IS CREATINE ACTUALLY WORTH IT?
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Creatine has an image problem. Yet, creatine is genuinely one of the safest supplements you can buy, oh, the irony. With over two decades of scientific research behind it, creatine monohydrate has earned the unique status of “safe, effective, and ethical” from the International Society of Sports Nutrition.
But is it good for you? For most healthy adults, yes. This is why we love it. Because despite the bad rep for tummy issues, the tough guy image, and even a gummy scandal, creatine can be a genuinely useful supplement for supporting your body’s energy systems.
The approved health claim states that creatine has been shown to improve physical performance, and research also suggests it may support muscle growth and recovery.
Then there's the brain. Whilst there isn't an approved health claim yet for cognitive function, emerging research suggests the energy systems in your brain might also benefit from supplementation. When you put that together with what we’re learning about creatine’s potential role in healthy, active ageing, muscle maintenance, bone health, and metabolic health, creatine starts to look pretty decent, as the kids say.
Creatine is definitely one for the “bit of me” pile.
What is creatine?
Creatine is a compound your body naturally produces in small amounts from three amino acids: glycine, arginine and methionine. It helps your cells make and recycle energy, especially in the most high-maintenance, demanding bits of your body, like your muscles and brain.
Think of it as a bit like a fast-charging power pack. Your body makes a small amount (1-2g), mainly in the liver and kidneys, and a small amount in the brain. Most of it (95%) is stored in your muscles.
You can also get creatine from eating foods like red meat, seafood, and chicken. But you’d need to eat a whole lot of meat and fish to reach the amounts used in research, which is expensive, and probably not that nice.
But when our bodies need a bit more energy, you can burn through your creatine stores super fast. That’s why supplementing creatine has been the go-to for athletes and sports professionals for decades. It’s also why we have so much data on creatine. Sports love a clinical study.
How does creatine work?
It’s the night before Christmas (bear with us). The fridge is packed, the house smells of 100 different foods, the only nutrition you’ve onboarded is half a sausage roll and a Celebration, and somehow you still need to vacuum the whole house and make up the beds before the in-laws descend at silly o’clock.
Forget the gym gains. This is where creatine is useful. Not because it’s going to propel you through the halls magically, but because it helps your body access energy quickly when demand is high. It helps you summon that little extra oomph when you need it.
In science-y speak, your body uses creatine to quickly regenerate ATP, Adenosine Triphosphate, the energy-producing molecule that fuels your cells. A bit like the charge in your phone battery, ATP needs to be constantly topped up. Phosphocreatine (PCr), stored in your muscles and cells, works like a portable power bank, helping recycle used ATP back into usable energy.
That’s why creatine is especially useful during short bursts of high-intensity effort.
Your Hoover has a magic ‘energy boost’ button. You have creatine.
Is creatine actually good for you?
Yes. There’s a huge body of solid research suggesting creatine can be beneficial for many people, not just athletes. It’s hard not to sound a bit evangelical about it because there’s a lot of evidence supporting this misunderstood compound.
The approved health claim is specifically about performance. The Great Britain Nutrition and Health Claims (NHC) states: “Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise.” In everyday life, this translates to how creatine can help when your muscles need quick bursts of energy, whether you’re sprinting late for work, lifting weights, or carrying a tired child on a hot summer's day.
Alongside this, research shows that creatine supplementation may support physical performance, which may contribute to increases in muscle size and lean body mass when used alongside training. With real promise for people investing in their bodies to future-proof their muscles
For those of us who are non-athletes but keen movers and shakers, this is good news. Creatine may help support recovery, strength, and, most importantly, help maintain our muscle as we age.
You won’t have missed the tide of social media posts revelling in recent creatine research and its possible effects on the brain. Until there’s an officially approved claim for cognitive function, we won’t overstate it. But the research is incredibly exciting: creatine supports energy production in the brain. It is being explored for links with cognition, brain health under stress and sleep deprivation, and recovery following brain injury.
So yes, creatine supplements are good for you in the ways that might matter more and more to you, as ageing well becomes a priority, not a distant thought.
Is creatine safe?
It has decades of research behind it, and has been officially recognised as safe by the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Its reputation, though, has been dragged. Here’s everything we know about the footnote that put most people off taking creatine.
Straight off the bat, we should say: creatine is not a steroid, and does not work like one.
Historically, creatine picked up a bad reputation for “affecting kidney function”, but this came from creatinine being mistaken as a sign of kidney strain. Creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine, and it’s one of the standard markers doctors use to assess kidney health. When you take creatine, your creatinine levels may naturally rise, but this may not indicate that your kidneys are under strain.
Extensive long-term studies show no harmful effects on kidney or liver function in healthy people, even at high doses (up to 20–30 grams/day over multiple years). The side effects are also hotly contested. A recent summative review looked at 685 creatine studies, with just under 13,000 people taking creatine. Overall, side effects were similar to those of the placebo. In other words, the social media side effects of creatine don’t really match the research.
All of that said, safe for most does not mean safe for all. If you are on medication, pregnant, or have an existing kidney or liver condition, speak with your doctor before taking creatine.
Kidney Research UK recommends that athletes and bodybuilders tell their GP they’re supplementing with creatine, so their kidney function can be monitored using a different marker (cystatin C), which isn't affected by muscle mass or creatine intake.
Is creatine good for brain health?
The brain uses around 20% of the energy in your body. This is why researchers are getting excited about the potential of creatine. Creatine helps support ATP, your body’s quick-use energy system. For the brain, this is particularly meaningful during high-demand moments, especially when you’re sleep deprived and staring down the barrel of a Monday morning after the Sunday-family vomiting bug of the night before.
This is where we need to add a caveat. Research on creatine and brain health is emerging, so there isn’t an approved health claim for cognitive function yet.
However, we can talk to you about the narrative coming from the research community, which is investigating the role that creatine might play in supporting brain energy metabolism, cognitive performance under pressure and neuroprotection, and what creatine could mean for an ageing brain, or a sleep-deprived, stressed brain trying to function with only a meal deal for emotional support.
So is creatine good for the brain? Possibly. The research is promising, but we need more of it. Until then, watch this space.
Is creatine just for gym goers?
Not really, no. Creatine is probably even more interesting for the general population of overthinkers, overdoers, and who-has-time-for-the-gym-cynics.
Yes, when combined with resistance training, creatine can support strength and muscle growth. But that doesn’t mean it’s only for the gym-centric. Creatine supports the fast release of energy in the body, which is useful when your body or brain is under stress, self-imposed or otherwise.
Creatine may be helpful for:
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Everyday movers
Non-athletes who just want to keep moving, even when they don’t feel like it.
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Older adults
For those looking to maintain muscle, mobility and independence as they age.
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Women
Who naturally tend to have lower creatine stores than men (70%-80% lower, actually).
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Those who eat little or no meat or fish
Who may get less creatine through their diet, as it’s mainly found in animal foods.
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Anyone who strength trains
Even those who haven’t made it their personality, but want to support their performance and recovery, may find it helps them stick with it.
Creatine is for anyone who doesn’t want to give up, really. You can read more about the benefits specifically for women in our guide.
Can older adults and non-athletes benefit from creatine?
Creatine is good for anyone looking to support their body, but it becomes especially interesting for the more forward-thinking among us: the people who know that taking care of this body now will really matter as we age.
The reason creatine is so closely linked to healthy, active ageing is that its benefits cluster around moving well, for longer. It supports the energy systems our muscles rely on, especially as we age, and may help with recovery after strenuous exercise, which enables us to keep moving.
Several studies in older men and women have shown positive effects on muscle mass and strength when creatine is used alongside exercise. And then there’s the brain. The research here is still too early to prescribe, but creatine is being explored for its potential role in supporting cognition in older adults, including what it might mean for age-related cognitive decline.
Holding on to muscle and cognition in later life means holding on to the life you love living, for longer.
Should anyone avoid creatine?
For most people, creatine is considered safe and unlikely to cause any negative effects. Researchers who’ve spent their lives investigating creatine, like Dr Darren Candow, believe that creatine is good for pretty much everyone. However, pretty much everyone is not everyone.
Historically, creatine picked up a bad reputation for "affecting kidney function", partly because creatinine, a breakdown product of creatine, is used as one marker of kidney health. Extensive long-term studies show no harmful effects on kidney or liver function in healthy people, even at high doses (up to 20–30 grams/day over multiple years). But people with kidney problems should consult their specialist before taking it.
And for pregnant women, breastfeeding women, those trying to conceive, or children? The research is promising, not prohibitive, but still limited and ongoing. So this is where we repeat the boring-but-important bit: speak to your healthcare practitioner first if you have any concerns.
We’d always suggest that anyone with a medical condition or on medication speak to their health practitioner before starting a new supplement protocol.
Which type of creatine is best?
Creatine monohydrate is described as the gold standard. It’s the form most recommended by researchers, doctors, health experts and performance coaches because it’s the most effective, most extensively researched, and most cost-efficient form of creatine.
Other forms, like ethyl ester, buffered creatine, and creatine HCI, haven't shown any clear advantages over monohydrate in terms of effectiveness or safety.
We use Creatvitalis®, a micronised creatine monohydrate made with a water-based wash. It’s got an excellent track history with excellent research credentials, and monohydrate itself has more than 1,000 studies confirming its safety and benefits.
Yes. We did the research on this one.
How to take creatine
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Keep it simple
People really get in their heads about how to take creatine. Cycling, loading phases, timings, training protocols, the details are infinite. If you want the full download, and if you’re looking for something more tuned into training and performance, we’ve written a full guide on how best to take creatine. Read on!
Otherwise, our advice is simply to take it slow and only do what feels comfortable for your body.
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Start with a gentle dose
A gentle maintenance approach works well for most people. Start with around 2.5g a day, then build up to the regular 5g daily dose over 1–2 weeks.
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Build up slowly
Gradually saturating your muscles may help reduce the risk of bloating or tummy grumbles.
Bon chance.
FAQs
Is creatine actually beneficial?
In short, yes. In long, see above. Creatine has the strongest evidence for strength, muscle growth, lean body mass and recovery. Emerging research also suggests that creatine might also play a role in the brain's energy systems.
Is creatine safe long-term?
Yes, for most healthy adults. Long-term studies have shown that creatine is safe and well-tolerated when taken consistently, including at the higher doses used in research. As ever, if you have a medical condition, take medication, or have kidney or liver concerns, speak to your healthcare practitioner first.
Does creatine help brain function?
The emerging research is promising. But there isn’t an approved health claim for cognitive function yet. Early studies suggest creatine may support brain energy metabolism, particularly during stress, sleep deprivation and mental fatigue. For now, the research is interesting, but still developing.
Can women take creatine?
Yes. Creatine is for men and women. If you’ve felt excluded due to once-very-gendered marketing, now is the time to investigate. Don’t hold back. There are many promising studies investigating the unique ways creatine may benefit women. Read our guide on the benefits of creatine for women and get stuck in.
Do you need to exercise to take creatine?
No. Creatine may still be useful if you’re managing sleep deprivation, stress, low energy, or just trying to support your body as you age. Of course, adding creatine to your exercise regimen will make you more likely to reap some of the proven benefits for physical performance.
Is creatine a steroid?
No. Creatine is not a steroid. It has this rep because bodybuilders have used it for years to support performance and muscle growth. But creatine works differently.
Creatine helps your cells recycle energy quickly, especially during short bursts of high-intensity effort. It can also draw water into muscle cells, which may make muscles look or feel fuller, and can support muscle growth when combined with training.
Can older adults take creatine?
Yes, many older adults can take creatine, and research suggests it may be useful for muscle maintenance, strength, mobility and healthy ageing, especially when combined with resistance training. But we’d always recommend speaking to a healthcare practitioner first if you’re on medication or have an underlying health condition.