Unveiling the Truth: Creatine in Coffee

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Creatine is widely used to level up stamina and power during intense sports activity. Coffee with caffeine in it also gives a similar boosting effect that enhances your exercise performance.

Both of these works in different ways but offers similar energizing effect. For habitual drinkers of coffee, you don’t have to put creatine necessarily into your drink. For sports enthusiasts, the addition of creatine can be a quick magical fix that they might be needing.

Can you put creatine in coffee?

You can put creatine in your coffee if you want to be energized while performing physical activities. Creatine usually comes in powder form and is flavorless so it won’t affect the taste of your coffee. However, excessive intake of the supplement may cause digestive discomfort, dehydration, and other side effects.

There is a risk of getting ‘too energized’ since people’s bodies react differently to the intake. However, there isn’t any significant risk of the intake unless it’s beyond the healthy quantity or you’re force-fed.

The following sections have an in-depth explanation of the potential benefits and risks of the combined effects of both so continue your reading!

Can I mix creatine with coffee?

White powder
Creatine powder may boost the coffee’s performance to a new level.

You can mix creatine with coffee. Research has shown a positive relationship between the consumption of creatine and caffeine mixed. This has been widely used as an effective pre-workout element by many.

Creatine is a supplement used by sportsmen and gymnasts for boosting physical demands during training and hard physical activities. The supplement helps in giving the extra kick of strength and power during the activity.

Things to note here are that caffeine and creatine both are safe to ingest for enhancing performance. The creatine mixes well and quickly with the coffee and there is no issue with absorption. This is regarded as one of the safest pre-workout combinations which are cheap and convenient.

The creatine complements the caffeine in your coffee well and doesn’t impact the taste of the drink.

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Does creatine in coffee affect performance?

Creatine doesn’t affect your performance when mixed into coffee. There is no evidence to prove that creatine doesn’t have any significant changes in the physical performance of the body.

This study on the Effects of coffee and caffeine anhydrous intake during creatine loading showed that caffeine and creatine can go together well but the participants didn’t experience any difference in power and sprinting performance compared to people who didn’t mix the elements.

So, the workability of the two mixed together depends on how well your body is reacting to the combination.

Many reviews have said that creatine and coffee can support better strength and more powerful output but still more research needs to be conducted.

Remember to not major in minors. Even if the combination has doubts, don’t forget that the individual effects of caffeine and creatine are both widely accepted.

Creatine doesn’t have any acute effects like caffeine overdose so if you think you will take that alone you better go for that.

My intensive research over various articles and studies can conclude that caffeine and creatine go together fine and have no negative effects on athletic performance. However, there might be some discomfort in the digestive tract and dehydration so you better check your body’s response to the intake.

Does caffeine with creatine affect the body’s hydration?

Caffeine is a natural diuretic and creatine leads to water retention. So together how these two might work depends on the individual’s tolerance and functioning system.

Caffeinated drinks like coffee or sodas increase the need to urinate more due to the mild diuretic effect. But hey, coffee is a drink so it has hydrating properties as well.

When ingested in high doses, the caffeine in your coffee takes water out of your body. At the same time, it can also cancel out this diuretic effect.

Caffeine lowers sodium reabsorption and causes an increase in salt excretion from the body. The increase in blood flow in your kidney stimulates more urination and this is still profound in cases of decaf coffee.

The diuretic effect is prominent among non-habitual users of caffeine so people who are tolerant to the caffeine don’t react much to its intake. If you wanna know more about the diuretic effects of coffee, you can read my article here.

Conversely, creatine is also known as fluid retention. It draws water to the muscles and increases bloating. This bloating might be short-lived, however.

These opposing effects from the stimulant and the supplement may affect the performance by creating issues like:

  • Digestive discomfort
  • Imbalanced blood pressure
  • Lack of energy
  • Irregular body temperature

Simply put, caffeine and creatine have opposing hydrating effects. The effects are less susceptible to the people who consume coffee regularly. For new drinkers, the combination might create the risk of dehydration so it’s better to try the drink once or twice before having it for an important cause.

Are there any benefits to creatine in coffee?

cup of coffee

Amidst the confusion, several studies have supported the benefits associated with creatine and caffeine.

Many studies have shown that creatine and caffeine can increase performance and sprinting speed. It can also contribute to better athletic training.

The combination of both has also been associated with the effectiveness in increasing aerobic capacity and muscular strength for males.

I have summarized some of the most experienced benefits into the following table:

BenefitExplanation
Increase in stamina and strengthCreatine increases phosphocreatine in the muscles and helps the cells in producing more energy quickly. This allows more power and strength for the person.

Caffeine is already known to boost energy due to its stimulating effects on the central nervous system.
Provide ergogenic aidsBoth creatine and caffeine affect performance positively and since it helps in getting stronger, the combination can be used before intense workouts or sports.
Increase alertnessCaffeine stops the adenosine from binding to the brain’s receptors and thus gives you an additional sense of alertness.
May help in reducing the risk of Parkinson’s diseaseCreatine and caffeine can help in reducing the chance of preventing the drop in dopamine levels in the brain cells.
May help to prevent neurological diseaseThe restoration of phosphocreatine may aid in maintaining normal neural functions and help in reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s, ischemic stroke, epilepsy, and brain injuries.
This table shows the benefits obtained from creatine and caffeine together.

Although, more studies needed to be conducted to support the benefits more confidently, some researchers believe that the combination of caffeine and creatine can serve as a great defense for various unwanted health concerns. Indeed you can’t disapprove of the individual effects at least since both have been proven to be healthy for you.

What dosage of creatine should be added to coffee?

Maintaining a healthy dose of both caffeine and creatine is necessary.

Though the daily recommended caffeine intake quantity is within 400 milligrams, you should keep the intake within 100 milligrams. A regular cup of coffee contains 95 milligrams of caffeine on average.

So for people who want an ergogenic aid, they might be needing more than 2-3 cups of coffee per day.

The amount of creatine suggested for daily use can vary. Some statements have suggested taking 20 grams regularly for 5-7 days 3-5 as a loading phase and then going for a maintenance dose of 2-10 grams daily.

Have the drink shortly before working out, like 45 minutes before to get the best result.

Remember too much of any of this stimulant or supplement isn’t beneficial for your health. So stick for a healthy dose and if needed, ask for expert advice.

Is creatine with coffee dangerous?

Creatine with coffee isn’t dangerous but knowing the proper dosage for yourself is important.

Everyone is unique and reacts differently to the intake of both supplements and stimulants. Many have raised doubts regarding the effectiveness of creating with coffee but remember there isn’t any conclusive evidence to prove this idea.

Caffeine and creatine don’t cancel out each other but too much of any of these can disrupt your normal body function.

The disadvantages and symptoms of too much creatine are:

  • Weight gain
  • Muscle cramps
  • Digestive problems
  • Rhabdomyolysis
  • Liver damage
  • Bloating
  • Dehydration
  • Kidney stones

Caffeine also has the symptoms of caffeine overdose and caffeine withdrawal that put your body into side effects like:

  • Headache
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Heartburn
  • Urgency
  • Nervousness

When mixed, the combination might be dreadful for your sensitive body. Be careful not to go overboard with the intake and ensure proper sleep, hydration, and nutrition for your body.

Watch out the video for some quick important points to note.

When is the best time to take creatine and coffee?

black coffee in a black cup

Avoid taking the drink close to bedtime because you don’t want to affect your healthy body clock.

Put a schedule for when to have creatine with coffee. Check for the timing when the supplement works the best for you and ensure healthy doses for both.

You can also add flavored creatine with coffee varieties if you’re looking for a changed taste. Stick to 2 cups of coffee at best no matter how hectic the day or workout gets.

Too much of anything doesn’t pose any positive effects. As mentioned earlier, when you will take more creatine or caffeine, your body will adversely be affected by concerning outcomes.

You can also switch to decaf since it has got less caffeine and works the same with creatine.

The best way to hydrate yourself is to take water. So remember to take lots of water even if you’re having creatine with coffee.

The bottom line

You might be a little bit confused regarding the addition of creatine in coffee due to some conflicting reports. If you do a little research, you’ll see many reports claim the combined effect of two to be beneficial.

Even if there aren’t adequate reviews on the effectiveness of both combined, you are already well aware of the benefits of creatine and coffee individually.

You can add creatine to coffee without worrying. Just ensure the right dosage according to your age and weight.

Also, if you’re going through an intense workout there isn’t any need of adding the supplement to the drink. Plain coffee will be enough to boost your energy. Be sure to have a moderate intake of caffeine as well to maximize the benefits and treat your body well.

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