{"id":180573,"date":"2025-09-25T10:14:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-25T10:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/180573\/"},"modified":"2025-09-25T10:14:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-25T10:14:12","slug":"why-creatine-could-be-to-blame-for-your-headaches-and-what-to-do-about-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/180573\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Creatine Could Be to Blame for Your Headaches \u2013\u00a0and What to Do About It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Although creatine<\/a> has gained recognition as one of the safest and most well-researched supplements<\/a>, there are a few things to consider when getting started to ensure you\u2019re getting the most benefits and avoiding any potential side effects. <\/p>\n

Can Creatine Cause Headaches?<\/p>\n

\u2018Creatine works, in part, by drawing water into muscle cells, which is one reason it supports performance,\u2019 explains Dr Stuart Hesketh, a senior lecturer in sports medicine at the University of Lancashire. \u2018For some people, this shift in fluid balance can feel a little like dehydration<\/a> and trigger headaches<\/a>, especially if they aren’t drinking enough water.\u2019<\/p>\n

It\u2019s more likely the case, he says, if you\u2019re taking higher doses<\/a> for a so-called \u2018loading phase\u2019 \u2013 but most people will tolerate standard lower daily amounts without any issue. <\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

Creatine doesn\u2019t directly cause dehydration, adds Hannah Belsham, health and wellbeing physiologist at Nuffield Health, but rather, \u2018if you don\u2019t increase your fluid intake, you might feel mild dehydration symptoms, such as headaches.\u2019 Crucially, she flags, \u2018research<\/a> shows that creatine isn\u2019t harmful to hydration status. Reviews from the International Society of Sports Nutrition conclude there\u2019s no evidence linking creatine with dehydration or cramping in healthy adults.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u2018In fact, creatine may actually improve muscle hydration, which is part of why it supports performance,\u2019 adds Belsham. <\/p>\n

How Much Water Do You Need to Drink When Taking Creatine?<\/p>\n

However, this is not a reason to neglect your hydration. \u2018It is sensible to pay attention to hydration<\/a> when you are taking creatine. This is largely because it increases the amount of water stored in your muscles so your body’s overall fluid needs may be slightly higher,\u2019 says Dr Hesketh. \u2018A simple guide is that your urine should be pale yellow rather than dark. For most people, adding an extra glass or two of water across the day is plenty.\u2019<\/p>\n

Due to the potential shift in fluid balance throughout the body, maintaining adequate electrolyte<\/a> levels (including sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) is also important, as they play a crucial role in regulating fluid balance, nerve signalling, and muscle contractions, says Belsham. <\/p>\n

\u2018Aim for two to three litres of water per day, adjusting for exercise, climate, and individual needs. You can help maintain electrolyte balance by including foods like bananas<\/a>, spinach, nuts, dairy, and salty snacks in moderation, or using a balanced sports drink during long or intense training sessions,\u2019 she advises.<\/p>\n

\u2018Staying hydrated and keeping electrolytes balanced can help your body adapt to creatine and reduce mild side effects, like headaches.\u2019 <\/p>\n

Related StoryDoes Mixing Alcohol With Creatine Have Side Effects?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a gym<\/a> at 9am and pub<\/a> at 5pm kind of guy \u2013 and take creatine \u2013 you might be a tad more susceptible to potential side effects if you overdo it. \u2018Alcohol itself can cause dehydration, bloating and headaches, so if you mix it with creatine, side effects may feel more noticeable,\u2019 says Dr Hesketh. \u2018Both alcohol and creatine influence fluid balance, and together they can make you urinate more often or feel sluggish.\u2019<\/p>\n

An occasional drink isn\u2019t a problem, he says, \u2018but if you are taking creatine to support performance or recovery<\/a>, then pairing it regularly with alcohol is not ideal.\u2019<\/p>\n

Excessive drinking is likely to interfere with the hydration, recovery, and training adaptations you are likely supplementing to achieve in the first place, adds Belsham. In other words, not only are you increasing the risk of side effects, but you may reduce the supplement’s effectiveness. <\/p>\n

\u2018Creatine draws water into muscle cells to support energy production and performance, while alcohol<\/a> is a diuretic that can cause dehydration. This combination can lead to headaches, bloating<\/a>, or more frequent trips to the toilet,\u2019 explains Belsham. \u2018Alcohol also impairs muscle recovery by inhibiting protein synthesis, which can limit the benefits of creatine for strength and performance, and may disrupt electrolyte balance, increasing the risk of cramps and strains.\u2019 <\/p>\n

What Should You Do If Creatine Is Causing You Headaches?<\/p>\n

If you do start to experience headaches while supplementing, Belsham advises firstly checking your hydration. \u2018Ensuring you\u2019re drinking enough fluids throughout the day and not just around workouts<\/a> can help reduce the likelihood of headaches,\u2019 she adds. \u2018Splitting your daily creatine dose into smaller servings, eg, 5g split into two to three doses may also ease any discomfort.\u2019<\/p>\n

Dr Hesketh points out that although some people undertake a \u2018loading phase\u2019 with high doses, \u2018a steady daily intake of around 3-5g, or ~0.03g per kilogram of body weight is usually enough to get the benefits without the higher loading amounts.\u2019<\/p>\n

Related Story<\/p>\n

Both experts agree, though, that if your headaches persist despite making adjustments, the most sensible thing to do would be to pause supplementation and consult your GP to rule out other causes. <\/p>\n

However, \u2018for most healthy adults, maintaining proper hydration and consistent dosing prevents headaches and supports safe, effective use of creatine,\u2019 says Blesham. <\/p>\n

Related Stories\"Headshot<\/p>\n

Hannah Bradfield is a Senior Nutrition Writer across Women\u2019s Health UK\u00a0and Men\u2019s Health UK. An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Hannah graduated from Loughborough University with a BA in English and Sport Science and an MA in Media and Cultural Analysis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

She has been covering sports, health and fitness for the last five years and has created content for outlets including BBC Sport, BBC Sounds, Runner\u2019s World\u00a0and Stylist. She especially enjoys interviewing those working within the community to improve access to sport, exercise and wellness. Hannah is a 2024 John Schofield Trust Fellow and was also named a 2022 Rising Star in Journalism by The Printing Charity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A keen runner, Hannah was firmly a sprinter growing up (also dabbling in long jump) but has since transitioned to longer-distance running. While 10K is her favoured race distance, she loves running or volunteering at parkrun every Saturday, followed, of course, by pastries. She\u2019s always looking for fun new runs and races to do and brunch spots to try.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Although creatine has gained recognition as one of the safest and most well-researched supplements, there are a few…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":180574,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[1335,97,269],"class_list":{"0":"post-180573","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nutrition","8":"tag-creatine","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-nutrition"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180573","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180573"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180573\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180573"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180573"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180573"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}