after taking it. This is definitely something that has been documented and studied and probably should have been brought out in the video. No, I'm not a hater and yes, I have a liked the video and am subscribed to Dr mike. Just dropping this comment to help inform others that this is a real phenomenon regardless of what certain people in the industry might think.

[@rainyleefa1984]

It happened to me.

[@AriesShark]

Hair loss isn't real lil bro. Oil up for me

[@alphateilchen_]

Taking creatine can definitely affect creatinine levels in blood serum. But creatinine is only an indirect indicator of a certain part of kidney function (glomerular filtration). The standard values that the doctor uses to estimate kidney function assume that you have a standard creatinine production in your muscles. They don’t take into account the extra saturation of creatine in your muscles, which may result in elevated creatinine output. The creatinine blood test is like looking at the puddle in front of a storm drain. You don’t know whether the puddle is caused by a clogged drain or an unusually high amount of rain.

[@FunctionalNP]

This dudes freaking awesome at debating 😅

[@SH-fy2nc]

What if you take creatine while doing kegels? What then?! As a kegel expert, I approve this message: most people refuse to rub creatine on their nipples while doing kegels. Not Dr. Mike.....

[@cesar.g.8543]

What about balding? There is correlation between hair loss and creatine.

[@baddmint]

Ive been taking creatine for 3 months and it has made me less stupid lol it has removed brain fog and along with working out at the gym and completely eliminated my anxiety too

[@RJ2A81]

Came for the great information. Stayed for the comments!

[@SaiyanStrength]

Dr. Mike, please make a video breaking down preworkout ingredients such as L-Citrulline, Beta Alanine, Betaine Anhydrous, etc. and the optimal doses. Similar to the videos Derek from MPMD used to post. Thank you in advance RP team! Like if you agree so we can get the video we want!!

[@JordanKarl53]

The only thing more sticky than versa gripps is a gym bro’s sock drawer.

[@MarkaveliRises]

Lol

[@mac5917]

Good one😂

[@twistedstrength.]

I respectfully request Dr. Mike’s official approval for the coinage of a new colloquialism for youths consuming creatine as creatineenagers

[@twistedstrength.]

Creatine killed my whole family, stole my wife, and made me lose my job. Never mix creatine with whisk&y and m&th. You’ll quickly find yourself in anabolics anonymous.