CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION: WHAT IT DOES, WHO IT’S FOR, AND WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS
Creatine: Strength, Science & Sorting the Facts
Creatine…
We hear it’s the most researched supplement out there—but how much of what we say about creatine is actually evidence-based?
If you’ve spent any time in fitness or nutrition spaces, you’ve probably heard the same few things about creatine repeated over and over again. It’s often presented as the gold standard of supplementation: safe, effective, and a must-have for anyone who lifts.
Let’s start with the three things you’ll hear the most when talking about creatine:
Creatine is the most researched (and safest) supplement.
Creatine improves strength and performance.
Creatine has cognitive benefits.
And now let’s dig into the truth…
Disclaimer: This is not medical advice—just a research-informed look at what we do (and don’t) know about creatine.
WHAT IS CREATINE?
Creatine is a natural compound formed from three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. It’s produced in our liver, kidneys, and pancreas, and it’s also found in foods like red meat and seafood.
But most of the creatine in your body (about 95%) is stored in your muscles, with the remaining 5% hanging out in the brain.
Inside your muscles, creatine becomes phosphocreatine, a key player in energy production. It helps your body quickly regenerate ATP, the main energy currency, during high-intensity activities like sprinting or lifting.
You can think of it like this: more phosphocreatine = more available energy = better performance and recovery.
WHAT DOES CREATINE DO?
PERFORMANCE AND MUSCLE MASS
We often hear or assume that the benefit of creatine is increased muscle mass or strength, but this is somewhat of an indirect benefit.
As described above, more available energy means we can delay fatigue and can push harder in our workouts, lift more reps, or recover faster between sets. And that improved performance is potentially leading to more muscle growth.
In 2023, a new analysis looked at creatine’s effects on muscle growth alone and found the effect to be “trivial.” (Cue the internet meltdown with fitness influencers then breaking their longtime loyalty with creatine.)
But here’s some important context:
A “trivial” effect in a study might still mean gaining 4lbs of muscle instead of 3lbs. That’s a 33% improvement, which is not nothing! “Trivial” was just the classification of the effect size according to the study.
Greg Nuckols from Stronger by Science broke this down beautifully here, and it’s worth the read if you’re into the numbers.
So, creatine helps us do more work, recover faster, and can boost our brains a bit too.
BRAIN AND COGNITIVE BENEFITS
Only 5% of your body’s creatine is in the brain, but that 5% plays a big role. Supplementing with creatine can increase brain creatine levels by up to 10%, which matters a lot in energy-demanding tasks like:
Memory recall
Reaction time
Mental fatigue
Processing speed
The effects of creatine on cognitive function are most noticeable under stress—like sleep deprivation, high cognitive load, or in people with depression or neurodegenerative conditions.
It’s not a cure-all, but it’s one of the few well-researched supplements that shows promise for both body and brain. More research is still needed in this area.
BUSTING SOME CREATINE MYTHS
Myth 1: Creatine causes weight gain
Well, this one is kind of true. Creatine can cause water retention, especially in the short term. But longer-term, weight gain is likely from increased muscle mass, not bloat. That makes sense as more muscle mass and strength is one of the goals of taking creatine, right!?
Myth 2: Creatine is only for gym bros
Definitely not. Creatine isn’t just about “getting buff.” It is especially impactful for from injury, managing fatigue, or trying to protect muscle as they age.
Populations that especially benefit from creatine supplementation:
Vegetarian: Because dietary creatine comes from animal sources, vegetarians tend to have lower baseline levels. They often respond especially well to creatine supplementation.
Women: Women have lower natural creatine stores. Research shows supplementation can improve muscle performance, mood, and even cognition -- especially in post-menopausal women.
Teens: A 2020 review found no adverse effects when teens supplemented with proper supervision and clinical monitoring.
Older Adults: Supplementation can help preserve strength and bone mass, particularly when combined with resistance training.
Myth 3: Creatine damages your kidneys
This myth comes from a misunderstanding of creatinine levels. In healthy individuals, studies consistently show no negative impact on kidney or liver function with standard dosing.
Myth 4: You need to load or cycle your creatine supplement
Nope. You can load (20g/day for 5–7 days), but daily use of 3–5g works just as well over time. And there’s no need to cycle off! We don’t need to overcomplicate what can be a really simple supplementation routine.
IF YOU WANT TO SUPPLEMENT WITH CREATINE: SUPPLEMENT SMART
Creatine monohydrate is affordable, well-studied, and effective. While there are other types of creatine out there, creatine monohydrate is the best option for both health and budget. Creapure is a specific brand of creatine that is third-party tested and ultra-pure and rigorously monitored and can be a great type of creatine monohydrate to look for.
Note: As with any other supplement, you always want to find a supplement that is third party tested.
Dosing is typically around 3-5g per day, and it’s best to take it whenever you can be consistent.
If you find that creatine gives you digestive discomfort, you may benefit from taking it apart from caffeine and alongside food.
SO, SHOULD YOU TAKE CREATINE?
You don’t have to take creatine, and I’m not trying to sell you on it! I have no reason to push you towards creatine supplementation beyond the benefits out there for most (creatine non-responders to exist, but that’s another topic for another day!).
But if you’re considering the benefits of creatine supplementation, here are our takeaways for today:
It’s safe with no real side effects beyond potential stomach discomfort for some and temporary water retention (which I’m hesitant to even call a side effect!)
It’s well-studied
It benefits both strength and brain power
And finally, if we’re going to be evidence-led practitioners, we should be willing to evolve as the science does and change our minds if and when the science changes. For now, the literature tells us that creatine is beneficial for most active individuals.
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