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Creatine

Creatine

Best for

Hold power across repeated sprints

Large effect, needs confirmation · 20–20000 g/day for 1–4 weeks · 1 meta-analysis , n=244

99 papers · 18 claims · 180 outcomes scored · 17 positive

Evidence summary

Evidence summary

Likely benefit

Creatine likely benefits high-intensity exercise performance and muscle phosphocreatine stores, with the clearest gains in short, repeated bursts and smaller or mixed effects for recovery and cognition.

  • Across 9 studies (n=477), creatine improved explosive-fuel reserves and short-burst performance, a noticeable change for repeated efforts.3
  • Creatine spans 99 papers and 180 outcomes, with strongest evidence for strength, power, and repeated sprint work.
  • Creatine monohydrate dominates the evidence, and cognitive gains are smaller and less consistent than gym effects.

Outcomes

What creatine actually does, by outcome

Each row is one outcome with effect size, evidence base, the dose that worked in trials, and time to first effect. Magnitude tiers come from native-unit MCID where available, Cohen's d otherwise.

Hold power across repeated sprints Large effect, needs confirmation

Burst speed and power fade less as efforts stack up.

8 meta-analyses n=244 20–20000 g 1–4 wk #2/14
25505854·39441446·41470776·10362452 +4 more
Speed up thinking and reactions Promising early signal

Shortens the gap between seeing a question and having the answer.

5 meta-analyses n=1.3k 0.35–10000 mg 1–260 wk #3/28
21118604·25668262·35805647·38418482 +1 more
Build explosive fuel reserves in muscle Likely benefit

Your muscles stockpile more of the compounds that power sprints and heavy lifts.

9 meta-analyses n=477 0.3–20000 g 1–14 wk #1/3
12560406·1327657·24576864·25505854 +5 more
Raise peak oxygen capacity Likely benefit

Higher aerobic ceiling gives more headroom at race pace.

3 meta-analyses n=475 10–20000 mg 1–6 wk #1/32
19909536·20716911·34859731
Build and keep muscle Proven modest benefit

More muscle tissue, better body composition, and size that reflects the work you put in.

18 meta-analyses n=5.2k 0.1–100 g 1–52 wk #2/21
19242554·24530883·25993883·28054322 +14 more
Build stronger muscles Proven modest benefit

Higher one-rep max, stronger grip, and more force from every muscle group.

37 meta-analyses n=5.2k 0.03–20000 g 1–52 wk #1/38
10362452·18044100·19242554·23740606 +33 more
Strengthen your memory Likely modest benefit

Names, conversations, faces, and details stick instead of dissolving.

5 meta-analyses n=1.5k 0.35–20 g 1–6 wk #4/42
21118604·35984306·39070254·37968687 +1 more
Boost overall cognitive performance Not enough research

Broad gains in memory, speed, and mental sharpness at once.

4 meta-analyses n=323 3–100 g 1–208 wk #7/21
25632150·28701493·36960692·39070254
Sharpen focus and mental stamina Faint early signal

Concentrate longer, resist distraction, and stay mentally sharp through demanding tasks.

5 meta-analyses n=307 3–20 g 1–8 wk
39070254·21118604·25632150·41470776 +1 more
Lose body fat Proven but unnoticeable

Body fat percentage drops and the mirror shows it before the scale does.

22 meta-analyses n=6.8k 0.1–5000 mg 1–52 wk #2/56
10362452·11842271·18309444·19387386 +18 more
Jump higher and react faster Likely real but unnoticeable

More explosive takeoff force and quicker ground contact.

13 meta-analyses n=4.8k 2–20000 g 1–8 wk #3/12
10362452·23897021·24991195·28901216 +9 more
Boost sprint speed and peak power Proven but unnoticeable

More watts and faster times in short all-out efforts.

21 meta-analyses n=4.0k 0.03–300 g 0–6 wk #2/21
10362452·11842271·19387386·21921817 +17 more
Last longer before giving out Proven but unnoticeable

More reps, more miles, and a higher ceiling before fatigue forces you to stop.

19 meta-analyses n=1.6k 0.03–3000 g 0–8 wk #7/40
19909536·34859731·38684388·9760327 +15 more
Sharpen accuracy and agility in sport Not enough research

Execute skills more precisely when fatigue and pressure mount.

2 meta-analyses n=521 0.03–100 mg/kg — #10/14
21324203·30935142
Move more easily with aging Likely real but unnoticeable

Stand, walk, turn, and handle stairs with less effort and more confidence.

6 meta-analyses n=478 0.1–25 g 1–52 wk #1/22
24576864·31542747·33466233·39683542 +2 more
Strengthen planning and mental control Barely detectable

Organize priorities, switch tasks, and catch mistakes more easily.

2 meta-analyses n=149 3–20 g 6 wk #6/28
14561278·39070254
Improve overall sleep quality Barely detectable

Deeper, less interrupted nights that leave you recharged by morning.

2 RCTs n=51 20 g 1 wk
38606895·41470776
Recover faster after exercise Likely benefit

Less soreness, less inflammation, and quicker return to form after hard training.

7 meta-analyses n=853 2–300 g 0–8 wk
29722252·33631721·35218552·40507040 +3 more

Forms & standardisation

Creatine monohydrate dominates the evidence by a mile. It's the form used in the classic muscle-loading studies, the major performance reviews, and the sports-nutrition position stands, so plain monohydrate beats flashy "buffered," "alkaline," or proprietary blends unless a label shows real head-to-head data.248 Look for "creatine monohydrate" clearly listed on the label, and treat vague "creatine matrix" language as marketing, not science.4

Risk profile

Adverse events and known 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

Co-studied with

Supplements that share evidence with creatine

Glucose 21 shared outcomes · d=1.07
Calcium 15 shared outcomes · d=0.49
Vitamind 10 shared outcomes · d=0.23
Protein 6 shared outcomes · d=0.49
Sodium 5 shared outcomes · d=1.02
Magnesium 5 shared outcomes · d=1.02
Potassium 5 shared outcomes · d=1.02
Caffeine 4 shared outcomes · d=0.59
Coffee 3 shared outcomes · d=0.38

Frequently asked

Common questions

Is creatine just for bodybuilders?

No. The strongest evidence is still for lifting, sprinting, and other hard-effort training, but creatine also suggests small gains in memory and mental speed in some studies.3467

Do you need a loading phase?

No, but it fills the tank faster. A classic loading phase uses 20 g/day for 5-7 days, while 3-5 g/day reaches similar muscle saturation more slowly if you stay consistent.24

Does creatine make you gain water weight?

Often yes at first, but that early bump usually reflects extra water pulled into muscle, not fat gain. Over time, studies also show small but real increases in lean mass when you pair creatine with training.35

Does creatine help your brain?

Research suggests small benefits for memory, and early findings hint at faster thinking in some situations. The signal looks stronger when the brain is under stress, like sleep loss or heavy mental work, or when baseline creatine stores run lower.67

What form of creatine works best?

Creatine monohydrate. It owns the trial history by a mile, and higher-priced versions still haven't beaten it in convincing head-to-head evidence.48

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Sources

  1. 1. Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation (1992) ↑
  2. 2. Muscle creatine loading in men (1996)
  3. 3. Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis (2003) ↑
  4. 4. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (2017) ↑
  5. 5. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis (2017)
  6. 6. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (2018) ↑
  7. 7. Oral creatine monohydrate supplementation improves brain performance: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial (2003) ↑
  8. 8. Creatine supplementation with specific view to exercise/sports performance: an update (2012) ↑

Generated May 11, 2026

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