Deciphering a negative reaction to creatine...

[mountain_hiker]

Hi Everyone,

At the recommendation of several practitioners, I tried once again to supplement with a bit of creatine and I experienced the same reaction as in the past. Anxiety and irritability. Even on a very small dose this go round. This time I have a theory about what might be going on and I thought I'd see if others who have delved into the methylation realm more deeply resonate with this hypothesis. At present, I'm wrestling with high homocysteine and I believe I'm experiencing a fair bit of homocysteine traversing the transsulfation pathway as opposed to recycling back into methionine. As I understand it, the addition of exogenous creatine frees up SAM(e). In my case, my suspicion is that the additional SAM is ultimately leading to more homocysteine and therefore more toxic byproducts at the end of the transsulfation pathway. I suspect that before I can tolerate more creatine, I need to get more homocysteine recycling back into methionine. I'm curious if this explanation resonates with anyone else.

 

[Hope_eternal]

Hi Everyone,

At the recommendation of several practitioners, I tried once again to supplement with a bit of creatine and I experienced the same reaction as in the past. Anxiety and irritability. Even on a very small dose this go round. This time I have a theory about what might be going on and I thought I'd see if others who have delved into the methylation realm more deeply resonate with this hypothesis. At present, I'm wrestling with high homocysteine and I believe I'm experiencing a fair bit of homocysteine traversing the transsulfation pathway as opposed to recycling back into methionine. As I understand it, the addition of exogenous creatine frees up SAM(e). In my case, my suspicion is that the additional SAM is ultimately leading to more homocysteine and therefore more toxic byproducts at the end of the transsulfation pathway. I suspect that before I can tolerate more creatine, I need to get more homocysteine recycling back into methionine. I'm curious if this explanation resonates with anyone else.

Hi, I’m new here and came across your post. I came across an article regarding a very small study regarding creatine on long Covid patients where they had some success. I’m sorry to hear you had an unpleasant reaction with it. Did you continue on with it or find an answer to this post? I hope things are going well for you.

Here is the article. I’m so bummed it sounds like the supplement wasn’t helpful to you. It sounded promising.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/me...&cvid=2fac5a40620f40b6a9097d6d96b45403&ei=109

 

[mountain_hiker]

Hi @Hope_eternal,

I have not found an answer yet to this question and I've set the creatine aside for the time being. It's still baffling to me why I'm having this reaction.

 

[Hope_eternal]

Hi @Hope_eternal,

I have not found an answer yet to this question and I've set the creatine aside for the time being. It's still baffling to me why I'm having this reaction.

Bummer 🤨 Well after a bit of research online I see it seems to be quite common so you are not alone. You may have already scoured the internet and found some articles about it but just in case you didn’t see this one I’m providing the below.

https://www.realmuscle.co.uk/post/creatine-anxiety

 

[Judee]

Amino acid and BCAAs seem to cause me to have an increase in ammonia. My muscles feel like they're on fire after taking them. It's a squirming kind of pain.

I suspect some of us have high ammonia anyway. Wonder if the creatine supplementation can do that too. Maybe it affected your brain that way???

 

[Porke]

Hi Everyone,

At the recommendation of several practitioners, I tried once again to supplement with a bit of creatine and I experienced the same reaction as in the past. Anxiety and irritability. Even on a very small dose this go round. This time I have a theory about what might be going on and I thought I'd see if others who have delved into the methylation realm more deeply resonate with this hypothesis. At present, I'm wrestling with high homocysteine and I believe I'm experiencing a fair bit of homocysteine traversing the transsulfation pathway as opposed to recycling back into methionine. As I understand it, the addition of exogenous creatine frees up SAM(e). In my case, my suspicion is that the additional SAM is ultimately leading to more homocysteine and therefore more toxic byproducts at the end of the transsulfation pathway. I suspect that before I can tolerate more creatine, I need to get more homocysteine recycling back into methionine. I'm curious if this explanation resonates with anyone else.

Creatine or 2-(1-Methylguanidino)acetic acid hydrate is a methyl donor. If you are sensitive to methyl donors you will experience anxiety, irratation, heart palpitations, insomnia etc. Its a simple test - take MethylB12 / MethylFolate / Sam-e or other methyl donors to see if you get the same reaction. If you do, you know the root cause.

 

[mountain_hiker]

Thanks @Porke - That is my current suspicion as well.