Does Creatine Cause Water Weight?
Creatine is stored in your muscles along with water, so some people notice a small increase on the scale early on — this is often water held within the muscle, not fat. Characterizing the entire effect of creatine as "just water weight," though, oversimplifies how it works. We'll leave the detailed performance specifics to the research and your own experience rather than overclaiming here.
The practical takeaway: if you see a small, quick bump on the scale after starting creatine, it's usually this water-in-muscle effect and not a reason for alarm. It's also why the number on the scale isn't a great way to judge creatine. If body composition is a focus for you, that's a good thing to discuss with a professional rather than reading too much into a few early pounds. More in common creatine myths.
This article is general information, not medical advice.