Creatine: should you take it too? 7 things to know before starting | Doctor explains

# Creatine: 7 things to know before taking it

## Introduction

Creatine is known as a supplement for people who exercise, but it is now also discussed in connection with memory, mood, menopause, and even longevity.

So which of these claims have actually been demonstrated? Can it help people who do not exercise? And what should you know before you start taking it?

I'm Dr. Eli, and today we will go through seven things worth knowing about creatine. We will separate established benefits from areas where research is still at an early stage.

## What is creatine?

Creatine is a substance our bodies produce naturally, mainly with the help of the liver and kidneys. We also get it from food, especially meat and fish. Most of the body's creatine is found in the muscles.

To work, cells use a molecule called ATP—a readily available source of energy. During intense effort, muscles use it quickly and need to replenish it. Creatine helps with this process.

You can think of it as part of the cell's system for rapidly recharging its energy supply. That makes it especially relevant when a lot of force is needed over a short period.

And how does it differ from protein? Protein provides building blocks for building and repairing muscle. Creatine supports the energy supply for muscle activity. These are different roles, and one does not replace the other.

*Editing sources: [Creatine production in the body](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17928413/), [NIH overview](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/).*

## Does it improve exercise performance and build muscle?

Yes—this is where the strongest evidence for its effectiveness lies.

When we lift a heavy weight or perform repeated short bursts of effort, creatine can help maintain performance. Sometimes that means an extra repetition or the ability to do more work over several sets. The effect varies between people, and there is no guarantee of an extra repetition every time.

Over weeks and months, that addition can contribute to greater improvements in strength and muscle mass. For example, in a trial in which men trained for 12 weeks, those receiving creatine improved more on some strength measures and had greater muscle-fiber growth than those receiving a placebo. Reviews of multiple studies also support benefits, although not for every outcome or in every study.

So why take a supplement if the body already produces creatine and we get it from food?

In a healthy person, the body usually meets ordinary needs. But muscle creatine stores are not necessarily filled to their maximum level. A supplement can increase them. The aim is to improve performance, not necessarily to correct a deficiency.

Getting several grams from meat alone requires a large amount: using the NIH's estimate of food content, approximately 3 grams are found in about 700 grams of beef, with variation depending on the food and preparation. This illustrates the quantity; it is not a recommendation to eat that way.

What about recovery and muscle soreness after exercise? These have also been studied, but the findings are less consistent. A change in a blood test that measures muscle damage does not necessarily mean less pain or a faster return to the same level of strength.

The better-supported promise is therefore improved performance and adaptation to strength training. For continuous endurance activities, such as long-distance running, the benefit is less clear.

*Editing sources: [Resistance-training trial](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10449017/), [2025 strength and power meta-analysis](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40944139/), [Increasing muscle stores](https://journals.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/jappl.1996.81.1.232), [Recovery review](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9213373/), [NIH: food and types of activity](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/).*

## Does it improve fatigue, mood, or reduce dementia risk?

Here it is important to distinguish between supplying energy inside a cell and our subjective feeling of tiredness.

The fact that creatine helps during exercise does not mean that taking it in the morning will make us feel refreshed all day. Currently, there is not enough research to present it as a general solution for everyday fatigue.

There are interesting studies in specific circumstances. For example, a small trial in people with fatigue after COVID found encouraging results. But it was short, studied a specific population, and also included exercise. We cannot conclude from it that everyone arriving home exhausted after work would feel better with creatine.

If you are persistently tired, the first question is what is causing that fatigue. A supplement's involvement in the body's energy system does not automatically make it a treatment for the reason you are tired.

*Editing source: [2026 post-COVID fatigue trial](https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2026.1731306/full).*

### What about the brain, memory, and mood?

The brain also uses the creatine system. So there is a rationale for investigating whether supplementation can improve its function. But a plausible mechanism is the beginning of research, not proof of benefit.

Some studies found improvements in certain memory and thinking tests. Others had less clear results. A trial involving 123 participants found no statistically significant improvement on its two main tests, although an additional analysis suggested a possible small benefit.

Sleep deprivation is a particularly interesting area. Small studies found that creatine could reduce some of the decline in thinking-test performance after many hours without sleep. But these were specific experimental conditions, sometimes involving high doses. They do not demonstrate that a supplement can replace hours of sleep.

What about mood and depression? In a preliminary trial published in 2025, people with depression who received creatine alongside cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, improved more than those receiving the same therapy with a placebo.

This is an interesting finding, but it comes from a short, preliminary trial. It does not demonstrate that creatine alone treats depression or improves everyone's mood. Anyone considering it as part of depression treatment should do so with their treating clinician, without replacing existing treatment.

As for the promise of “protecting the brain”: improving a memory test today and reducing future dementia risk are different things. There is still no basis for promising that creatine prevents dementia or protects the brain throughout life.

*Editing sources: [Cognition trial](https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-023-03146-5), [Sleep deprivation: 2024](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-54249-9) and [2026](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42075005/), [Creatine added to CBT](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.10.004), [EFSA assessment](https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9100).*

## Who might benefit, and who might not—including vegetarians?

The clearest case is for healthy adults who do strength training or activities involving short, intense efforts and want to improve their performance.

That includes women and older people. But we need to examine which benefit has been demonstrated, rather than assume every health promise applies to every group.

## What about menopause, diabetes, and anti-aging?

For example, in a two-year trial in postmenopausal women, creatine alongside exercise improved walking speed, but did not add to strength gains or improve bone density. Certain changes in bone structure were found, but the trial did not demonstrate fracture prevention.

So when creatine is marketed for “menopause health,” we need to unpack the promise: a possible muscle benefit does not establish a treatment for hot flashes, hormonal changes, or all menopausal symptoms.

There is also preliminary research on blood sugar control. In a small trial in people with type 2 diabetes, creatine alongside exercise improved blood sugar control. This is still not enough to recommend it for preventing diabetes or as a substitute for treatment.

And what about “anti-aging”? An improvement in strength or function is an important outcome in itself, but it does not demonstrate that the supplement extends life. These studies do not support that leap.

If you do not exercise, there is currently no justification for recommending that everyone start taking creatine for general health. Anyone with kidney disease or abnormal kidney tests should seek advice before using it. Safety data during pregnancy and breastfeeding are still limited, so routine use is not recommended here. The doses discussed below are for adults.

*Editing sources: [Postmenopausal women trial](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10487398/), [Supplementation without an exercise program](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31257405/), [Type 2 diabetes trial](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20881878/), [Safety review](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12702719/), [NIH LactMed: breastfeeding](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501853/).*

## Does creatine have side effects?

One change you may see is weight gain. At least some of the initial increase is related to an increase in body water. A higher number on the scale therefore does not necessarily mean you have gained fat.

On the other hand, not every rapid increase should be interpreted as new muscle. Measurements of “lean body mass” also include water. A 2025 trial measured an increase in lean body mass during the very first week, before the exercise program began.

Some people also experience abdominal discomfort or diarrhea, especially with a large dose taken all at once. In a study comparing a single 10-gram dose with two 5-gram doses, more diarrhea was reported in the group taking everything together.

What about the kidneys? In healthy people, studies at the doses tested are generally reassuring. However, they do not establish safety in every medical condition or at every dose.

Creatine can increase creatinine—a blood-test marker used to assess kidney function—without that increase itself proving damage. That is why it is important to tell your doctor you take the supplement. If a result is abnormal, do not decide on your own that it is “just the creatine.”

*Editing sources: [Body water study](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC155510/), [Lean body mass measurement](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40292479/), [Digestive-symptom trial](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18373286/), [Measured kidney filtration trial](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23680457/), [2026 kidney meta-analysis](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42035842/).*

## How to take it: form, dose, and timing

The most extensively studied form is creatine monohydrate. There is no reason to assume that a product with a complicated name or higher price will work better. For example, a study comparing it with a version marketed as improved found no advantage for that version.

For healthy adults, a common protocol is 3 to 5 grams a day, including rest days. The aim is to increase and maintain stores over time.

A “loading phase” is possible: about 20 grams a day, divided into four doses, for five to seven days, followed by the lower daily dose.

But loading is not compulsory. In a study measuring muscle creatine stores, 3 grams a day also raised them gradually over about four weeks. Loading mainly shortens the time needed to fill the stores.

What about before or after a workout? No single time has been shown to be essential for benefit. A study comparing use before and after exercise found no clear advantage for either timing. You can choose a time that is easy to remember and maintain.

It is also important to set expectations: filling the stores does not mean immediately seeing muscles in the mirror. Improvements in strength and muscle mass develop over time, alongside training.

These doses refer to common use in healthy adults. They are not instructions for treating depression, memory problems, or fatigue.

*Editing sources: [Comparison of creatine forms](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3479057/), [NIH: doses](https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/), [Loading versus a lower daily dose](https://journals.physiology.org/doi/10.1152/jappl.1996.81.1.232), [Timing trial](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9708881/).*

## Summary

So what should you remember?

Creatine has established benefits mainly for strength training and short, intense efforts. Research on memory, mood, recovery, and blood sugar control is interesting, but still does not justify all the promises surrounding the supplement.

The decision starts with your goal: what do you want to improve, and does research show that creatine helps with that particular outcome?

If you would also like to understand protein's role in building muscle, the video on eight protein myths will help clarify that too. See you in the next video.