Creatine Supplementation: Benefits, Risks and What The Research Actually Says

Key Takeaways

• Creatine helps your body produce more ATP, the energy currency your muscles use during high-intensity exercise. 
• Supplementation has been shown to improve muscle strength by 5-15% in short-term use¹.
• Evidence supports benefits not only for muscle growth but also for brain function, especially in conditions linked to creatine depletion. 
• The most recent research concludes that creatine monohydrate is effective, bioavailable, and safe.
• Creatine may benefit individuals with certain neuromuscular, metabolic, and neurodegenerative conditions. 

Why Creatine Matters 

If you’re trying to build muscle, improve strength, support your brain, or enhance recovery, creatine is one of the most researched supplements in the world. This article breaks down what creatine is, how it works, and what the science actually says about its benefits and safety.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a natural compound made from three amino acids and stored primarily in your muscles. It’s a rapid source of energy that helps fuel high-intensity movement such as weightlifting and sprinting.

We naturally consume creatine from foods such as:

• Red meat
  
• Seafood
• Eggs
  

Your liver, pancreas, and kidneys also produce around 1g per day, although dietary sources contain much lower levels compared to supplemental creatine.

How Your Body Uses Creatine

Around 95% of the body’s creatine is stored as phosphocreatine in your muscles and the other 5% is in the brain and testes.

Supplementation increases your phosphocreatine stores, enabling your body to produce more ATP (the primary energy molecule used during intense exercise). More ATP equals better performance, more total volume lifted and improved recovery.

Creatine Supplementation on Muscle Growth, Strength and Performance 

Strength and Power

Short-term creatine supplementation has been shown to improve maximal strength by 5–15% during repeated maximal-effort sets.¹

Muscle Growth 

A review of 16 randomised controlled trials found creatine to be an efficient and effective supplement for muscle growth in young, healthy individuals.² 

Muscle Preservation in Disorders

Creatine may be beneficial not only for athletes but also for individuals with muscular and neurodegenerative disorders. Evidence suggests creatine can help preserve muscle tissue in these conditions.³ 

Recovery

Creatine supplementation has been shown to aid recovery from exercise-related muscle damage. One study found creatine led to better recovery outcomes compared to rest alone across various types of exhaustive exercise.⁴ 

Antioxidant and Cellular Support 

Creatine also demonstrates antioxidant properties and supports mitochondrial activity, helping the body manage physical and metabolic stress.⁵ 

Is Creatine Supplementation safe?

Concerns around creatine safety began in the 1990s. Early research concluded it was safe for short-term use (up to 8 weeks), but long-term safety was unclear.⁶ 

Over the following decade, studies continued to highlight the lack of long-term data.⁷ 

However, a 2022 review now suggests: 

• Creatine monohydrate remains the most effective form. 
• It has high bioavailability. 
• It appears to be safe for long-term use in healthy individuals.⁸ 

Creatine and Disease Support

Creatine may play a beneficial role in several health conditions. 

Neuromuscular and Metabolic Disorders 

Creatine supplementation may help mitigate degenerative states in muscle disorders, central nervous system diseases, and metabolic disturbances.⁹ 

Further evidence shows creatine maintains an excellent safety profile and may be beneficial in conditions such as diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.¹⁰ 

Creatine and Cognitive Function

Creatine isn't just for muscles. Research highlights notable benefits for the brain: 

Stress, Sleep Deprivation and Brain Injury 

Creatine supplementation has been shown to support cognitive processing in individuals experiencing:

• Acute stress from exercise. 
• Sleep deprivation. 
• Mild traumatic brain injury. 
• Alzheimer's Disease. 

These conditions often lead to a creatine-deficient state, making supplementation particularly beneficial.¹¹ 

Memory and Processing Speed

A meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials found creatine supplementation improved memory performance compared to placebo.¹² 

Other studies also show improvements in Information processing speed and attention performance.¹³  (Xu et al., 2024). 

Conclusion

The research suggests creatine supplementation is highly beneficial for: 

• Muscle growth, power and performance. 
• Muscle preservation in various disorders. 
• Cognitive enhancements, including memory, attention and processing speed. 

While earlier research questioned its long-term safety, the most up-to-date evidence supports that creatine monohydrate is safe, effective, and bioavailable for healthy individuals.

 

References

Kreider, R. B. (2003). Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations. Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, 244(1), 89–94. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022465203458

² Wu, S.-H., Chen, K.-L., Hsu, C., Chen, H.-C., Chen, J.-Y., Yu, S.-Y., & Shiu, Y.-J. (2022). Creatine Supplementation for Muscle Growth: A Scoping Review of Randomized Clinical Trials from 2012 to 2021. Nutrients, 14(6), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14061255

³ Harmon, K. K., Stout, J. R., Fukuda, D. H., Pabian, P. S., Rawson, E. S., & Stock, M. S. (2021). The Application of Creatine Supplementation in Medical Rehabilitation. Nutrients, 13(6), Article 6. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13061825

⁴ Jiaming, Y., & Rahimi, M. H. (2021). Creatine supplementation effect on recovery following exercise-induced muscle damage: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Food Biochemistry, 45(10), e13916. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfbc.13916

⁵ Arazi, H., Eghbali, E., & Suzuki, K. (2021). Creatine Supplementation, Physical Exercise and Oxidative Stress Markers: A Review of the Mechanisms and Effectiveness. Nutrients, 13(3), Article 3. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13030869

⁶ Williams, M. H., & Branch, J. D. (1998). Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Performance: An Update. Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 17(3), 216–234. https://doi.org/10.1080/07315724.1998.10718751

⁷ Cooper, R., Naclerio, F., Allgrove, J., & Jimenez, A. (2012). Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: An update. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 9(1), 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/1550-2783-9-33

⁸ Kreider, R. B., Jäger, R., & Purpura, M. (2022). Bioavailability, Efficacy, Safety, and Regulatory Status of Creatine and Related Compounds: A Critical Review. Nutrients, 14(5), Article 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14051035

⁹ Gualano, B., Artioli, G. G., Poortmans, J. R., & Lancha Junior, A. H. (2010). Exploring the therapeutic role of creatine supplementation. Amino Acids, 38(1), 31–44. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-009-0263-6

¹⁰ Gualano, B., Roschel, H., Lancha-Jr., A. H., Brightbill, C. E., & Rawson, E. S. (2012). In sickness and in health: The widespread application of creatine supplementation. Amino Acids, 43(2), 519–529. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-011-1132-7

¹¹ Roschel, H., Gualano, B., Ostojic, S. M., & Rawson, E. S. (2021). Creatine Supplementation and Brain Health. Nutrients, 13(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020586

¹² Prokopidis, K., Giannos, P., Triantafyllidis, K. K., Kechagias, K. S., Forbes, S. C., & Candow, D. G. (2023). Effects of creatine supplementation on memory in healthy individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition Reviews, 81(4), 416–427. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac064

¹³ Xu, C., Bi, S., Zhang, W., & Luo, L. (2024). The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1424972