Does Creatine Cause Acne?

Although everybody’s body differs, there have been some side effects linking creatine and acne in the past.

Though creatine supplements have not been directly associated with the increase of acne, the hormones that are increased from taking the product may actually affect your skin.

If you are used to having acne breakouts, you should continue to take your medicine while you are taking the creatine supplement. If you discontinue your medicine for acne, it is a good possibility your acne will increase while you are on creatine.

Of course, If you are taking creatine to increase your performance in the gym, don’t forget to pair it with a reputable fitness program. Our Pro Annual Plan is the perfect way to stay motivated. Check it out today!

What Is Creatine?

If you’re unfamiliar with exactly what creatine is and what it does in your body, here’s a quick video explaining the science behind it:

Why Does Creatine Cause Acne?

Creatine is not as similar to steroids as some people may think. The masculine traits you may acquire while taking steroids will not come about when you are consuming creatine supplements.

However, the number of hormones produced from taking creatine can cause an increase in acne.

Other reasons for an increase of acne may be from dehydration. Users of creatine typically feel more dehydrated after taking creatine or will need to increase the amount of water they drink due to the amount of water the product takes from the body.

When the creatine is consumed, it works with the body to take water from it and restore the water into your muscles to rebuild and repair muscle tissue.

Although you may feel dehydrated, you can recover from your workouts quicker.

Another downside, however, is that if your body is dehydrated, so is your skin. Dry, dehydrated skin is more prone to acne. Also, some brands may cause more of a breakout in acne than others.

Some creatine brands have been recommending their users to consume sports drinks or fruit drinks when taking the supplement to make the taste more satisfying. But the sugars consumed with the fruit and sports drinks trigger the production of more insulin in the body.

This encourages hormone levels to rise — which again, will increase acne. Although the supplement is not as delicious with just water, it may save you from an acne flare-up.

Acne also pops up with harder workouts and sweatier sessions. When you consume creatine, the amount of energy your body produces is almost twice of what it normally produces.

Therefore, your workouts will most likely be more intense. The more you sweat, the more the body will give out free samples of acne.

What Steps Should Someone Take to Prevent Acne Breakouts From Creatine?

In order to decrease the amount of acne that is produced from taking creatine, you may want to take the supplement with water.

Although the taste of the supplement will not be very satisfying, the amount of sugar in the body will be decreased, therefore, the amount of acne will decrease as well.

When taking water with the creatine supplement, it also hydrates the body, killing two birds with one stone.

Taking creatine supplements needs to be accompanied by drinking more than eight to ten glasses of water per day. As the creatine supplements steal the necessary water in the body for the muscles, the water needs to be replenished accordingly.

Eating while you are taking creatine is another good idea. This will not only absorb the water in other ways to fight off dehydration, but it will also keep your body fueled with energy so it does not have to feed off of solely creatine energy.

Acne medications are also a good idea to use while taking this supplement.  Many users have not had problems with acne before, and experience it only due to the increased hormones, and dehydration. The medication will help the body fight off the acne.

Are There Any Natural Remedies to Cure Acne?

WebMD has several recommendations for natural remedies to use to treat acne that may or may not be better for your body than the store brand medicines, depending on your situation.

Although a doctor may recommend a prescription in order to fight acne, if acne is just starting to spark up due to the increase of the creatine supplement, a natural home remedy would work just fine.

Natural home remedies for acne include a lot of baking soda, eggs, or even yogurt to nourish the skin with vitamins and natural nutrients to fight off bad bacteria. These remedies can easily be found online and are inexpensive.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do I have to take supplements?

Unless your doctor has instructed you to take certain supplements, you do not have to take them.

Are supplements safe?

Whether or not supplements are safe to take depends on a number of factors. Learn more about the safety of supplements here.

What supplements do I need to take?

No one can answer that aside from your doctor. To learn more about the various supplements that doctors commonly recommend, check out this article.

If you are taking creatine to help you build muscle and get fit, don’t forget to pair your supplement regiment with a solid fitness program. We can help! Check out our PRO Plan today to see how we can motivate you to stay focused on your long-term goals.