Does Creatine Break A Fast?

Creatine is one of the safest, best-researched supplements in, well, all of sports nutrition history. It’s commonly used to improve athletic performance and muscular strength.

(Source)

But is creatine compatible with intermittent fasting — or any type of fasting, for that matter?

After all, plenty of other effective supplements aren’t so fast-friendly.

Let’s see what the evidence says.

Do Supplements Break a Fast?

Taking supplements that contain appreciable amounts of carbohydrates during a fasting window is one of the top intermittent fasting mistakes.

That doesn’t mean all supplements are off limits, though.

Supplements that meet the following two qualities, however, are perfectly a-okay:

Don’t contain more than a few grams of carbohydrates or more than ~10 calories
Don’t significantly spike insulin levels or blood sugar

Check out our dedicated guide on whether or not supplements break a fast if you’d like more info on this topic.

You may want to read my guide to greens supplements and fasting, too.

Creatine 101

Supplemental creatine works by increasing the amount of phosphocreatine your muscles can store. This shift removes one of the rate-limiting steps in cellular energy production, allowing your body to produce more ATP faster. (Source)

And ATP, of course, is the energetic building block that sustains life. (Source)

Creatine’s ability to speed up ATP generation makes it especially helpful for athletes requiring explosive strength, though the substance can also benefit endurance athletes. (Source)

A more complete list of creatine’s beneficiaries includes:

Strength athletes
Power athletes
Powerlifters
Strongmen
Sprinters
Gymnasts
Swimmers
Triathletes
Road cyclists
Mountain bikers
Rock climbers
Discus throwers
And much, much more

And don’t think you have to be an elite athlete to experience creatine’s benefits. One unique thing about creatine is that it boosts athleticism regardless of your starting point. (Source)

Creatine may promote:

Improved muscle endurance
Higher resistance to fatigue
Greater amounts of muscle mass
Reduced waist circumference and fat mass
General athletic recovery
Cognitive function

Creatine: Is it Fasting-Friendly?

Creatine is commonly taken in the pre-workout period.

Given that many intermittent-fasters haven’t yet broken their fast at this time, it’s only natural to wonder whether or not creatine will hinder fasting's benefits.

The short answer is no.

Creatine won’t break your fast!

100% pure creatine monohydrate contains no carbs and no calories. Nor does it trigger an insulin response.

There’s likely no direct physiological route by which creatine could get in the way of fasting.

Creatine’s compatibility with intermittent fasting places it into a similar category as plain coffee and tea.

All three of these substances may not be traditional fasting add-ons — yet all three possess benefits that might make fasting even more effective.

However, as with coffee or tea, it’s important to select a creatine product free from sweeteners and other additives.

Even naturally sugar-free sweeteners can have a large enough effect on insulin to kick your body out of fat-burning mode.

Creatine + Fasting

Pros

Some experts in the health space, notably nutrition and business performance coach Thomas Delauer, theorize that creatine may heighten the benefits of intermittent fasting.
The primary way it does this? By protecting the gut.
One of fasting’s most underrated benefits is the way it momentarily gives your digestive tract a break; when you’re not eating anything you give your intestinal lining a chance to regenerate and remodel.
It’s possible that creatine’s own pro-gut qualities might make this effect even more noticeable.

Cons

Purists may feel that taking creatine during a fast violates fasting’s ‘water-only’ principle.
Another potential downside of taking creatine during a fast involves clashing timing.
Creatine may absorb best when it’s taken alongside carbohydrates, and carbs are obviously off-limits during a fast.
In other words, you can take creatine with carbs, or as a pre-workout — but not both.

The Many Benefits Of Intermittent Fasting

If Delauer is right that creatine makes fasting even more effective, then it only makes sense to provide a brief overview of the latter’s health.

So, how does intermittent fasting impact your health?

According to neuroscientist Mark Mattson, many of fasting’s benefits are evolutionarily conserved. The human species likely ‘grew up’ fasting; even just a few decades ago 24/7 food wasn’t as readily available as it is now.

Johns Hopkins dietitian Christie Williams attests to the same thing:

[Back then] there were no computers, and TV shows turned off at 11 p.m.; people stopped eating because they went to bed. Portions were much smaller. More people worked and played outside and, in general, got more exercise. (Source)

It’s a stark contrast to today’s world, within which it’s easy to sit, snack, and bathe in a steady stream of anti-metabolic blue light.

But the age-old practice of fasting might just be a suitable antidote to today’s modern-day health problems. Mattson explains:

Many things happen during intermittent fasting that can protect organs against chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, age-related neurodegenerative disorders, even inflammatory bowel disease and many cancers.

Other benefits of intermittent fasting may include:

Improved cognition. Fasting may improve various types of memory, including verbal memory, in adults.
Better cardiac function. Fasting may lower blood pressure and resting heart rate and improve other key heart health metrics.
Improved body composition. Fasting may be able to burn through fat while sparing muscle mass.
Easier weight loss. Fasting’s effects on insulin sensitivity may promote faster weight loss than an isocaloric ‘standard’ diet.
Improved tissue health. Intermittent fasting may promote autophagy, a form of cellular recycling associated with improved healthspan, lifespan, and healthier aging.

We should address a few caveats as great as intermittent fasting may be.

It’s not for people under 21, nor is it safe for pregnant/nursing women.

It’s not right for anyone who’s still growing!

Related: What To Eat After A 3 Day Fast.