Creatine and Acne

Do you notice an influx in your acne breakouts when you consume creatine? Do you take a pre-workout before hitting the gym? Did you know that the most popular ingredient used in pre-workout called creatine is the predominant cause of your acne breakouts? Ask any skincare professional and they will tell you that, yes indeed, creatine and acne go hand in hand. It’s true but rarely talked about.

Supplements are a fantastic way of improving your health. When taken in the proper dosage and combined with the right workout, they may provide amazing effects and improve your overall health. When it comes to the most preferred supplement, creatine is the clear winner.

But, the real question is – does creatine cause or aggravate acne?

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally-occurring substance in your muscles that allows you to produce energy during heavy lifting or high-intensity workouts. 

However, there taking creatine as a supplement is very popular among athletes and bodybuilders. Creatine improves bodily performance, gaining muscle, enhancing strength and improving exercise productivity overall.

It’s not on our list of acne triggering foods or drinks, but creatine definitely triggers acne.

Creatine and Acne: What is the Connection?

Considering the amount of water this supplement absorbs from the body, creatine consumers often feel extremely thirsty following taking it or will have to increase the amount of water they consume. Creatine raises testosterone production in the blood, which causes acne breakouts.

There are countless articles and blog posts on the internet that say there is no hard evidence that proves creatine can directly acne.

However, the number of our clients who suffer from taking creatine and then breaking out all over their face is speaking for itself.

For example, spikes in testosterone are linked to acne outbreaks. This is common when you take creatine supplements. Therefore, this is a contributing factor to the acne found on your face after consuming pre-workout supplements with creatine in them.

How Do Creatine Supplements Cause Acne?

The number of hormones produced from taking creatine are the cause of an increase in acne.

Other reasons for an increase of acne stem from dehydration. Users of creatine typically feel more dehydrated after taking creatine or will need to increase the amount of water they drink due to the amount of water the product takes from the body.

When the creatine is consumed, it works with the body to take water from it and restore the water into your muscles to rebuild and repair muscle tissue.

Although you may feel dehydrated, you can recover from your workouts quicker.

When your body is dehydrated, so is your skin. Dry, dehydrated skin is more prone to acne. Also – some brands with higher amounts of creatine cause more of a breakout in acne than others but that’s not a risk to take with acne prone skin.

Why Do You Need Pre-Workout?

There are over 4.6 million posts on Instagram with the hashtag “pre-workout,” and the photos show you just how varied that term can be: There are chews, capsules, canned drinks, powders, and colorful liquid in shaker bottles all promising to help you get in a better workout – All containing creatine, just waiting to bring on the acne.

It used to be that you ate a banana or piece of toast before a tough workout, and that was sufficient. But now it seems like every exerciser (at least on social media) is talking about pre-workout.

The question remains: is it necessary to a good workout?

But does pre-workout actually do these things?

It’s a mixed bag: I’d argue that no, you don’t NEED pre-workout but I’d be flat out lying if I didn’t say I can tell a significant difference in my own energy level when I do take it.

That said, it’s purely a personal choice to take it or not. BUT if you do – be warned, there ARE health implications to consider and one of them being a major factor that plays into your skin health.

Pre-workouts are loaded with ingredients like creatine that mimic natural body hormone production – unfortunately, this causes acne breakouts. We understand the appeal to take or use pre-workout supplements so we have researched for you & found a couple mostly “clean” or acne safe options for you.

Beach Beauty Bar Recommendations

Women’s Best — Pre-Workout Performance Booster

When it comes to fitness supplements, pre-workouts geared toward men can have less-than-appealing side effects when taken by women. The best pre workouts for women offer everything women need to step up their athleticism without the downsides. This is a supplement we recommend to our clients that has had excellent results as far as keeping your skin clear.

Red Leaf Pre-Workout Energizer Powder

One of the pre-workouts without acne causing creatine is Red Leaf. It contains ingredients like green tea extract and cranberry to help with energy and overall health.

It doesn’t have a lot of caffeine. There’s only 40mg in each serving, which is a good option if you are sensitive to caffeine or simply don’t want to risk getting jitters.

Closing Thoughts

Before you start delving into pre-workout, make sure your basics are on point first. Make sure you’re eating enough to meet your body’s energy requirements, hydrating properly, taking rest days, and getting enough sleep.

Pre-workout supplements are like the icing on the cake after a solid nutrition foundation has been implemented.

As a rule of thumb, your pre-workout is to be used ONLY to help with an energy boost on the days you’re particularly dragging, which will give you the push you need to start your workout.

So, if you are experiencing low energy, don’t lose hope because there are options for you that do not contain creatine and won’t cause an acne breakout. Is your pre-workout supplement causing you to break out?

Schedule your initial consultation today & let us help get you started on YOUR clear skin journey.

Cheers to clear!

Rene