Creatine Supplementation and Weight-Class Sports (eg. Combat Sports)

Nutrition Q&A [Moderated]
1

I have always heard there maybe some weight gain from creatine supplementation due to water retention

Few questions:

  1. On average, how much weight (if any) would people gain from water retention from the recommended creatine supplementation dose?
  2. If someone wants to stop creatine supplementation to avoid any water retention to make their weight class, how many days outside of weigh-ins should they stop creatine supplementation. (eg. 2 weeks?)

Assuming:

  • Competing in combat sports where the weigh-ins are either within 1-hour of competition or up-to 24 hours prior to competition.
  • Ergogenic benefits of creatine would not outweigh the cost of having to cut more weight.
2
  1. Not usually enough to effect BW more than 0.5%
  2. I wouldn’t do that, as you can readily cut other water weight if needed. I don’t agree with your second assumption in combat sports.