S3E116. The Creatine Protocol: 6 Clinical Rules for Gut-Safe Gains

Look, the "Creatine Dash" is a total mood killer. 🏃‍♂️💨

I (Glenn CW) have been there—spending more time scanning for the exits at the gym than actually hitting the weights.

Most guys just quit, and they leave the most effective muscle-builder and brain on the planet, on the shelf. But you don’t have to.

CharlieJeane finally sat down to audit the actual science. Turns out, it’s rarely the creatine itself—it’s usually just a few simple, tactical mistakes in how we’re taking it. 🧪

In this clinical briefing, we’re sharing the 6-point audit we use for our high-performance clients. We move past the generic "fitness influencer" advice to look at the biological reality of dose volume, formulation triggers, and why "tanning" 20g at once is a tactical disaster for your gut.

You aren't broken—your protocol is.

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome to Beyond Bathroom Blues Podcast, helping men understand irritable bowel syndrome, IBS, reducing symptoms and take back control of their health and their life. Each episode focuses on clarity, not quick fixes. So you can stop guessing, make sense of what's actually going on in your gut and your mind, and move forward with confidence. I'm your host, Glencoe Quinchurch. Let's get into today's episode.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

If someone with IBS feels rough on creatine, here's some things to consider. So number one, the dose size, like I mentioned earlier, a big dose in one go is the most common reason for feeling sick or nauseous and getting symptoms. Number two, how you split it. So smaller doses across the day are better tolerated typically rather than trying to chug it down in one go, like if you're wanting to do a loading phase, rather than tanning the whole 20 grams in one go, like I've seen quite a few guys do. It's best to break it down into four lots of five gram portions throughout the day. Number three, formulation and format like powder versus capsules. And then also FS and or the fizzy versions, these can be a nightmare with IBS because of the gas and the bloatin. Number four, what else is in the product? A pure monohydrate product is one thing, but having other supplements like pre-workouts or protein shakes, these can contain possible triggers like sweeteners, magnesium, caffeine, beta alanine, and bicarbonate, for example, and lots of products contain proprietary blends. So they don't have to list the individual ingredient amounts within it, so you could be left guessing. Plus, if you've chosen a product that's not batch tested, it could contain other ingredients which may cause symptoms or side effects. Five, quality assurance again, using third-party products reduces risk of contamination and dodgy surprises. Number six, track it properly. So if you change five things all at once, you won't know what caused what. So if you're gonna try creatine, then log the dose, time and exercise and any symptoms to see its effects. And then now I'm gonna move on to quickly about the carnivore advice I keep coming across, which on one hand does seem to make sense because creatine is naturally found in meat, for example, but it's in smaller amounts than what's in the supplements. And I've seen people's social posts about this where they've basically recommended to totally sack the supplements and just go all in on the carnivore diet. And I like the the food first approach because it prioritises food over supplements, but the carnivore diet is so extreme, and it's totally ridiculous if you're following a vegetarian or vegan diet. Nuts. So, yes, some people go in low fibre and low fermentable carbs can reduce symptoms, but symptom reduction isn't the same thing as long-term gut health or overall health. So I wouldn't recommend long-term low fibre or low fermentable carbs, and obviously in the carnivore diet, cuts out whole food groups, and that always comes with trade-offs. So cutting out like fruits, vegetables, beans, pulsers, whole grains. You're going to be cutting out various micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, plus, you're missing out on fibre by growing carnivore. And the fibre is important because your gut bacteria rely on it, and different fibers from different food sources helps increase the diversity of the gut bugs that naturally live in your gut. And they have loads of important roles, numerous roles within the body for your health and well-being. And a diet high in fibre is also linked to a lower risk of constipation and several long-term health conditions like heart disease and type 2 diabetes. So when you strip the diet back to the carnivore diet, like the meat, fish, seafood, poultry, maybe some eggs and sometimes dairy, depending on what version you're looking at. You're not doing your gut bugs any favours and you're not supporting your long-term health either. And also, there's no robust, high-quality scientific evidence to support the carnivore diet or the long-term consequences of following it. So I'm not saying never do it because it's your life, your choice. You get to decide what you eat and what supplements you take. But I'd like you to be able to make an informed decision. And that's why I share this stuff with you. So you can make informed decisions. But what I am saying is don't confuse my symptoms calm down with I fixed everything forever because they're two very different things. So back to creatine again. So feeling bloated, gassy, or noticing more gut movement doesn't automatically mean that creatine isn't for you. Often it means that the dose is too high for now. It could be that you washed it down with shed loads of liquid, so it's the volume of the liquid that's making you feel a bit queasy and bloated and not the creatine itself. Was it taken in a way that didn't suit your gut? Like was it the fizzy effervescent version? The product had extra ingredients. So was it creatine plus X, Y, and Z that you were taking? And your nervous system and gut was already on high alert, perhaps, or was it something else that you've eaten earlier that day or even the day before, depending on when you get the symptoms? So IBS management isn't about banning everything, thank goodness. And that's not required either. You don't need to just try and live off something like boiled chicken and plain rice, and that's it, phew, because that would be really boring. And also it doesn't give your body everything that it needs to function properly. So it's about understanding your gut and adjusting intelligently and getting proper help when you need it, because all of this can be a mindfield, let alone when you've got IBS in the mix as well.

SPEAKER_00 5:58

Thanks for spending your time with me today. Don't take that lightly and how precious time is. If you found this helpful, follow the podcast so you don't miss future episodes. Until next time, take care, be blessed by the best, and keep moving forward.