Week 2<\/p>\n
Research<\/a> has found that some people might experience an initial mild weight gain, around one to two per cent of total body mass. This is the only consistently reported side effect from creatine supplements.<\/p>\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t body fat; it\u2019s due to water being stored in muscle cells and it\u2019s temporary,\u201d says Hobson. It\u2019s more common in people who take a higher dose in the first week, known as the \u2018loading phase\u2019. After this, a daily three to five grams maintenance dose is less likely to cause bloating.<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t notice any increase in weight during my first two weeks of taking it. In fact, my friend commented that I was looking \u2018ripped\u2019. I don\u2019t want to look ripped \u2013 but my torso and arms seemed more shapely and my glutes looked as though they\u2019d grown. My fianc\u00e9 was quick to point this out.<\/p>\n Week 3<\/p>\n I was really firing on all cylinders in week three. At the gym, I was jumping up onto a 90 centimetre box with ease and comfortably lifting heavy weights without feeling exhausted.<\/p>\n \u201cCreatine tends to be most beneficial when exercise involves repeated high-intensity efforts,\u201d Hobson explains. \u201cIt may help to maintain power across sets in the gym, recover more quickly between bouts of intense exercise and support improvements in strength over time.\u201d<\/p>\n My mind was also fully focused on work. Could this have been linked to the supplement? A 2003 human trial<\/a> was the first to show that taking creatine can improve cognitive performance, particularly in vegetarians, as creatine-rich foods are animal based.<\/p>\n