Kidney Stones & Creatine

[small_calves]

can creatine cause kidney stones?

[nsa]

It has been shown to promote calcium build up in your kidneys, thus producing kidney stones. This is only really possible if you are not drinking enough water though. You should be fine if you drink 1 gallon or more of water each day while on creatine.

[biofx]

I have taken creatine for almost two years straight at one time with no break and absolutely zero problems. If you drink tons of water and don't have pre-existing medical conditions, it is a totally safe supplement. I would cycle it though.

[sore24/7]

I have posted my kidney stone issues with creatine on here before .I was not drinking as much water as needed however, but pretty close to a gallon a day and it still got a stone. I went down in dosage, in other words I do not do a loading period .I just take 5 grams a day and thats it for a 8 week period. Any more than that and I start feeling some discomfort in my instestines and back.

[biofx]

Some people are more genetically prone to Kidney stones too. I have an uncle who has had them 3 times and my mom has had them twice.

[sore24/7]

I agree , however, none of my immediate family has had one. I broke the ice. Also my docter at the time said my blood creatinine (by product of creatine) levels were way too high. Like I said I could have drank more water and I feel I could have bypassed the problem.

[yannick32]

Hish i wanted to go buy some creatine to add to my training regiment i guess i will skip it.

I took this a while back and took a lot of it too, guess i was lucky.

[biofx]

I agree , however, none of my immediate family has had one. I broke the ice. Also my docter at the time said my blood creatinine (by product of creatine) levels were way too high. Like I said I could have drank more water and I feel I could have bypassed the problem.

Yeah I have never had them. It might not be genetic, but some people do get them more than others. If you take creatine, your creatinine levels will be jacked, no way around that. Yeah your right, water is the key. Creatine dehydrates me, so I have no choice but to drink tons of water.

[LookinToGrow]

whats the danger of high creatinine levels??

[biofx]

Increased kidney strain. Increased water intake will help the kidneys deal with the creatine better.

[Flynman]

Are the stones being caused by excessively high doses of creatine or is at the level of 5-10 mgs a day?