Creatine
Helps with strength and short high-intensity efforts; the evidence is strong
What it is
Creatine monohydrate raises creatine stores in muscle. They supply energy for short, intense efforts such as sprinting and lifting weights. According to AIS, there is no scientific reason to take any form of creatine other than monohydrate.
Benefits
ISSN calls it the most effective supplement for high-intensity exercise capacity and lean mass. After loading, performance in intense repeated efforts generally rises by 10–20%. Combined with resistance training it improves strength, muscular endurance and muscle growth (AIS). EFSA accepted the effect on strength in adults over 55.
Dose
3–5 g a day: muscle stores fill up over 3–4 weeks (ISSN, AIS). Faster with loading: about 20 g a day (4 doses of 5 g, or ~0.3 g/kg per day) for 5–7 days, then 3–5 g a day (ISSN, IOC). Larger athletes may need 5–10 g a day to maintain stores (ISSN). EFSA: at least 3 g a day.
When to take it
Taking it every day matters more than the time of day: per EFSA, in adults over 55 taking it on training days only showed no effect. There is little data that after exercise beats before (AIS). Take it with a meal containing carbohydrate, which improves creatine retention. Drink it right after mixing: creatine degrades quickly in liquid.
Who it's for
People doing resistance or interval training, or team sports with repeated sprints. Vegetarians have lower muscle creatine stores, so their gain from supplementation may be larger (ISSN, AIS).
Who can skip it
In endurance sports such as distance running or swimming it is of little value, and the weight gain may get in the way (NIH ODS). After loading, body mass may rise by 1–2 kg, mostly water, which is a drawback where body weight matters (IOC).
Forms
Besides monohydrate, citrate, ethyl ester, buffered creatine, nitrate and hydrochloride are sold. ISSN: clinical evidence has not shown that citrate, ethyl ester, buffered forms or nitrate are retained in muscle better than monohydrate. In head-to-head trials ethyl ester gave no advantage over monohydrate (muscle creatine did not differ, serum creatine was lower), and the buffered form showed no advantage in either effect or side effects. A 2022 review: hydrochloride did not prove more effective, and there is no evidence that micronized monohydrate is better absorbed.
Safety
The only consistently reported side effect is weight gain (ISSN). Long-term use showed no harm in healthy people: up to 4 years per IOC, up to 30 g a day for 5 years per ISSN. No compelling evidence of kidney harm; with kidney disease, ask a doctor first. Mild gut upset is sometimes reported (AIS). No pregnancy guidance found: see a doctor first.
This is a summary of public sources, not medical advice. If you have a health condition, are pregnant or take medication, talk to a doctor before taking a supplement.
Sources
- ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine . ISSN, 2017.
- IOC consensus statement: dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete . IOC, 2018.
- AIS Sports Supplement Framework — Creatine Monohydrate, Practitioner Fact Sheet . AIS, 2025.
- Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance — Health Professional Fact Sheet . NIH ODS, 2024.
- Creatine in combination with resistance training and improvement in muscle strength: evaluation of a health claim . EFSA, 2016.
- Bioavailability, Efficacy, Safety, and Regulatory Status of Creatine and Related Compounds: A Critical Review . Nutrients, 2022.
- A buffered form of creatine does not promote greater changes in muscle creatine content, body composition, or training adaptations than creatine monohydrate . Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2012.
- The effects of creatine ethyl ester supplementation combined with heavy resistance training on body composition, muscle performance, and serum and muscle creatine levels . Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2009.
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