Creatine is a compound your muscles store and use for quick, hard efforts, and you can get it from red meat and fish or as a dietary supplement. Medical News Today says studies consistently show that creatine supplementation has a positive effect on athletic performance during short, high-intensity exercise, and that for the general populace creatine is safe for use at recommended doses. The open questions are brain benefits, creatine use in people with asthma, and how creatine fits with certain medicines.
Many people ask whether creatine is only for the gym. Here is what each claim rests on, and where the answers stop.
Is creatine only for lifters?
No. Stanford Lifestyle Medicine says creatine “can be beneficial for more than just professional athletes and bodybuilders,” and its analysis found that vegetarian athletes improved more than omnivorous athletes in muscle power output and lean muscle mass. Texas A&M's creatine article says creatine is now known to be beneficial throughout the lifespan, from infancy to later adulthood.
What does creatine do for your body?
Medical News Today says creatine is formed from three amino acids and that approximately 95% of the creatine in the body is stored in skeletal muscle. Once there, it helps regenerate ATP, the energy your cells use for quick, forceful movement. Stanford Lifestyle Medicine says creatine has been “vastly researched and shown to improve muscle strength,” and Texas A&M creatine article quotes kinesiology professor Richard Kreider saying research in athletes found creatine “generally increases strength, endurance, muscle power and muscle mass.”
Stanford Lifestyle Medicine links creatine to strength gains in its Stanford Lifestyle Medicine analysis of supplements for trained athletes.
Can creatine help with muscle recovery?
Mayo Clinic's creatine guide, posted on its store site, says creatine is often taken to enhance exercise performance and support muscle recovery, and that it supports quicker recovery between bouts of intense effort. Medical News Today says studies show it may help exercise performance, muscle building and recovery, and explains that higher creatine levels in muscle may let it heal from training stress faster. Nature Made's article says creatine supplementation timing is less important than consistency.
What does creatine do for the brain?
This is the newest and thinnest area of the research. Medical News Today says limited research suggests creatine may help support cognitive function. It reports that authors of a 2022 review concluded creatine may have a positive impact on cognition, depression symptoms and concussion symptoms, but that research into these benefits is typically of low quality and more is needed. The same article says the review found insufficient evidence for creatine in Parkinson's, anxiety disorders or PTSD.
Texas A&M's creatine article says creatine has been shown to lessen decline in cognitive abilities as people age. Medichecks, a blood-test company, says creatine may support brain health and cognitive function, especially under stress or fatigue, because phosphocreatine is also stored in the brain.
Is creatine good for seniors, and is it worth it over 60?
Stanford Lifestyle Medicine says research published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine indicates creatine supplementation may help older adults maintain muscle vitality. Texas A&M's Richard Kreider says creatine supplementation in older individuals has been shown to help maintain muscle mass. Medichecks describes a 14-week study on older adults that found significant increases in leg strength and muscle mass with creatine supplementation during resistance training. Mayo Clinic's creatine guide lists older adults with age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) among the people creatine may be particularly beneficial for.
Whether it is worth it over 60 depends on your goals, your kidney health and what else you take. Mayo Clinic's guide says creatine is generally not harmful to the kidneys in healthy individuals, but it may not be appropriate for people with existing kidney problems. Take the question to your clinician with your full medicine list. If you are deciding whether to keep going, our stopping creatine guide looks at muscle, strength and fullness after you stop.
What is creatine monohydrate?
Creatine monohydrate is the most common form, according to Mayo Clinic's creatine guide, and it comes as powders, capsules and chewables. Medichecks says it is creatine combined with a water molecule. Pure creatine monohydrate usually contains just one ingredient, while some products add carbohydrates, electrolytes or flavourings, so read the label.
Is creatine a steroid, and which amino acid is it made from?
Mayo Clinic's creatine guide does not describe creatine as a steroid. It calls creatine a naturally occurring substance found in muscle cells, which you can also get from red meat and seafood or as a dietary supplement. Medical News Today and Mayo Clinic's guide both describe it as built from three amino acids: arginine, glycine and methionine. Stanford Lifestyle Medicine calls creatine a “natural amino acid,” so the wording differs from page to page, but the three-amino-acid description is the one both of those pages give.
Can I get creatine from food instead?
Partly. Mayo Clinic's creatine guide says creatine is found in small amounts in red meat, fish and, to a lesser extent, poultry, and that vegetarian and vegan diets contain very little. Texas A&M's article says that as we age we typically eat less creatine-containing food. Medical News Today says around half of a person's creatine needs must come from outside sources, whether diet or supplements.
| Option | What the pages say | Who it suits | Limits named |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creatine monohydrate supplement | The most common form, sold as powder, capsules or chewables (Mayo Clinic's creatine guide) | People doing high-intensity or resistance training (Medical News Today, Nature Made) | Side effects are listed below; kidney questions go to a clinician |
| Creatine from food | Red meat, fish and poultry, in small amounts (Mayo Clinic's creatine guide) | People who already eat these foods regularly | Vegetarian and vegan diets contain very little creatine (Mayo Clinic's creatine guide) |
| Creatine with resistance training | Nature Made's article says that when combined with consistent resistance training, creatine can help support muscle strength | People who strength train, including older adults (Medichecks, Stanford Lifestyle Medicine) | Nature Made says results may vary depending on the individual |
| Talking with a clinician first | Mayo Clinic's creatine guide says to discuss supplementation with a healthcare provider, especially with kidney disease or other chronic conditions | Anyone with kidney problems, chronic conditions or diuretic or NSAID prescriptions | The clinician sets the plan for you |
Prices and pack sizes vary by brand and change over time, so check today's price directly with the seller before you buy. The creatine benefits: human studies, side effects and safety page in our research library covers what human studies have measured.
How do you take creatine powder, and when?
Nature Made's article says creatine powder can be mixed into water or smoothies. It also says timing is less important than consistency, so take it when it is easiest to fit into your day. Nature Made adds that creatine works best when combined with short-term, high-intensity exercise or resistance training. Medichecks says stomach upset typically occurs only if too much is taken at once or on an empty stomach. Mayo Clinic's creatine guide says to stay well hydrated while using creatine.
What are the side effects of creatine?
Mayo Clinic's creatine guide says that for most healthy individuals creatine is considered safe when taken as directed, and that some people may get mild side effects.
| Side effect | Named by | What the page says |
|---|---|---|
| Bloating | Mayo Clinic's creatine guide; Medichecks | Listed as a mild side effect |
| Stomach discomfort | Mayo Clinic's creatine guide; Medichecks | Medichecks says it typically occurs only if too much is taken at once or on an empty stomach |
| Muscle cramping | Mayo Clinic's creatine guide | Listed as rare |
| Water retention | Stanford Lifestyle Medicine; Medichecks | Medichecks describes it as temporary, from increased muscle hydration |
| Weight gain | Medichecks | Usually from added water in the muscles |
| Airway sensitivity | Stanford Lifestyle Medicine | Reported in elite athletes; Stanford says it suggests the need for further research on creatine in people with asthma |
Mayo Clinic's creatine guide does not rank these, so this guide cannot name one single biggest side effect. Bloating, stomach discomfort and water retention are the ones that appear on more than one of the pages covered here. Medical News Today lists fat gain, hair loss, hormone changes, kidney damage and dehydration as creatine misconceptions, and says there is a lack of support for those claims. Medichecks says a long-term study of 52 blood health markers over 21 months found no adverse effects from regular use.
Can I take hydrochlorothiazide with creatine?
Medical News Today says there are no well-reported adverse drug interactions for creatine. It also says concerns remain about medicines that affect kidney function, such as NSAIDs, and about drugs that affect water retention, such as diuretics, so put the creatine question directly to your pharmacist or prescriber before you combine the two.
Medicines and conditions to ask about before using creatine
| Medicine or condition | What the pages say | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| A diuretic | Medical News Today says concerns remain about drugs that affect water retention | Ask your pharmacist or prescriber first |
| NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) | Medical News Today says concerns remain about medicines that affect kidney function | Ask before combining |
| Existing kidney problems | Mayo Clinic's creatine guide says creatine may not be appropriate for people with existing kidney problems; Medichecks says check with a doctor first | Talk to your clinician before you start |
If you use testosterone, read testosterone and creatine together before you combine them.
Can creatine affect high blood pressure?
The Texas A&M creatine article does not show a blood pressure effect. If you take a blood pressure medicine, check whether it is a diuretic (a drug that affects water retention, as Medical News Today describes), and bring your full medicine list to your clinician or pharmacist.
How much creatine should a 70-year-old take daily?
The right amount depends on the product, the person and their kidney health, and the product label gives the maker's own directions. Ask a clinician or pharmacist to set the amount for a 70-year-old, and bring the label with you.
What is still not known?
- Whether creatine helps the brain in a meaningful way. Medical News Today says the research is typically of low quality and more is needed.
- How creatine affects people with asthma. Stanford Lifestyle Medicine says this calls for further research.
- How creatine interacts with diuretics and kidney-related medicines. Medical News Today says concerns remain.
- How results differ between people. Nature Made says results may vary depending on the individual.
Questions to bring to your clinician
- Given my medicines, including any diuretic, is creatine a concern for me?
- What amount is right for me, given my age and kidney health?
- Does my blood pressure history change the answer?
Your next step is small. Write down every medicine you take, any kidney or blood pressure history, and the label of any creatine product you are considering, then bring that list to your next appointment or pharmacy visit. For what the EFSA evaluation of creatine and resistance training covers, Nature Made's article cites it, and you can read it directly at EFSA evaluation of creatine and resistance training.
By the Gym Floor Guide Editorial Team
This article is for general information purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult your doctor or qualified healthcare provider before making changes to your health routine.