The Unf*ck Your Fitness Podcast

175. Should You Take Creatine? Real Talk on What It Is + Why Women Shouldn’t Ignore It

• Kristy Castillo

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Creatine isn’t new, but it’s definitely having a moment in the online space right now!


I knew it was time to dive into my REAL, no-BS creatine facts with you here. There are sooo many myths surrounding creatine - you’ve probably heard that it’s a steroid, it makes you ‘bulky’, and it can damage your liver and kidneys. None of these are true if you’re in good health!


Creatine isn’t just for men either - there is growing research surrounding benefits for women with things like muscle growth, blood pressure, hormones, and more. 


I’ve been taking creatine pretty consistently for years, and while I’ve noticed positive effects for myself, I know it’s not something that every.single.person *needs* to take.


I’m personally really tired of all the misinformation out there, and I'm sure you are too.


I hope this episode provides you the clarity you need on this powerful supplement, and guides you toward making the best decision for YOU on your fitness journey!


In this episode, we cover:

  • What creatine *actually* is + benefits to supplementing with it
  • Common creatine myths (and why they’re flat-out wrong)
  • Creatine’s impact on women’s blood pressure & hormones
  • How creatine may support brain health, stress resilience & healthy aging
  • The best type of creatine to take + how much you need


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Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Un-Fuck-Your-Fitness Podcast. I am your host, Christy Castillo, and I'm here to give you real talk and cut the BS so you can actually enjoy building a body you love. I'm a personal trainer obsessed with giving you simple action steps to take you from feeling stuck to feeling sexy. Let's go. Hey guys, what's up? I?

Speaker 2:

am going to be talking all about creatine in this episode and I've got a lot to get into. So I want to jump right into it, because this is a shorter episode and I want to try to keep this short and sweet, which, if you're new here, that's kind of hard for me, because I like to give my own take, I like to explain my own experience, which I definitely want to do that in this episode, but I also want to just kind of give you the facts. I could definitely talk about creatine mostly like my experience with it and things like that for a long time, but I do want to get into the basics. So, first of all, creatine has been around forever and ever and ever. It's one of those things that recently has become more popular because of TikTok, because of Instagram, because of the algorithm, I'm not really sure. It seems like things that have been around forever in my world sometimes just take off and gain popularity, and I know that because my clients will come to me and ask, or I'll get a ton of DMs all of a sudden about something, or my daughter will hear about it, which means it's on TikTok, and so when I hear people talking about creatine, about, you know, just different supplements or whatever the topic is. I think, oh God, here we go, because now there's going to be misinformation and now there's going to be so many people teaching about, let's say, if we're just talking about creatine so many people on social media talking about creatine and spinning it in a way that's either beneficial for them or well, yeah, I guess if they're spinning it in a negative way, they're probably doing that because it's beneficial for them, or maybe they just want views. There's so many different reasons why people talk about a supplement or even a topic, and so it frustrates me and I don't want to jump right in and start talking about things when they're being talked about by other influencers or podcasters or whatever, because there's just so much information out there and it's overwhelming to me when that happens.

Speaker 2:

And then I get all these questions and that's also overwhelming because I'm like shit, how do I make an episode geared towards literally every question that I get about creatine? I can't, so I did post on my stories. I think it was yesterday that I was going to be recording an episode soon about creatine. I did get some questions, so if I don't answer those in this episode, I will be getting back to you to share, like my experience, my thoughts. I had some questions about, like my recent blood pressure issues and, if my doctors have said anything about that, you know, kidney function, liver function in association with creatine, which is why, again, I could create create an episode for you. That's probably my longer Tuesday episode and I can always, of course, do that, but I wanted to try to just keep this really factual, because there's a lot of bullshit out there. So let's jump into it.

Speaker 2:

What is creatine? Now, mind you, all of this information is on the internet for you to go look at and do your own research, which I highly recommend that you do. I'm going to give you the facts and I'm going to also tell you that I don't know everything about this product. I don't make it. I am not a doctor. I learn, I keep up on the studies. I take it myself if it's something that I feel like I need, which creatine I do take, not all year round, probably about six months out of the year. I'll get into that later. I recommend it to my clients. I also say go ask your doctor, take it if you want to. It's not absolutely necessary, right? So all of that. To preface, I do take it. I take it not every single month, I do when I'm taking it. Well, let me just say I guess, right off the bat here, I take it for about three months and then I get off of it for three months and then I take it for another three months and then I get off of it for three months. I take it normally in the beginning of my bulk and then or build session, whatever like in the fall, and then I take it in the beginning I'm taking it right now of my cut phase, but not really any science behind that. I just feel like that's what works for me. So, yeah, I'm sure a lot of this will also come into play as I continue to talk on the topic.

Speaker 2:

So what is creatine? It is a naturally occurring compound found in your muscle cells. It helps produce energy during high intensity workouts. It's most commonly found in red meat and fish, but not in large enough amounts to fully saturate your muscles, which is why it has become something that is a supplement, just kind of like L-carnitine. Our body already makes that, but not in large enough amounts to support fat loss at a higher level. So it's kind of along the same lines.

Speaker 2:

Why would you supplement with creatine? It does boost your performance in resistance training and in high intensity workouts. I personally feel like that. I lift a lot heavier when I'm consistently taking creatine. I feel stronger. I also feel bigger. Right now I can tell when I flex my bicep. It's not as defined, but it's bigger. So we're going to talk about that too.

Speaker 2:

Why, like what creatine is? It causes your muscle to hold on to water, so, anyway, it increases muscle recovery as well, and it also increases muscle strength and your power output. Like I was just talking about, it does support muscle growth over time and it may even support cognitive function and mood, which is a bonus for your mental health. I will personally say I don't really experience any benefit with that. So, all of this being said, like I said, I'm giving you the facts. I'm also wanting to give you my particular, I guess, results with it. I do see certain results with it and I also don't see certain results with it. I'm going to get into pregnancy a little bit. I didn't take it during my pregnancy, but there are studies that are undeniable when talking about this supplement. So some of this I can relate to, some of it. I can't, and I want to be very honest with you about that, which is kind of why I want to fly through this. So there are some myths and I want to get into those, and these are just a couple of the common myths.

Speaker 2:

Is that creatine is a steroid. I thought this in the beginning as well. This was years ago when my husband and I first started doing beach body workouts. We started taking creatine, and I don't even know why. It was probably my husband's idea, I would imagine and I thought it was a steroid. I thought every supplement back then was basically bad for you and you shouldn't do it. I just I didn't understand. I had a very, very large lack of understanding. I didn't give a shit. What I thought was what I thought. I didn't want it, I didn't need it. But I started taking creatine anyways and I did actually really really like the results then, I think. But I also changed a lot of other things. I changed my food drastically, I changed my lifestyle drastically, so it could have had nothing to do with the creatine. When you change so many things at once, you don't know it's actually working. But that is a myth.

Speaker 2:

Is that creatine is a steroid? That is false. Like I said, it's already found in your body naturally. It's also found in foods naturally. There's nothing hormonal about it. It is produced from two amino acids in your liver. It's also found in foods, like I said red meat and fish. And the International Society of Sports Nutrition says that creatine is safe and it concludes that it's one of the most beneficial sports supplements available. That is very widely known as a fact. Supplements available that is very widely known as a fact. Creatine is something that is very, very widely consumed and it's safe, it's beneficial. It's used for so many different things by athletes, by women, by men across the board that I feel like it's very safe. So once I started researching it years ago, I thought, okay, this is fine.

Speaker 2:

Myth number two it'll make you look bulky. No, creatine does help your muscles retain water. That is cellular hydration, so it's not bloat or bulk. That is a huge thing that people say that they experience. Now, if you have experienced that, it's either because you've experienced that and your body is just different and it's processing it differently and maybe it doesn't process it well, so you are feeling bloated.

Speaker 2:

The bulkiness is like I was just saying for myself I am retaining more water. My muscles are fuller, meaning they are bigger, are fuller meaning they are bigger and I'm feeling bigger, thicker. Right now. I'm also feeling leaner. So it's a weird kind of body recomp mindfuck where I'm like I feel thicker muscular-wise. I also feel like in my core, for example, my abs, my core muscles are thicker and I'm losing fat right now at the same time. So my core muscles are appearing better. So I want you to. I want to be very clear about that. Yes, I mean no, you're not necessarily getting bulky, but you will feel like bulky because you're like, oh, my muscles are getting bigger. If you're losing fat at the same time, which is what I'm doing right now, then I'm going to feel like, oh, my muscles are bigger, I'm losing fat, I'm looking good, I'm feeling leaner, my muscles are taking up more space because they're retaining water. Fat is going away. That's kind of the goal.

Speaker 2:

So if you are feeling bloated from creatine, give it four to six weeks to take full effect and to really make sure that it is the creatine. Maybe it's that we just had Easter and you're eating too much candy. Maybe it's that we just had Easter and you're eating too much candy. Maybe it's that you've changed something else in your diet or in your life. So make sure that it's not just a coincidence. Give it four to six weeks, take three to five grams daily and see you know. Really make sure, because back in the day when I started taking it, I thought the same thing. I was like, oh, I'm getting bigger, I'm getting bulky, and I didn't understand that it was because my muscles were feeling fuller. There's a difference there.

Speaker 2:

Myth number three is that it's bad for your kidneys and your liver. Multiple studies have shown that there are no harmful effects on kidney function in healthy individuals. However, there are some cases reported that even in younger, mostly males, that creatine has had a negative impact side effects like puking, nausea, headaches, things like that. There are also studies done on college athletes where the athletes taking creatine had fewer cases of dehydration, muscle cramps, injuries, things like that, than those that were not taking creatine. So there are studies proving that it's great for everyone. There are studies proving that it was really really bad for this particular person for different reasons. So ask your doctor. It's not necessarily proven that across the board it's really really good for your kidneys or really really bad for your kidneys or your liver, vice versa. This is an ask your doctor situation. Okay, it's not necessarily bad for your kidneys across. Okay, it's not necessarily bad for your kidneys across the board, it's not necessarily bad for your liver across the board. But make sure you're taking the right amount for your body and also listening to your body. If you take it for four to six weeks and you feel like shit, get off of it and give it four to six weeks to get out of your system.

Speaker 2:

Another myth is that creatine is only for men. Big no, creatine is just as effective and beneficial for women in even different ways Strength, endurance, recovery. We need that too. Women are not little men. I heard Mel Robbins say that in a podcast and I've always thought that They've always said like women can train like men and women can eat like men and all these things, and that's not true. But as far as creatine is concerned, women, these things, and that's not true. But as far as creatine is concerned, women's bodies do make creatine. We're not taking it just to be bigger. I think it was marketed again back in the day when I first started in the bodybuilding era. It was marketed towards big muscles, men, things like that, and I think that's where that came from and that's not necessarily true at all, especially anymore as we're learning more. So creatine in women's health Is it good for blood pressure?

Speaker 2:

I'm getting this question on whether my doctor said anything. My doctor told me it was okay to take my creatine and my current supplements that I'm taking. She did tell me to get off my hormone medication when my blood pressure started going sky high. Nothing helped. So my doctor personally didn't tell me to get off of it, didn't say it was good or bad. I've been on creatine for years, on and off, and so you know I think she was like you've been on it so long that why would it just now? Probably due to perimenopause is what's going on with my blood pressure, but I think she was just like why just now would it start to cause that? So she left me on it.

Speaker 2:

Research actually shows that it has no change on blood pressure or even slightly positive effects in some women, so there's no proven link to high blood pressure and creatine one way or the other. Again, ask your doctor. Pregnancy benefits this isn't something that I would. Obviously I'm not a doctor, so I'm not going to like push this either way. It's not widely recommended yet to pregnant women because there's not been a lot of large scale human studies yet. But early research does show that there are protective benefits for your baby, which is great. But also always check with your doctor and if you feel nervous about something, back in the caveman ages, okay, people were having babies and they did not supplement with creatine, so you're going to have a perfectly fine pregnancy without it. So I always feel like some things are just better not done if it's not widely proven and if it's not being shoved down your throat and if you don't feel like doing it.

Speaker 2:

And then also brain health and aging. Creatine supports ATP production in the brain, which can mean better memory, focus and mental stamina. It's also proven to rewire your brain under stress and that can help with depression symptoms. But, like I said, just because something is proven to not make you bulky, not bloat you. Not make you bulky, not bloat. You help your blood pressure, have better memory, better mental stamina, less depression symptoms. Not necessarily for everyone is it going to do those things? Okay For me. My memory still kind of sucks, my focus sucks and my depression right now is okay, but that's not due to creatine, that's because the sunshine is out. So even when you're reading through these things of, yes, creatine helps with X, y and Z, it doesn't mean that it's going to absolutely cause you to have huge muscles and huge stamina and mental focus and improve your mood. Okay, if there's like 30 things that creatine does that are great for your body, you're probably going to experience four of those things, but it's not a bad thing to be taking. So, all of that said, that's kind of a really you know narrow summary.

Speaker 2:

If we want more of this, I am happy to dive into this in a longer episode and dive into each one of these thoroughly and give you my thorough thoughts. But I thought this is a topic that you guys might rather have me just kind of spit fire about. So let me know, I'm happy to continue on this conversation and really give you my exact thoughts and my exact processes and all of that. But if you just want the basics, that's okay too. Seriously, on Spotify, comment and leave me your thoughts on this. I am happy to quickly turn around and create a Tuesday episode one of these weeks for you and shoot me a message on Instagram, but I want to cover really quickly how to take it and what to take. So you wanna make sure that you're taking a monohydrate Creatine.

Speaker 2:

Monohydrate is the only creatine you should be taking. The standard dose is three to five grams daily. You do not need a loading phase, you do not need to start slowly. But with my clients I do say, start with three grams, not you just start slowly. But with my clients I do say start with three grams, not because it's a loading phase, just because I think and this has been said as well, but I personally agree with this that smaller individuals should stick to three grams daily. Larger, more active individuals should stick to five grams. So I'm like start with three for four to six weeks and if you feel good, you feel okay, go up to five if you want to, or stick with three.

Speaker 2:

I personally take most of the time three grams every day when I'm taking it. Sometimes I forget and I pop in a full scoop of five grams. It's not going to matter. But I'm pretty small and I'm taking it for not every single one of the benefits. I'm taking it because of very basic reasons because it's pretty good for me and there's nothing really harmful for my body in creatine. So that's what I firmly believe. So if you're smaller, stick with three grams a day. If you're larger and more active, stick to five.

Speaker 2:

If you start with three and you're not seeing results go up to five, nothing wrong with it, right? This is your body. Figure out what you need. Take it any time of the day, including rest days, consistently. Take it every single day if you're going to. The only way it's gonna get into your body in a way that it can be used regularly is for you to take it regularly.

Speaker 2:

It's not just for working out, it's not just on workout days. Take it consistently. I take mine first thing in the morning when I wake up. That's when I take all of my supplements. I throw them all in the same mason jar, I mix it with my frother and it goes down the hatch, so it doesn't have to be taken right after a workout. Take it whenever the hell you can be consistent with it every single day. Increase your water intake while you are taking creatine.

Speaker 2:

Again, you don't need a loading phase and give it four to six weeks before you notice changes and give it four to six weeks to get out of your system. If you take it, please start it just by itself. I don't want you to really start it with EAAs and all of these other things. I want you to just start taking creatine by itself. Give it four to six weeks, if you can. If you start taking creatine and four days later you start feeling nauseous and disgusting and headaches and weird symptoms, then stop taking it and obviously, as a precaution, I would make sure that it's okay with your doctor. That being said, I didn't do that, but I started taking it a really, really long time ago. Would I now, in my 40s, probably start asking my doctor before I start taking things? Yes, absolutely, because I would call my doctor and schedule an appointment and say these are the things that I'm thinking about adding in.

Speaker 2:

What are your thoughts on all of them, given my current situation, given my current body, given my past, given my maybe my family's experience with these things medical histories, because as I get older, I know things matter a little bit more to me. Things have mattered all along, but to me I'm taking my health a little more differently now. I'm like I'm just looking at it a little differently, like this could really cause some problems for me that I don't need to be experiencing, like I never thought I would have high blood pressure, when I literally changed nothing about my being and all of a sudden, I have high blood pressure out of nowhere, probably perimenopause because there's no other reason for me to be experiencing those symptoms and, yes, we've ruled everything out. And for me to be experiencing those symptoms and yes, we've ruled everything out, but you just never know. So, yes, I highly encourage you to talk to me. Talk to another medical professional that you trust, talk to your doctor. I'm not gonna steer you wrong. I'm not doing this to make money.

Speaker 2:

Creatine is a very cheap supplement. You can get it. I use First Form, but you can get it at Walmart. We use Walmart brand forever. I believe that creatine monohydrate is made pretty evenly across the board as far as supplements go, so you don't need a top top name brand. But check the ingredients, do your due diligence.

Speaker 2:

But these are my quick thoughts on creatine, so I hope that helps you. Don't be scared of it at all, but start taking it. Start slowly. There's no rush. Take the three grams every day, take it in the morning and just pay attention to things.

Speaker 2:

Increase your water intake, increase your movement, do it the right way, take it for the right reasons and you should be fine, but please leave me comments, messages and let me know if you want me to dive into more of my experience. I know you guys do love that part of the podcast and what I talk about is my own experience, so I'm happy to dive into that. I should probably do another FAQ episode. I think I did last week which was fun, soonish, so I can also dive into it kind of in one of those just maybe all about myself and my creatine journey, maybe my supplement journey. So give me some thoughts, suggestions, but I hope you enjoyed. I hope this was helpful and informative, straight to the point, but also a little bit of my raw thoughts and I'll talk to you in the next episode.

Speaker 1:

Thanks for listening to today's show. Go ahead and leave a rating and a review and, of course, follow the podcast so you don't miss out on any future episodes. And I would love it so much if you came to connect with me over on Instagram at Christy Castillo Fit. I will see you next time. Bye.