How it works
Creatine is stored in muscle mainly as phosphocreatine, which donates a phosphate group to regenerate ATP, the cell's immediate energy currency, during short, intense efforts such as sprints and heavy lifts. Diet (mostly meat and fish) and the body's own synthesis keep muscle stores at roughly 60–80% of their maximum. Supplementing tops them up, so you can do slightly more work across repeated hard bouts. Over weeks, that extra volume, plus greater cell hydration and possible effects on muscle signaling, is thought to explain the bigger gains in strength and fat-free mass seen in research.
What research supports
- Improves performance in repeated short, high-intensity efforts such as sprints, jumps and lifting sets
- Enhances gains in maximal strength and power when combined with resistance training
- Increases lean body mass over weeks of training (part of the early gain is water stored inside muscle)
- May help recovery between sessions and tolerance of heavy training blocks
- Researchers are also looking at older adults, brain energy metabolism and rehab, but these uses are less established
Dosage
Typical research dose: 3–5 g per day (about 0.03–0.05 g/kg/day for maintenance). Optional loading phase: about 0.3 g/kg/day (roughly 20 g/day split into four doses) for 5–7 days, which saturates muscle faster. Without loading, stores saturate in about 3–4 weeks.
Timing
Taking it every day, rest days included, matters far more than when you take it. The benefit comes from saturated muscle stores, not an acute hit. Some studies show a small edge when it's taken around training with carbohydrate and protein, which may slightly improve uptake, but the difference is minor. Mix it into any drink or meal. Creatine monohydrate is stable as a powder and in a drink you finish within a few hours.
Side effects
- Body weight gain of around 1–2 kg in the first weeks, mostly water stored in muscle
- Stomach discomfort or loose stools in some people, mostly with large single doses (splitting doses usually helps)
- Claims that creatine causes dehydration, cramping or hair loss are not supported by consistent evidence
Cautions
- People with existing kidney disease, or who take medications that affect kidney function, should speak with a doctor before use
- Creatine raises blood creatinine slightly, which can be misread on a kidney function test; tell your doctor if you supplement
- Weight gain may matter for athletes in weight-class or weight-sensitive sports
- Athletes subject to anti-doping rules should only use products certified by an independent third-party testing program for banned substances; certification lowers, but does not eliminate, the risk of contamination.
Food sources
Beef, Pork, Chicken, Salmon, herring and other fish.