Creatine Supplementation: Is It For Me?

Creatine Supplementation: Benefits, Safety, and Efficacy

Creatine is one of the most researched and widely used dietary supplements, particularly among athletes and fitness enthusiasts. Its popularity stems from its ability to enhance physical performance, but emerging research suggests it also has cognitive benefits. This blog post explores the science behind creatine supplementation, its physical and cognitive benefits, and its safety and efficacy. To be blunt, it's a supplement that's almost a non-negotiable nowadays.

What is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in muscle cells, primarily sourced from foods like red meat and fish (it can be found in lesser extents in chicken and dairy products). It plays a critical role in energy production by replenishing ATP, which you may remember from high school science class as the primary energy source of our cells. Creatine monohydrate, the most common and well-studied form of creatine, is typically taken as a powder or capsule supplement to boost muscle creatine stores to enhance performance and recovery.

Physical Benefits of Creatine

1. Enhanced Muscle Strength and Power

I will attempt to not bore you with the more science-y aspects of what's happening in the body when you take creatine and how it gets broken down, just know by taking creatine it allows for faster ATP regeneration in the body. This leads to improved performance in high-intensity exercises. Studies consistently show that creatine enhances strength, power output, and muscle mass, particularly when combined with resistance training.

2. Improved Exercise Recovery

Creatine reduces muscle soreness and inflammation post-exercise, aiding recovery. The more energy your body has (that ATP molecule again), the more energy it has to use not only during your workouts, but when your body recovers from those workouts as well. Numerous studies have been conducted on the recovery aspect of supplemental creatine and how it lowers fatigue. So if you're feeling sluggish post exercise, you'll notice a difference in your energy levels after taking it.

3. Increased Muscle Mass

Creatine promotes muscle hypertrophy by increasing water retention in muscle cells, giving those cells more energy to work with, and possibly stimulating protein synthesis. This effect is particularly pronounced in individuals engaging in resistance training. There are plenty of studies done showing correlation between having more muscle mass and better quality of life. Higher lean body mass often accompanies things like lower heart disease rates, higher bone density, more regulated blood pressure and a myriad of other benefits.

Cognitive Benefits of Creatine

Beyond its physical benefits, creatine is gaining attention for its potential to enhance brain function. The brain, like muscles, relies on ATP for energy, and creatine supplementation may support cognitive performance, especially under stress or other particular populations of people.

1. Improved Memory and Cognitive Performance

Creatine may enhance short-term memory and cognitive processing, particularly in tasks requiring high mental effort. This is likely due to increased ATP availability in brain cells.

2. Neuroprotection and Cognitive Support in Aging

Creatine may protect against neurodegenerative diseases and support cognitive function in aging populations by maintaining cellular energy homeostasis (sorry for the science-y word). Studies have suggested that creatine supplementation could mitigate cognitive decline, even with people who have conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

3. Mental Fatigue Resistance

Creatine may reduce mental fatigue during demanding cognitive tasks, making it beneficial for students, professionals, athletes, or anyone under higher stress levels. There has been more recent, emerging studies that have shown creatine supplementation to help with people who are sleep deprived. Taking a larger dose of creatine when under sleep deprivation has been shown to help with mental fatigue (does brain fog sound familiar?), and things like memory recall and other cognitive benefits.

Safety and Efficacy of Creatine

Creatine monohydrate is one of the safest and most well-studied supplements available. Decades of research show minimal adverse effects when used at recommended doses (3–5 grams per day). In 2025, there is now research showing taking even larger doses (10-20 grams per day) can be seen as safe to do.

• Kidney and Liver Function: Concerns about creatine harming kidneys or liver have been largely debunked. You can find plenty of studies and papers (like this one) showing that there isn't any data to support this rumor.

• Weight Gain: Creatine can cause temporary water retention, leading to slight weight gain, which is typically muscle water content and NOT FAT.
  

• Gastrointestinal Issues: Some users report mild gastrointestinal discomfort, which can often be mitigated by taking creatine with food or using micronized forms.
  

Who Should Consider Creatine?

Creatine is beneficial for:

• Athletes and fitness enthusiasts seeking improved strength, power, and recovery.

• Individuals engaging in resistance training to maximize muscle growth.

• Vegetarians or older adults who may have lower baseline creatine levels and could benefit from cognitive support.

• Those under mental stress or sleep deprivation looking to enhance cognitive performance.

• In my personal opinion...just about everyone!

How to Take Creatine

• Dosage: 3–5 g/day of creatine monohydrate is sufficient for most people.

• Timing: Timing is not critical; take it at a convenient time, ideally with a meal to enhance absorption.

• Form: Stick to creatine monohydrate for its proven efficacy and affordability. Other forms lack sufficient evidence and are more expensive.

Mix it in your water, your morning coffee, your daily protein shake...anything really. My suggestion (stealing from James Clear's "Atomic Habits" here) is to add it onto a daily ritual you already do. Personally, I love coffee and I make it every morning. I keep my creatine right next to my French Press as a reminder to just take a scoop and throw it in. This way I'm not giving myself another thing to think about doing throughout my day since I'm going to be for sure having my morning coffee. For you non-coffee drinkers (I don't know how ya'll do it), add it to something else and keep it in plain sight, preferably next to something you already do every day.

Creatine monohydrate is a safe, effective, and well-researched supplement with robust benefits for physical performance, long term health and emerging evidence for cognitive enhancement. Whether you’re an athlete aiming to boost strength or someone seeking to support brain health, creatine offers an easy and accessible way to access those benefits!

Always consult a healthcare professional before starting supplementation, especially if you have pre-existing medical conditions.

By incorporating creatine into your routine, you can unlock its potential to enhance both body and mind with the comfort knowing it's backed by science.

Note: This blog post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a healthcare provider before starting any supplement regimen.