Alkaline Creatine is a product that contains “buffered creatine” in capsule form that is not supposed to be metabolized by the stomach and reaches the muscles in its purest form. Unlike most of the products in this supplement, alkaline is a proprietary formula. The American Council on Exercise, or ACE, considers creatine to be well tolerated and a safer alternative to other performance-enhancing supplements. Despite this, there may be some side effects that you don’t want in your health. Consult your doctor before taking this or any other dietary supplement.
Dehydration
If you don’t drink enough water, you can become dehydrated while taking creatine. Dehydration is one of the most common side effects. Products with this substance work by causing your muscles to draw water from other areas of your body. Dehydration is of particular concern to athletes who exercise or play in hot climates for long periods of time. According to Vanderbilt University, if creatine-taking martial arts fighters try to lose weight to make a required weight using diuretics, or don’t drink water, they are subject to severe muscle cramps and risks of dehydration.
Columbia University reports that your body can handle and process up to 60 cups of water a day, so drinking too much water is generally not a problem.
Harmful drug interactions
Creatine can potentially interact with other medications or dietary supplements and produce negative side effects. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that high doses of caffeine should be avoided while using creatine. They also discourage the use of NSAID pain relievers (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as Advil, Motrin, Aleve and Tylenol. The combination of pain relievers with NSAIDs and creatine can promote kidney stress.
Acute Kidney Failure
A potentially rare but extreme side effect of taking creatine is acute kidney failure, which can happen if you have a history of kidney dysfunction. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, taking this supplement for long periods of time at very high doses can cause kidney problems. They claim that you shouldn’t take any creatine products if you have a history of kidney dysfunction, liver dysfunction, or high blood pressure.
As a conclusion, we can say that alkaline creatine is a product that contains “buffered creatine” in capsule form that supposedly is not metabolized by the stomach and reaches the muscles in its purest form. Creatine can potentially interact with other medications or dietary supplements and produce negative side effects. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that high doses of caffeine should be avoided while using this supplement. And they state that you shouldn’t take any creatine products if you have a history of kidney dysfunction, liver dysfunction, or high blood pressure.
