Are there any side effects or risks associated with supplementing creatine?
We’ve already discussed the positive side effects of creatine in terms of performance. Another positive effect of Cr supplementation that has been suggested is that supplementing Creatine (Cr) over several weeks may boost level of good cholesterol or HDL ( Applegate, 2001). We also briefly introduced the idea that weight gain is associated with creatine supplementation. Depending on your status as an athlete, this effect could be construed as positive or negative. We know definitively that creatine supplementation causes weight gain through water retention, but the jury is still out to say whether creatine is directly responsible for weight gain due to muscle hypertrophy. It does appear possible for creatine to “assist” in muscle growth since creatine supplementers can increase training volume and intensity, which over time can lead to muscle growth. However, to think that one will “magically” grow muscles simply by consuming creatine, without training intensely, is not possible. As di
