Drink Up! The Ideal Water Intake for Creatine Supplementation

Do you want to avoid the gritty feel inside the mouth while scooping creatine?

Drink water or any other liquid if you don’t want that. Creatine also soaks water for absorption, and you lose more from sweating.

So, how much water to drink with creatine to feel better?

Start with 8 ounces or a cup of water for every 3 to 5g of creatine powder. This equals 3 to 4 liters per day or a gallon of water. Be it water or any other liquid, like juice or shakes, ensure the amount comes close to these. Anything below will result in dehydration, and more will cause water intoxication.

Learn more about water and its role in creatine, the right quantity, and how to control side effects. 

Maximizing Your Creatine Benefits: The Ultimate Hydration Guide

The exact amount is 8 oz or 1 cup of water per serving. But this will depend on certain factors.

During the loading phase, you will need more water than the rest of the session for a week or two. So, for every 3g of creatine, you can take 6 to 8 ounces of water, and for every 5g, 8 to 10 ounces of water daily in the maintenance phase when the dose is 3-5 g.

Again, as a rule of thumb, to avoid discomforts like cramps or nausea, drink 3 to 4 liters daily if you are a man and 2 to 3 liters if you are a woman. In addition, whenever you work out and sweat a lot, you will need more water.

You should drink 8 to 10 glasses of water regularly throughout the day. But for creatine users, the number is raised to 15 glasses or 300 to 500ml.

To simplify things, here is a list of the required liters according to your body mass.

Body Weight in Pounds	Recommended Amount in Liter/Oz
100	1.5
120	1.8
140	2.1
160	2.4
180	2.7
200	3.0
220	3.3

How Much Water to Drink with Creatine? Overdoing or Undergoing

A lot of water doesn’t mean your kidneys are happy while on overdrive. If you exceed the recommended limit, this can be fatal. Too much water in the body leads to water intoxication, causing an imbalance in the electrolytes with low sodium levels.

The required amount depends on factors like

• Age
• Gender
• health
• Weather condition
• Level of activity
• Diet

4 liters is the limit for a day. Adult males need 13 cups, and females around 9 cups.

If you aren’t sure how much to drink, your body can express when you have overdone it. You will start feeling discomfort, nausea, fatigue, headaches, confusion, and seizures.

So, you don’t need 2 to 3 gallons of water daily, but anything less than a gallon or 3 liters will cause dehydration. When you drink less, you get tired and thirsty easily.

Creatine and Dehydration

What happens if you don’t drink enough water with creatine?

Dehydration may kick in if your body doesn’t get enough water when ingesting creatine.  However, a recent study found creatine may help during the onset of dehydration by influencing plasma volume.

Creatine will try to suck in water from the surrounding stomach walls, and you will have dry patches. Besides, the commonly experienced side effects in the initial phase worsen without enough water.

Some common problems with creatine-induced dehydration are

• Increased thirst
• Tiredness
• Dizziness
• Yellowish urine
• Dried lips, eyes, and mouth
• Frequent headaches 
• Cramps during exercise are also common. 

To ensure that you aren’t undergoing water intake, check the color of your urine and any difficulty while urinating. Dehydration can lead to kidney problems in severe cases.

The Role of Water in Creatine Absorption

You need water to make the creatine supplement become effective for muscle building.

Water helps to absorb creatine and let it work. Creatine is osmotically active, so it will easily dissolve in water, transfer, and store in the liver. When the body has less water, it will draw water from the surroundings.

When creatine reaches the muscles, it draws water there as well. No water means creatine will be removed before having any visible result. 

How to Consume Creatine with Water?

Regardless of the form of creatine you get, you might be confused about the right way to take it. This involves the right way of using water as well. You also want to do it quickly.

One of the best ways to do it can be to put the amount of creatine in your mouth and then drink a cup of water for quick results.

If you have the micronized one, then you can add some water to it and mix. There won’t be any chalky clumps.

But the popular trick is to use some water to mix the powder in no time. This is also very effective to absorb since the creatine dissolves easily. Add some sweeteners for extra flavor!

Never use cold water to mix creatine, or don’t pre-mix the whole thing to save time. It will degrade very quickly into creatinine. The best one to dissolve quickly in water is creatine monohydrate, or sometimes HCL.

Tips to Stay Hydrated With Creatine

Instead of keeping a measuring cup and keeping track, you can try something easier to ensure adequate hydration. 

• Always keep a water bottle or favorite drink, especially when exercising. Simply remember the capacity and calculate accordingly.
• Always drink water before eating any meal at any time of the day to feel full and eat less.
• Use your phone to set reminders about your drinking schedule.
• Instead of water, try creatine-enriched drinks or add some flavorings to water.

Does Creatine Cause Water Retention?

Since creatine is osmotic, it will carry water wherever it goes inside the body, especially the skeletal muscles.

For this reason, you will find that you gained some pounds, and your muscles look big. In some cases, with insufficient fluids, creatine draws water from the muscle walls and causes bloating.

The Benefits

Fortunately, this is temporary and might not happen without drinking enough water. The extra weight isn’t anything harmful. Instead, it indicates that the muscles make more protein and are hydrated to allow more workouts.

What Other Fluids Can Work with Creatine?

Here are some great alternatives to use with creatine and increase hydration.

• Apple juice, if not on a diet, protects the liver and muscles
• Protein shakes for double benefits
• Pre-workouts

Avoid drinking orange juice to cause acid reflux, alcohol to counteract with creatine, and even some morning coffee. Check some creatine alternatives if you are still facing dehydration issues.

FAQ

What is the right amount of water for bodybuilding?

The recommended amount in liters is 4 to 5 daily. You can measure this as 6 to 8 cups daily, increasing to 15 if needed. Or you can take a gallon of water which is about 4 liters. But don’t make it 5 liters or more as this is too much water and dangerous to your health.

Does creatine make you pee?

More water in the body means more urine in the bladder. So, you will pee more than normal. But this is harmless and ensures you are hydrated, not a side effect.

Can caffeine and creatine work together?

Caffeine is diuretic, so too much coffee with creatine is harmful. In severe cases, it will cause dehydration, frequent urination to lose creatine and its effect, and even bloating and stomach troubles. It is not a suitable liquid for creatine.

Conclusion

You can easily see dehydration coming when you sweat more due to workouts. Taking creatine becomes more common since creatine takes away a lot of water. So, every time you take creatine, you must drink more to balance the water levels.

Generally, 8 to 10 glasses a day are sufficient for all users. You might increase it slightly to round up to 4 liters or a gallon. But never drink more than your capacity; otherwise, the whole plan may backfire.

But most importantly, water will increase the effectiveness of your creatine plan.