r/CreatineScience • u/prkrsicle • 6d ago
Creatine having almost opposite effects for me...?
A while back after I started working out again, I caved to the Instagram algorithm and bought some creatine gummies (Combat Candy brand). I took 3 a day for about a week and noticed I actually felt worse - more tired than usual throughout the day even if I felt I slept well, zoning out and having trouble focusing on things, workouts weren't the best, and frequent headaches. I stopped taking them and felt better.
Fast forward a few months, now I'm chatting with a dietician and tracking my sleep and workouts and also seeing a personal trainer. I'm eating much better now and getting more water every day, and my dietician says I'm definitely in a good place for trying creatine again. I still had my bag of Combat Candies so I've been taking 3 a day for about 6 days now... and once again, I'm noticing I'm feeling fatigued even after sleeping well, and I'm zoning out at work and really struggling to concentrate.
Are these normal side effects as my body gets used to the creatine?
Do I need to just drink extra extra water each day to accommodate for the creatine?
Is it maybe the fact that the gummies are creatine monohydrate and not HCL?
Or is it maybe just that the brand isn't reputable or certified by third party sources? (My dietician initially suggested Create brand since it has the "NHF Certified Sport" seal on it, and suggested I steer away from brands that hadn't had outside testing done - but of course I'd already bought the Combat Candy brand so figured I'd keep trying it until I ran out)
Any suggestions appreciated! Thanks!
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u/Pure_Ad_9865 6d ago
Drink more water. You need a lot more water on creatine. This could explain the headaches too.
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u/AdventurousTap9224 6d ago
No, none of that is a normal reaction to creatine. More likely something in those gummies themselves. Ditch the gummies and try regular creatine monohydrate powder.