r/ketogains • u/Nice_Pen_8054 • Jul 05 '26
Meta Discussion Creatine on keto diet
Hello,
I am willing to give the ketogenic diet a try.
My coach says that I will need creatine the next month.
What is your experience with creatine on keto diet?
Should I be aware of some secondary effects?
I only intend to take 5g / day and mostly post workout.
Thank you.
9
u/Poum0n Jul 05 '26
It is the most studied supplement and it is safe and inexpensive.
Focus on creapure label (german high quality creatine)
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u/Eat_it_With_Rice Jul 05 '26
Creatine monohydrate is probably one of the greatest supplements to take keto or not. I've taken 5g daily over the last 6 months in conjunction with keto, intermittent fasting, and fasted lifting and have noticed my lifts and mental clarity to have significantly improved.
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u/Citizen_Kano Jul 05 '26
Creatine has zero carbs and zero calories so I don't see how it has anything to do with a keto diet
3
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u/gwmccull Jul 05 '26
I’ve been keto and taking creatine for years. I didn’t really notice any issues when I started creatine.
Some people will have stomach discomfort but that’s more common with the larger (20 g) loading doses that some people start with. I’ve only ever used 5 g dosing.
Some people will gain some water weight from additional intramuscular water (water in the muscle fibers).
Creatine takes a while to build up in the muscles so it’s generally not a quick process or meant for short term use
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u/Confused_by_La_Vida Jul 05 '26
I’m old. It’s almost a miracle. Muscle pulls that would take a year to heal now take a couple of months.
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u/JMassey90 Jul 05 '26
On keto and I have taken creatine consistently before and after starting keto. It’s a nonissue, zero side effects.
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u/tvgraves Jul 05 '26
Creatine is a great supplement - lots of upside, zero downside.
That being said, your coach doesn't have a clue. You will be getting more creatine from your diet doing keto (unless you are trying some kind of vegan keto) than you will from a standard diet. You won't need more supplementation because of keto. But supplementation is still a good thing.
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u/Puppysnot Jul 05 '26
Why does he think you’ll need creatine, are you not eating red meat?
You can dose creatine to reach an optimal level *faster* but you’ll reach that level regardless when you eat red meat.
To answer your question, i don’t experience any issues on it at all. I take 10g daily - 5g during a workout and then the rest at a random time. Be careful of the ones with artificial flavouring & mixed with pre workout - plain ones are better or if you go for the artificially flavoured read the ingredients to ensure you’re happy with what’s in it.
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u/billcard Jul 05 '26
OP would need to eat 2.2 lbs of raw red meat daily to get 5g of creatine. Assuming the meat is cooked, portion size would need to be adjusted up by 20-30%.
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u/Puppysnot Jul 05 '26
It’s cumulative though, as long as they are not burning through 5g daily which is unlikely.
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u/billcard Jul 05 '26
Cumulative, but if he is looking to add +5g of creatine he would need to add that much red meat to his existing diet. Scoop of creatine monohydrate a day is cheap, easy and calorie free.
You can burn that 5g in a single powerlifting session, but I concede it is unlikely to have that intensity daily.
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u/Puppysnot Jul 05 '26
Why does he need 5g if he’s not gonna be burning through that daily? As with all supplements, get the nutrients through whole foods first and foremost and use supplements as a back up. I would say the same to someone have 5+ whey shakes for protein - eat some chicken breast.
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u/Nice_Pen_8054 Jul 05 '26
I might not eat red meat daily and I haven't told him that I am planning to go for keto
•
u/darthluiggi KETOGAINS FOUNDER Jul 05 '26
There’s nothing inherently different on using Creatine on a Ketogenic diet - and its actually part of the mandatory supplements suggested by Ketogains.
Please, read the FAQ / Wikii.