I am considering starting to use creatine to help me build some muscle. I have done my research and everything looks good to me except for one little thing. I read that when you stop using creatine your muscles deflate or shrink due to the water loss, which makes sense. I'm just wondering if this is a significant loss in size or a minor one. It just seems like if I start this stuff and get some nice big, good looking muscles with it, they might just leave me when/if I stop the creatine. Any advice/experiences?

water retention is a side effect of creatine, not the main purpose.

for those that bloat up on creatine, you shed that water when you stop taking it.

its a couple pounds of water, don't worry about it.

There is a biological necessity for water with Creatine Mono while with Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE) there is not.

If you stop taking Creatine Mono, the water retention will decrease. THIS IS NOT muscle tissue loss. Its just a reduction in tissue swelling from loss of water.

To PREVENT misreading ONES BODY and forbid personal heartache: IMO one should be proactive in education prior to purchase of any supplement they plan on consuming. DO THIS NEXT TIME!

I have seen many posts by people new to fitness and training on the forum. Some of these posts were from those that had freshly taken Creatine Mono a week before, and were disheartened that they gained weight when deficit dieting--->or are misinformed in believing the water retention their experiencing is actual muscle growth.

The informed person would realize this is temporary water retention and not "really" tissue gain. With Ethyl Ester, one does not have this problem.Thus the importance of education BEFORE taking any supplement.

Mind you I am not saying one shouldnt take Mono, it is as good as Ethyl Ester, IMO. Just understand their are differences in side effects and understand the potential bodily feed back when taking them.


Also understand what its purpose is and the "potential" it may present to you in your weight training.

Dont expect a "miracle worker" but it can prove to be a minor "coworker" in your fitness plans.



Much peace and happiness to you!



Chillen