Creatine Cycling and Weight Gain: Myths vs. Facts

Stopping creatine does not make you gain fat.

Creatine increases intramuscular water and phosphocreatine stores, enhancing strength/power. When discontinued:

• Water weight drops (1–2 kg typically).
• Muscle creatine returns to baseline over ~4 weeks.
• Strength/power gains from training are retained if training continues.

Fat gain only occurs if you increase calorie intake and reduce activity. Creatine itself has no calories.