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Creatine

Creatine

Best for

More muscle energy for training

Likely benefit 1–14 weeks 1 meta-analysis, n=477 #1 of 7 studied

Creatine likely benefits people performing repeated high-intensity exercise, with the strongest evidence for preserving power across repeated hard efforts rather than broad improvements across every outcome.

Median effective dose, most-studied outcomes

  • Increase everyday strength 5.85 g 1–52 wk
  • Generate more peak power 18 g <1–12 wk
  • Build muscle size 12.5 g 1–52 wk
Full protocol, 14 outcomes

Risk, worst reported severity

  • severe vertigo severe
  • Serous (exudative) retinal detachment (bilateral) severe
  • ketamine major
  • immunosuppressants major
All 15 events and interactions

What creatine actually does

Outcome Effect Evidence Dose Time Rank
Clear benefits 1
More muscle energy for training Likely benefit Muscle energy stores provide quick fuel for hard efforts during training.
moderate 		1 meta-analysis 9 papers · n=477 — 1–14 wk #1 /7
Modest benefits 4
Build more muscle Proven modest benefit More muscle can support strength, movement, and the physical changes you train for.
small 		5 meta-analyses 25 papers · n=6.7k — 1–52 wk #1 /37
Sprint faster with more power Likely modest benefit Speed and power drive explosive efforts when every second and pedal stroke count.
small 		7 meta-analyses 28 papers · n=6.0k 0.03–20000 mg/kg/day 0–16 wk #4 /29
Get stronger Likely modest benefit Strength helps your muscles produce more force for lifting, carrying, and daily movement.
small 		9 meta-analyses 40 papers · n=5.2k — 1–52 wk #6 /41
Remember more Proven modest benefit Memory helps you hold onto information and bring it back when you need it.
small 		2 meta-analyses 5 papers · n=1.5k 0.35–20 g 1–6 wk #2 /42
Early research 5
Recover better after exercise Studies contradict Recovery helps your body feel ready for the next training session after hard exercise.
small 		2 meta-analyses 7 papers · n=853 — 0–8 wk #2 /37
Improve overall thinking Faint early signal Overall thinking brings together the mental abilities you use throughout the day.
small 		1 meta-analysis 4 papers · n=323 3–100 g 1–208 wk #5 /20
Sharpen focus Faint early signal Focus helps you stay with a task instead of being pulled away by distractions.
small 		1 meta-analysis 5 papers · n=307 3–20 g 1–8 wk #8 /31
Maintain power across repeated sprints Not enough research Repeated-sprint power matters when short, hard efforts leave little time to recover.
trivial 		1 meta-analysis 9 papers · n=280 3–26.2 g 1–4 wk —
Strengthen executive control Barely detectable Executive control helps you plan, shift gears, and manage impulses when tasks get demanding.
trivial 		1 meta-analysis 2 papers · n=149 3–20 g 6 wk —
Doesn't appear to help 1
Perform better in sport Probably doesn't help Overall sport performance reflects how well you perform across the demands of your sport.
small 		1 meta-analysis 1 papers · n=501 — — —

Effect tiers come from native-unit MCID where available, Cohen's d otherwise.

Protocol

Dose, timing & forms

How much

For strength, lean mass, and repeated hard efforts, the practical maintenance dose is usually 3 to 5 g daily. Trials also commonly use a short loading phase of about 20 g/day, divided across the day for 5 to 7 days, then switch to maintenance. 1 Training studies often run for roughly 8 weeks or longer, so treat creatine as a daily habit alongside resistance training, not a one-workout booster. 1

When and how long

Consistency matters more than the clock. You can take creatine with a meal, after training, or whenever you are most likely to remember it, because benefits come from building and maintaining muscle stores over days and weeks. 1 If a loading dose upsets your stomach, split it into smaller servings through the day or skip loading and use a daily maintenance dose instead. 1

Forms & standardisation

Creatine monohydrate has by far the strongest human trial coverage for performance, strength, and lean mass. Look for a plain product labeled creatine monohydrate, ideally with third-party quality testing, rather than paying extra for alternative forms that lack the same depth of evidence. 1 Creatine dissolves better in warm liquid, but complete dissolution is not required for it to work. 1

Studied range, by outcome

Outcome Studied range Median effective Duration Evidence
Increase everyday strength — 5.85 g 1–52 wk 40 papers 24 sig. endpoints
Generate more peak power — 18 g <1–12 wk 27 papers 6 sig. endpoints
Build muscle size 3–20 g 12.5 g 1–52 wk 17 papers 16 sig. endpoints
Preserve lean tissue 5–20 g 5 g 1–52 wk 9 papers 5 sig. endpoints
Maintain speed across sprints 20–26.2 g 20 g 1–4 wk 9 papers 4 sig. endpoints
Preserve fat-free mass 2–20 g 5 g 1–14 wk 7 papers 6 sig. endpoints
Restore strength after exercise 2–20 g 3 g <1–5 wk 6 papers 9 sig. endpoints
Recall information across tasks 0.35–20 g 11.1 g 1–6 wk 5 papers 8 sig. endpoints
Cover short distances faster — — 4–16 wk 5 papers
Hold focus through repetitive work 3–20 g 20 g 1–8 wk 5 papers 2 sig. endpoints
Handle daily tasks with steadier thinking 3–40 g — 1–208 wk 4 papers
Plan tasks and adapt to change 3–20 g 5 g 6 wk 2 papers 1 sig. endpoint
Power muscle effort and recovery 4.8–20 g — 14 wk 1 paper
Build all-around athletic ability — — — 1 paper

Adverse events and drug interactions

Safety events

severe vertigo severe
Serous (exudative) retinal detachment (bilateral) severe
acute kidney injury severe
interstitial nephritis severe
pulmonary embolism severe
deep vein thrombosis (left popliteal vein) severe
acute renal failure severe
acute tubular necrosis severe

Drug interactions

ketamine major increases effect
immunosuppressants major increases toxicity
other major increases toxicity
other moderate increases effect
cyclosporine moderate decreases effect
other moderate unknown
amikacin minor decreases effect
Buy well

Recommended Creatine products

Real products that dose Creatine where the research does, in a clean formulation, from brands we've audited. We only list ones we'd stand behind.

Chosen for adequate Creatine dosing vs. the studied range, a clean formulation (grade A–C), and independent brand-quality audits. Not sponsored.

In context

What this is and how it works

  • Across 9 studies (n=477), creatine improved power during repeated hard efforts; a numerical effect and MCID were not reported. 1
  • The review covered 101 papers and 141 outcomes, with evidence strongest for exercise performance, strength, and lean mass.
  • Creatine’s cognitive benefits remain modest, and overall athletic skill does not show a meaningful boost. 2

Creatine is a compound your body makes from amino acids, and you also get small amounts from foods such as meat and fish. Most supplemental creatine comes as a powder that raises the amount stored inside your muscles. 1

During a hard lift or sprint, muscle burns through its immediate fuel in seconds. Stored creatine acts like a spare battery pack, rapidly restoring that fuel so your next burst starts with more charge. 1 Brain cells use the same energy-buffer system, which gives researchers a plausible reason to study memory, though the human cognitive results remain smaller and less certain. 2

Bottom line

Creatine is a strong pick if you lift, sprint, or do repeated high-intensity work and want a small but real edge in strength, lean mass, and hard-effort output. 1 Memory results are interesting but modest, and evidence does not show a meaningful boost to overall athletic skill. 12 If you have kidney concerns, take medicines that affect kidney function, or have had a serious reaction to supplements, get individualized advice before using it. 1

Frequently asked

Common questions

What does creatine actually do?

Creatine increases the supply of phosphocreatine in muscle, a fast energy reserve that helps rebuild the cell's immediate energy currency during short, hard efforts. That is why its clearest benefit shows up in repeated lifting, sprinting, and similar bursts rather than all-around sport skill. 1

How long does creatine take to work?

A loading phase fills muscle stores quickly, often within about a week. Without loading, daily maintenance doses build stores more gradually over several weeks. 1

Does creatine build muscle without training?

Creatine does not replace resistance training. The most useful lean-mass and strength results show up when people pair it with a structured training program. 1

Does creatine improve memory?

A review of controlled trials found a small improvement in memory across tasks, but the cognitive evidence is much thinner than the exercise evidence. It is not a reliable shortcut for broader focus or everyday thinking. 2

Does creatine cause water-weight gain?

Creatine often increases body weight early because it draws more water into muscle cells. That is different from gaining body fat, and later changes in lean mass depend heavily on training and food intake. 1

Sources

Sources

  1. 1. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (2017) ↑
  2. 2. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review and meta-analysis (2018) ↑

Generated August 27, 2026

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