Most People On These Popular Diets Aren’t Getting Enough Creatine, Study Finds

Your body needs creatine to function. At a minimum, your body uses about 1–2 grams of creatine1 per day, primarily to maintain energy production in muscle and brain cells. Roughly half of the creatine we need each day comes from food (specifically animal proteins), while the rest is made in the body from amino acids.

However, a new analysis of national nutrition data suggests that many Americans (especially those following certain “special diets”) may not be getting enough creatine2 from food alone. 

This study analyzed 20 years of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), spanning 2003 to 2023. Researchers identified 8,407 participants (ages 1 and up) who reported following a specific diet pattern. They identified 13 special diet patterns, including those like a vegan, vegetarian, low-carbohydrate, gluten-free, low-fat, weight-loss, or renal diets.

The researchers estimated how much creatine participants consumed from food (not supplements). As creatine is a compound that’s stored in the muscle tissue of animals, the key dietary sources of this compound include meat, poultry, and fish. Intake of 1 gram per day or more was classified as adequate; less than 1 gram per day was considered inadequate.

The body is able to make some creatine on its own from three amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine. You get these amino acids as a result of protein digestion. So, the idea is that people should reach 2 grams of creatine a day through direct diet sources and internal production. 

Across all diets, average creatine intake from food was just 0.82 grams per day, and nearly 70% of participants fell below the 1-gram threshold.

The prevalence of low intake varied by diet type. Those following low-carbohydrate diets (which tend to emphasize animal protein) were less likely to fall short.

Meanwhile, gluten-free, weight-loss, vegan, and vegetarian diets showed higher rates of inadequate intake. And women were more likely than men to fall below the cutoff across several categories.

Creatine is a substance that acts as a quick energy source for our cells. About 95% of creatine is stored in muscle tissue, which is how (and why) it’s most known for its role in helping people power through workouts and build muscle. Some creatine is also stored in the brain, and research continues to show impressive cognitive benefits of the compounds.*

However, in order to reap creatine’s full potential, your creatine stores have to be saturated. And that’s really hard (if not impossible) to do through diet alone. Previous research indicates that people who eat meat and produce creatine efficiently typically have only 60–80% of their creatine stores filled. 

Research consistently shows that daily creatine supplementation is the most reliable way to fully saturate muscle creatine stores.* Just taking a daily dose of 3–5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day can saturate your stores in a month (or less).*

There are so many creatine supplements out there that it can be challenging to decipher what’s best. 

Our top pick is this creatine with taurine. It not only provides an optimal dose of creatine, but it also contains 2 grams of taurine—an amino acid that further supports muscles and brain (in addition to heart health and longevity).*