Everyone Is Seemingly Obsessed With Creatine — Does The Research Match The Hype?

It’s not in your head. Everyone seems to be talking about creatine these days, and not just the extreme fitness enthusiasts. Creatine has entered the chat in pilates studios, run clubs, PTA meetings, and (heck) it’s even come up at my book club meeting. People, especially women, are curious whether this supplement is worth the hype—something that will actually improve their health. 

To start, let’s review exactly what creatine is. Creatine is a substance that acts as a quick energy source for cells. Around 95% of your creatine stores are located in muscle tissue, which is why it’s most known for helping folks power through workouts. 

And there are several ways you can get creatine. The first is through animal proteins like meat, poultry, and fish (remember: mammals store creatine in muscles!). The next is through endogenous production (aka your body makes creatine on its own from three amino acids). 

However, you only experience the true benefits of creatine (more on those in a bit) when your stores are completely saturated. But diet and endogenous production of creatine typically only fill your stores to 60% (maybe up to 80%)1 of capacity. Of note, women have about 70-80% lower creatine stores than men, so many women are starting at even more of a deficit.  

The gym bros were right about something: Taking creatine in addition to strength training helps you build more muscle and strength2 than strength training alone.*

But you don’t have to be an Olympic athlete or bodybuilder to see the difference. No matter what your starting point is (whether you're new to weight training, training a couple of times a week, or getting back into it after a break), creatine gives your muscles an edge.* 

In turn, building muscle mass also improves your body composition by increasing lean mass and decreasing fat mass.*

A 2024 review3 found that people taking creatine daily gained an average of 2.5 pounds of muscle mass from strength training and lost about 1.6 pounds of fat mass—a meaningful amount more than those who just exercised.* 

Creatine has also garnered recent attention for its role in promoting cognition. While the majority of creatine is stored in muscles, much of the remaining creatine is found in the brain. 

And the brain can effectively tap into creatine when you need a burst of mental energy, such as during complex tasks or recalling a memory. 

Decades of research indicate that creatine supplements are safe and effective for most adults. A recent review of 685 studies (!!) confirmed the impressive safety profile. 

Taking 5 grams of creatine a day, even on rest days, is enough to experience all the benefits listed above. You may start to notice improvements in strength and power within two weeks, but it takes a full four weeks to saturate your stores and support lean muscle mass and cognitive function.†  

You just want to make sure to pick a high-quality supplement. That means looking for creatine monohydrate and avoiding creatine gummies.

Creatine’s benefits do match the hype. The caveat is that you also need to participate in strength training.* Supplementation may be especially beneficial for women and people over 40.