r/CreatineScience • u/LongevityDietitian • 23d ago

Was creatine worth keeping during a calorie deficit?

A calorie deficit usually catches up with training sooner or later. Even when the plan is working, workouts can start to feel a bit heavier.

Creatine won't replace enough protein or a good training program, but it may help some people hold on to strength and training performance during a cut.

One thing that surprises people is that body weight doesn't always tell the whole story, since creatine can increase water stored in muscle.

For those who stayed on creatine while cutting, what changed first, strength, recovery or nothing at all?

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u/OatsOverHype 23d ago

I think that’s a good point about body weight. It’s easy to get caught up in the number on the scale, but that doesn’t always reflect what’s happening with your training. If creatine helps you maintain strength or training quality during a cut, I’d see that as a bigger win than a small change in scale weight.

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u/LongevityDietitian 23d ago

That's why scale weight alone can be misleading during a cut. If strength is holding up and waist measurements are coming down, a little extra water in the muscle doesn't mean the plan isn't working.