Creatine is used to increase muscle mass and sports performance. The most common form of this is a tasteless powder.

As a result, bodybuilders frequently try to blend it with different beverages to make it tastier. Among many probable liquids to mix creatine with is sparkling water.

But is it a good idea to mix creatine with sparkling water?

No, it’s not. When a carbonated beverage, such as sparkling water, is combined with creatine, a reaction is unavoidable. A foamy texture accumulates at the top of your drink, but it won’t explode. But it will reduce the effectiveness of creatine. Instead, you can combine other liquids with creatine.

What alternatives are those? How do you make them? Well, search no further because we have everything you need right here.

We can assist you in finding the perfect liquids for both high and low doses of creatine.

Can You Mix Creatine With Sparkling Water?

Creatine can be mixed with sparkling water, however, it is not recommended. Because carbonation in sparkling water is bound to hinder creatine from acting as quickly as it could.

When combined, it behaves just like the “Diet Coke and Mentos” videos. Combining creatine with sparkling water raises your chance of suffering a stroke or other serious medical complications.

What Happens When You Mix Creatine with Sparkling Water?

Carbon dioxide is dissolved in water to create sparkling water.This causes an equalization reaction of CO2 + H2O <–> H2CO3.

Carbon dioxide gas is dissolved in water to create sparkling water. It either happens as a result of a natural geological process or is purposefully injected under pressure.

Carbonic acid naturally decomposes into a CO2 bubble and water. To speed up the process, the liquid must be disturbed. 

This can be accomplished by friction between the surrounding molecules of water and the carbonated water molecules. This is what causes bubbles to form on the interior of your bottle.

By adding creatine, you increase the frictional contact area impacting the carbonated water significantly. This results in the “explosion” of CO2, which carries the pop with it. This explosion will decrease the creatine’s effectiveness.

The same is true for mentos. The candy’s permeable shell enables CO2 to escape significantly more quickly than it would normally.

The Best Liquids To Mix Creatine 

Juices, protein shakes, and smoothies are a few of the nutritious drinks that you can combine creatine with. This will enhance the flavor and nutritional balance of the bland creatine powder.

Water

Mixing creatine with water and drinking it before a workout is the most convenient way. You can drink as much water as you desire when taking your daily dose of creatine.

If you dislike the flavor of creatine powder, dilute it with extra water. Making a creatine and water mixture has a number of advantages.

You don’t need to calculate calories when mixing creatine with water because water has no calories. And don’t worry if the creatine is clumpy, water will easily dissolve it. Taking creatine with water will also keep you hydrated while exercising.

Even if you don’t take creatine with water, you should drink plenty of water. This will keep you safe from dehydration.

Juices and Smoothies

Try experimenting with various juices and smoothies if taking creatine with water isn’t Working for you. These drinks will also provide you with some vital minerals and carbohydrates.

Juice that is fresh and free of added sugars is the best option for blending with creatine. Cold-pressed juices that contain vitamins and minerals are now widely available.

Whether you buy juice or make it yourself, it needs to be filled with vitamins and minerals. Juice does, however, have a few drawbacks that are important to remember.

It is lower in fiber than whole vegetables or fruit. They frequently contain more sugar per serving than one fruit.

Eating entire fruits is preferable to drinking something with a denser serving of sugar. Smoothies may also contain a lot of sugar.

Especially if you purchase prepared ones or order them from a restaurant. To be safe, make these beverages at home.

Taking creatine with juice before a workout is a wonderful way to get some extra nutrients.But only as long as you’re incorporating it into a generally healthy, balanced diet.

To keep things interesting, you can play around with these juice and smoothie recipes-

Green Juice

Juices aren’t merely made from fruit. In reality, vegetable juice can be just as tasty as fruit juice. It can also be the healthiest juice to drink with creatine.

To prepare a green juice, combine two cups of spinach or kale and six stalks of celery. You’ll also need two apples, two cucumbers and half a lemon, and ginger.

Beet Juice

Beets are nothing to be afraid of. A deep magenta color could be present in yet another excellent juice to drink with creatine.

You need to put two or three beets, two apples, and six carrots together in a blender. Cut a lemon and take half of it with some ginger to add to the mixture.

Apple, Carrot, Blueberries 

Berries are an excellent choice because they are high in antioxidants and really helpful to heart health.

Combine apples, carrots, and blueberries with any additional fruits for a juice that is sweeter and fruitier. Your creatine dose will taste and be a little bit more nutritious with these juice options.

Blueberry and Banana Smoothie 

Creatine also works great when blended into a smoothie with liquids. Blend some frozen blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries with milk. You need to add honey, banana, Greek yogurt, and almond butter for additional flavor and taste.

Mix your creatine with the mixture after one blend. This makes a perfect breakfast smoothie for before a workout.

Protein Powder

While protein is crucial for the recovery process, creatine fuels muscles during exercise. Protein is essential for muscle growth and repair. You can lift more weight in the gym and recover quickly if you combine creatine with protein.

You can create tasty and nutritious snacks or meal replacements with protein and creatine powder. Mix a few scoops of protein powder with water, milk, cinnamon, and creatine for a high-protein snack.

Bananas, almond milk, frozen berries, and avocados can all be used to make whey protein smoothies.

Before a workout, you can mix these powders with oatmeal or even take it with your coffee. Although mixing creatine with coffee used to be discouraged. But in recent years research shows that it doesn’t affect exercise.

Dosage and Timing

If you want to use creatine, follow the directions on the container or as prescribed. Use only the prescribed amount of this product as directed on the label.

High amounts can be damaging to your heart, liver, and kidneys. Some athletes have adopted a “loading method” of taking creatine. This method involves taking large doses for 2 to 5 days.

That is followed by smaller “maintenance” dosages. Athletes seeking a short-term enhancement usually have employed this strategy.

Smaller doses administered over a longer training time are another way to use the drug. People looking for endurance for long-term exercises, such as bodybuilding, have adopted this strategy.

For a quick energy boost, 20 grams of creatine per day for a week is recommended. If you intend to use it long-term, you should convert it to a lower dosage.

For a few weeks, that dose will range from two to ten grams per day. Some people also opt for creatine injections as well.

Some Tips for Creatine Intake

Here are a couple of tips while taking creatine. Follow these for more effective results-

1. Creatine will be much more effective if taken with a carbohydrate-rich meal. But check the instructions on the product description if it is advised otherwise or not.

2. A limited amount of creatine can be stored in muscle tissues. The effects of this product won’t be increased by using more of it.

3. Without seeking medical guidance, do not combine different types of creatine (tablets, liquid, powder, drinks, etc.). Overdose risk is increased when several formulations are combined.

4. When exercising or in hot weather, make sure to drink lots of fluids to prevent dehydration. Because while using creatine, you are more susceptible to electrolyte imbalances, dehydration, or heat stroke.

5. Store the creatine in a sealed container away from moisture and heat, as directed on the label.

Side Effects Of Creatine

Every medicine has potential negative effects. So it’s always advised to take a break from supplements from time to time. Many individuals, however, experience only moderate or no negative effects at all.

We have tried to list most of the probable side effects here, but there could be more. Call your doctor if you have any inquiries regarding side effects. 

1. Difficulty breathing, rapid heartbeats, or chest fluttering.

2. Quickly gaining weight and  swelling

3. Nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, and muscle cramps

4. You may also experience dehydration. Symptoms of dehydration include extreme thirst or heat, inability to urinate, profuse perspiration, or hot, dry skin.

5. In some cases you can also experience electrolyte imbalance. Dry mouth,  sleepiness, increased thirst, and restlessness are indications of an electrolyte imbalance. 

In addition, you may experience weakness or muscle discomfort, disorientation, nausea, and vomiting. You can also get a rapid heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, or seizures.

6. If you experience any warning symptoms of a creatine allergy, get immediate medical attention. These symptoms are Hives, breathing issues, face, lip, tongue, or throat swelling.

FAQs

Which Method of Creatine Intake is Best?

According to a study, it may be preferable to consume creatine right before or right after working out. It is better to take it with food on days when you don’t exercise. But time is generally less crucial.

Does Creatine Lead to Baldness?

No, it does not. The available research does not support the claims that using creatine supplements will result in hair loss. It doesn’t even increase levels of total testosterone or DHT.

Is It Okay to Take a Dry Scoop of Creatine?

There are no performance advantages to dry scooping creatine. Dry creatine can harm your teeth, waste supplements, irritate your lungs, and even cause you to choke. You’ll most likely spend more time throwing up powder if you dry scooped creatine than anything else.

End Words

That’s the end of creatine with sparkling water discussion. If sparkling water is your only option, you can combine creatine in a moderate dose. However, it is highly discouraged.

Common negative effects of combining these two include stomach distress and an increased likelihood of dehydration.

It’s best to consult with a doctor before adding anything or changing your dosage drastically. 

Till next time good luck!