Why Is Everyone Talking About Creatine?

Like protein powder before it, creatine—yes, “the stuff bodybuilders take,” as a coworker called it—is going mainstream. Here’s everything you need to know before you jump on the creatine bandwagon.

What is creatine and what are its benefits?

Creatine is an organic acid—similar to an amino acid, which makes up protein. Our bodies produce creatine; it’s also found in animal-based foods like red meat, poultry and seafood, as well as in supplement form via either a pill or a powder (the latter of which you can mix into water or other liquids, or sprinkle over food).

Adding creatine, either through your diet or a supplement, in combination with strength training has been shown in study after study to improve muscle mass and strength. 

More recently, it’s being explored for other potential upsides, too. “Creatine was discovered for muscle, but now it's actually having not only bone, but also some brain benefits,” says Darren G. Candow, a professor and the director of the Aging Muscle & Bone Health Laboratory at the University of Regina, and one of the authors of a two-year study into creatine and its effects on bone health in postmenopausal women. According to another recent study, creatine could help with memory and cognition when you’re sleep deprived. Scientists are also studying if it could help decrease depression symptoms when taken in conjunction with depression medication.

How can creatine help with healthy aging and menopause?

First up: your muscles. Adding creatine to an exercise program is “really beneficial for trying to offset the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength,” Candow says. (Menopause can accelerate muscle loss, meaning strength training is especially important for aging women.)

Postmenopausal women—whose bodies no longer produce estrogen, which helps keep bones strong—are at increased risk of osteoporosis. Creatine paired with exercise can act “as a fuel for our bone cells,” Candow says. “Creatine not only preserves bone mineral density, but it also improves bone strength.” That, in turn, might make bones more resistant to fracture. Candow’s next goal is to study creatine specifically in older women with osteoporosis to see how it might benefit them. 

But creatine isn’t a magical pill. As noted, it needs to be paired with exercise for best results. “You can't just take it and sit on the couch,” says Candow. “You need to do weight-bearing exercises.” Two possible exceptions are people with injuries and older adults on bed rest; the rest of us will need to dust off our free weights.

Can you get the benefits of creatine without a supplement?

Technically you could get enough creatine through diet, Candow says—but it would be pretty hard. “The dose that seems to be effective for muscle is about 3 to 5 grams [per day]. For bone, it's about 8 grams per day. And then the brain, we think, is even higher.” That much creatine is difficult—not to mention costly from both a budgetary and environmental perspective (think, multiple servings of meat or seafood per day)—to get through your diet alone.

How and when to take creatine

Candow says to start with 3 grams per day—that’s the lowest dose that’s been shown to be beneficial for muscles—and then work your way up to 5 grams or more. (A kitchen scale is the easiest, best way to ensure an accurate measure. Don't have a scale? A three-gram serving is the rough equivalent of a teaspoon.)

Candow takes 10 grams of creatine a day—5 grams sprinkled on his breakfast and 5 grams in water after he works out. 

Are there any potential drawbacks to creatine? 

Creatine can cause bloating and water retention at first, depending on your dose. Starting with a lower daily dose and dividing it into two servings—as Candow does—can help avoid these symptoms.

What should you look for when buying creatine?

You should be buying creatine monohydrate, says Candow. You’ll find supplements with other kinds of creatine, but they haven’t been shown to be as effective. And, because there are also multi-ingredient compounds for sale, make sure what you’re buying is just creatine monohydrate—one ingredient, that’s it. Finally, “make sure that on the label it clearly shows that it's certified safe or third-party tested by an independent organization,” says Candow. 

Are creatine supplements vegan? 

As a supplement, Candow says that creatine is primarily vegan. (But in your diet, it’s not, because it’s found in animal muscle—whether it’s red meat, seafood or poultry.)

Getting started with creatine

Creatine is generally quite safe and well-researched, Candow says, but if you’re on any kind of medication, talk to your doctor before adding it to your diet.

What does creatine taste like? 

Creatine powder doesn’t have a strong taste, depending on how you prepare it. Try mixing it with a cup of water; you’ll likely notice a slightly chalky taste—but the colder the water, the less you’ll taste the creatine. 

We Tried It: Nutratology Creatine Monohydrate, $25 for 425 g (on sale for $20!)

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