Can creatine cause headaches? Likely reasons and what to do

Creatine is not a proven cause of headaches. Controlled trials and the major safety reviews do not list headaches as a known side effect, although some people do report them. When a headache starts after you begin creatine, the cause is often something around it, such as caffeine in a pre-workout blend, a large loading dose, or a change in eating, drinking, or training.

By Creatine Today · Editorial policy

Can creatine cause headaches?

There is little evidence that it does. The 2017 position stand of the International Society of Sports Nutrition reviewed a very large body of research and found no evidence of clinically significant side effects in healthy people at recommended doses. Headaches are not among the effects that controlled trials have linked to creatine.

That does not mean your headache is imaginary. People report many symptoms after starting any supplement, and individual reactions are possible. It does mean the creatine itself is a less likely cause than the things that often change at the same time. Our side effects guide covers the effects that are well documented.

Why does creatine give me a headache?

If headaches started when you began creatine, check these possible causes first:

• Other ingredients. Many pre-workout and "creatine" blends also contain caffeine and other stimulants. In a 2019 survey of 872 regular pre-workout users, more than half reported side effects. About 19% reported light-headedness and about 15% reported dizziness. These were self-reports about multi-ingredient products, not about creatine alone.
• Caffeine changes. Starting a caffeinated product, taking more than one serving, or skipping your usual coffee can all bring on a headache.
• Large doses. A loading phase of about 20 g a day can upset the stomach in some people, especially when taken all at once or without food. Feeling unwell can come with a headache.
• Training, heat, and meals. Starting creatine often goes with a new training plan, harder sessions, a diet change, or less sleep. Any of these can cause headaches on their own.

Does creatine dehydrate you?

The evidence says no. A 2009 systematic review with meta-analyses looked at controlled trials of creatine during exercise in the heat. It found no evidence that creatine reduces the body's ability to lose heat or harms fluid balance at recommended doses.

Creatine does pull some water into muscle cells. That is not the same as dehydration. Still, if you train hard, sweat a lot, or are in a hot place, you need enough fluid for that, whether or not you take creatine. Drink to thirst and a little more on hot or heavy training days. You do not need extreme amounts of water because of creatine. Our guide to creatine and water retention explains where that water goes.

Can creatine make you dizzy?

Dizziness is not a known effect of creatine monohydrate in controlled trials. When people feel dizzy after a creatine product, stimulant-containing pre-workout blends, training on an empty stomach, standing up quickly after hard exercise, and heat are more likely explanations. If you feel faint, have chest pain, or your heart races or beats irregularly, stop exercising and get medical help.

What should you do if creatine gives you a headache?

• Read the label. If your product has caffeine or other stimulants, switch to plain creatine monohydrate with no other active ingredients.
• Skip loading. Take a steady 3–5 g a day. Loading is optional; without it, your muscles still fill up, just more slowly over about 3–4 weeks.
• Take it with a meal and a glass of water. The time of day matters little, so choose a time that sits well with you.
• Pause and see. If headaches continue, stop for a week or two and see whether they go away. Stopping creatine is harmless. If they stop and return when you restart, creatine may simply not suit you.

Get medical advice soon for a sudden, severe headache, a headache with fever, stiff neck, confusion, weakness, or vision changes, a headache after a head injury, or headaches that are new and keep getting worse. These need a doctor, not a supplement change.

Can creatine help with headaches or migraines?

This is being explored, but there is no proven use. In a small open-label pilot study from 2008, 39 children and teenagers with traumatic brain injury received creatine at a high dose (0.4 g per kg of body weight a day) for 6 months. They reported fewer headaches, less dizziness, and less fatigue than those who did not receive it. The study was not blinded, the group was small, and the setting was very different from everyday supplement use.

For migraine, a 2020 letter in the journal Cephalalgia suggested creatine loading as an idea worth testing in chronic migraine, based on brain imaging research. It was a proposal, not a trial. Until controlled trials are done, do not use creatine in place of migraine treatment from your doctor. Read more about current research in our guide to creatine and brain health.