For those that don't know, if you aren't used to creatine then taking more than a few grams has a good possibility of giving you the shits (or sometimes even strong abdominal discomfort). This will (mostly) go away fairly quickly and varies drastically from person to person, but you've been warned. Best to take it on a weekend or something, and slowly build up to your max dose.

The effect is pronounced if taken with only water, all at once.

Instead you can take it throughout the day be adding it to your water bottle. Taking it with meals also typically subdues the effect.

The effect I suppose is comparable to something like magnesium citrate. I suspect they are doing similar things osmotically.