This means some supplement products may not contain what the label says.
This loading dose can help people achieve their fitness goals quickly.
As more water is retained, it can cause an increase in total body water, resulting in bloating.

Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty Images
How Creatine Bloating Feels and Looks
Creatine bloating occurs whenwater is retainedin muscles.
Your stomach may feel full or tight.
It can also causeabdominal distension(an abnormally swollen abdomen).
you might expect the water retention to level off after a few weeks of consuming a standard maintenance dose.
Creatine bloating also subsides if you decide to discontinue using the creatine supplement.
While this practice can promote faster gains, skipping creatine loading can help prevent the risk of bloating.
Other tips to prevent creatine bloating include:
Are Some Types of Creatine Non-Bloating?
Other Side Effects
Most healthy people can tolerate the short- and long-term use of creatine supplementation.
Factors such as age, chronic health conditions, and medications may affect your risk of side effects.
It occurs because creatine draws water into the muscles to improve their strength and size.
To reduce the risk of bloating, skip the loading dose and start taking the maintenance dose.
Effects are the same but may occur more slowly.
Timing,Optimal dose and intake duration of dietary supplements with evidence-based use in sports nutrition.J Exerc Nutrition Biochem.
2016;20(4):1-12. doi:10.20463/jenb.2016.0031
Northwestern Medicine.How to beat the bloat.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Bloating.
Better Health Channel.Fluid retention (oedema).
2017;127(5):1932-1943. doi:10.1172/JCI88530
Orlando Health.8 ways to get rid of water retention.
Riverside Health.Compression socks: what are they and who needs them?
2017;14(18).
Jagim AR, Kerksick CM.Creatine supplementation in children and adolescents.Nutrients.
2021;13(2):664. doi:10.3390/nu13020664