Does creatine increase mass just due to water retention in the muscles?

Question

and if this is true what is the use of taking creatine to gain weight as there is no muscle gain the weight will decrease after some time after dehydration

Answer 1

creatine is not for mass building it is used for strength. creatine helps to increase ATP stores. ATP is the cellular energy source that is used for all muscular contractions. by increasing the number of repetitions that can be performed the strength can be increased if following a properly designed strength training program. by increasing the strength a greater load can by placed on the muscles. when using higher training loads microtrauma occurs in skeletal muscle. if there is a caloric excess in the diet with the proper nutrients the cross-sectional area of the muscle cell will increase.

creatine does cause in increase in intramuscular hydration this is not a side effect of creatine but a benefit. when intramuscular hydration is increased the muscle cell is in a greater anabolic state.

* creatine itself does not cause an actual increase in muscle mass. there must be a caloric excess in the diet to see an increase in muscle mass.

those that claim to lose all gains from creatine when the come off where not training effectively and/or eating enough to increase muscle mass

Answer 2

Not exactly, it does help retain water in the muscles so you get the (pumped) effect for an extended period of time. This also aids in the recovery time of healing muscles so you can work out more often. This way the mass you get is your own. The biggest but least talked about drawback with creatine is the fact that it doesn't metabolize in the body and consequently cannot be eliminated via liquid waste. What it does do is crystallize in the kidneys and produce stones. This effect may not justify using it.