Unlike some supplements on the market, creatine is highly researched. It’s effective and safe for healthy individuals, and it’s affordable (1). Workout enthusiasts have been using creatine for nutrition purposes and to optimize their training. If you’re on keto, you might be wondering if you can take creatine to help with your workout performance.
Although supplements are not required on the keto diet — unless you’re experiencing nutrient deficiencies due to not eating a variety of low-carb foods — creatine can help provide you with more energy, especially during the keto flu.
This discussion will explore creatine for keto dieters in more detail.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound in the muscle cells that aids your muscles in generating energy during intense training and heavy lifting. Therefore, it helps boost performance by increasing muscle mass and strength (2).
In addition, creatine has also been shown to improve brain function and control blood sugar (2). However, more studies are needed to prove this.
Even though there have been many misconceptions that creatine has a lot of side effects, there’s no medical evidence to support these allegations. As noted, creatine is widely studied and has a remarkable safety profile.
Can I Take Creatine on Keto?
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that has been shown to promote weight loss and treat chronic conditions such as diabetes, liver disease, and obesity. The diet works by forcing the body to burn fat for energy rather than carbohydrates. This results in increased energy levels and improved overall health.
Creatine is a molecule found in your cells. Its job is to store and transfer energy. When you need a quick burst of energy, like lifting weights or sprinting, your body will deplete its creatine stores. People often supplement with creatine to help maintain their energy levels.
Your muscles begin to decline during intense training, such as lifting weights while on the keto diet. Typically quicker bursts of energy while on a keto diet can lead to loss of anaerobic performance or mid-range to mid-rep strength. Supplementation with creatine helps to minimize muscle decline by increasing intracellular water retention (3).
Does Creatine Affect Ketosis?
During ketosis, your body burns fat rather than glucose for energy. Unlike carbs that knock you out of ketosis when you eat too many, metabolically, creatine doesn’t disrupt ketosis.
The main reason is that there’s no competition between ketones and creatine, so there’s no interference with the energy systems. Creatine simply improves water retention in your muscles; therefore, it’s completely safe to take it without being kicked out of ketosis.
Do Creatine Have Carbs?
Creatine has no carbs, meaning that it’s keto-friendly. When shopping for the best creatine, check the ingredient list label to ensure there are no added sugars or carbs. Mostly, you’ll find creatine in performance shakes and protein shakes. Usually, one scoop of creatine monohydrate doesn’t contain carbs, proteins, fat, or calories (4).
Even though some may argue that taking creatine alongside carbs aids in loading muscles quickly, creatine alone can still trigger similar effects. Besides, taking extra carbs can put your body at risk of having too many calories.
Best Creatine Supplements for Keto
There are numerous options when choosing the best creatine supplements for keto. However, you can narrow your choices by evaluating the products on factors such as performance, eligibility, material, quality, and availability. Some of the best brands to buy include:
Muscle Feast Creatine Monohydrate Powder
Muscle Feast Creatine Monohydrate Powder is the perfect supplement for people who want to build muscle and boost their sporting activities. It’s certified as safe and gluten-free, vegan friendly, and it complies with diets such as keto.
This creatine powder is a must-have for anyone who wants to be strong, fight fatigue, and have more energy.
Optimum Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate Capsules
Having creatine monohydrate in your system before or after your workouts can improve the quality and duration of your workout. It‘s also very beneficial for those who do intense exercises such as bodybuilding and weightlifting.
Optimum Nutrition is a type of creatine monohydrate widely preferred for its purest and finest ingredients. Unlike some creatine products that require mixing into a liquid, this supplement comes in the form of capsules for quick consumption. The capsules are easy to gobble, and you can use them before and after a workout.
Naturebell Creatine Monohydrate Powder
The first thing that strikes us about this creatine product is that it consists of micronized ingredients that promote absorption. Preparation is easy; all you need is to mix it with your favorite beverage and consume it for ultimate performance.
Naturebell is also for experienced bodybuilders and individuals kick-starting their weight-lifting or bodybuilding workouts. The benefits include boosting overall energy, power, strength, and endurance. Overall, it’s safe when used with a keto diet, vegan friendly, and free of gluten, dairy, eggs, and wheat products.
Conclusion
Increasing performance with creatine is simple, whether you’re in the gym or out on the field. It helps you get stronger and build muscle faster. It’s also used for endurance training and workouts that require muscle strength, such as bodybuilding and weight lifting.
You can safely take creatine while on a ketogenic diet without the worry of being kicked out of ketosis. In fact, it can help you maintain muscle mass and lose weight while on this low-carb diet.
References:
- Cooper R, Naclerio F, Allgrove J et al. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update. 2012 July 20
- Solis M, Artioli G, Gualano B. Potential of Creatine in Glucose Management and Diabetes. 2021 February 09
- Powers M, Arnold B, Weltman A et al. Creatine Supplementation Increases Total Body Water Without Altering Fluid Distribution. 2003 January-March
- Carb Manager. Carbs in Creatine Monohydrate
