Creatine: What It Actually Does and Who It Helps
Creatine is one of the most talked-about supplements in the gym — and also one of the most misunderstood. This guide cuts through the hype and explains what creatine is, what the research actually shows, and who is likely to benefit.
What is it?
Creatine is a compound your body makes naturally and also gets from foods like meat and fish. It is stored mostly in muscle as , where it helps regenerate — the body's fast energy source for short, hard efforts like lifting or sprinting.
The most studied form by far is . Fancier forms exist but do not consistently outperform it in research.
What does the research suggest?
Creatine is one of the most researched on the planet. and the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand report consistent benefits for strength, power output and performance in repeated high-intensity efforts in trained and untrained adults.
It is generally considered safe in healthy adults at standard doses, and has been studied for months and years at a time without signs of harm to kidney function in healthy people.
What does this mean in real life?
For most people training for strength, or repeated hard efforts, creatine offers a small but reliable performance edge over time. It will not transform your physique on its own — training, food and sleep do the heavy lifting — but it can help you train slightly harder, which adds up.
Who might benefit?
- Gym-goers training for strength or muscle growth.
- Athletes in sports with short, repeated bursts (rugby, football, combat sports).
- Vegetarians and vegans, who tend to have lower baseline creatine stores.
- Older adults supporting strength and muscle alongside resistance training.
Who should be cautious?
Anyone with kidney disease or a medical condition affecting kidney function should speak to a doctor before using creatine. Pregnant or breastfeeding people, under-18s and anyone on medication should also check with a healthcare professional first.
Body Wealth practical takeaway
A simple, evidence-aligned approach:
- Use plain . Cheap and effective.
- 3–5 g per day, every day. Timing does not matter much — pick something you'll stick to.
- A "loading phase" is optional, not required. It just gets stores topped up faster.
- Expect a small weight increase from extra water inside muscle — this is normal and not fat gain.