Over a thousand peer-reviewed trials. Safe, cheap, broadly beneficial. Creatine monohydrate has the strongest evidence base of any commercial supplement on the planet — and it costs about ten cents per dose.
💡 Why this matters
Creatine monohydrate has been studied in over 1,000 peer-reviewed trials. It reliably improves strength, lean mass, and high-intensity exercise capacity. Recent research suggests cognitive benefits as well, particularly under sleep deprivation. It is among the safest, cheapest, and best-supported supplements ever marketed.
What it actually is
Creatine is a small organic molecule produced naturally in the liver and kidneys, and obtained from animal foods (red meat, fish). It is stored in muscle as phosphocreatine, which donates a phosphate to recharge ATP — the cell's energy currency — during high-intensity efforts.
Supplementing creatine raises the amount of phosphocreatine your muscles can store, by roughly 20–40%, which translates into measurably more work capacity in efforts lasting under ~30 seconds.
What the research shows
The 2017 ISSN Position Stand reviewed the entire body of literature and concluded creatine "is appropriate, safe, and effective for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass." It cited measurable improvements in strength, sprint performance, work capacity in repeated bouts, and recovery (Kreider et al., 2017).
Recent work has extended the evidence into cognition: creatine may improve cognitive performance, particularly under conditions of sleep deprivation and acute stress.
Dosing
- 3–5 grams per day, every day. Any time of day works — consistency matters more than timing.
- No "loading phase" required unless you want rapid onset. Daily 3–5 g reaches saturation within 3–4 weeks.
- Form: monohydrate. Don't pay extra for HCL, ethyl ester, or "buffered" forms — there is no clinical superiority over plain micronised monohydrate.
- Take it with anything. Water, juice, smoothie, coffee — works the same.
Safety profile
Decades of trials, in healthy adults, have failed to find evidence of kidney damage, liver damage, or cardiovascular harm at recommended doses. The "creatine causes hair loss" claim came from a single study on rugby players that has not been replicated; the consensus position is no significant effect.
If you have known kidney disease, talk to your nephrologist before supplementing.
Who benefits most
Anyone training for strength, power, or high-intensity sports. Vegetarians and vegans see particularly large effects (lower baseline stores). Older adults may benefit cognitively as well as physically. The supplement does not "build muscle" by itself — it lets you train slightly harder, which builds muscle.
The use of creatine as a nutritional supplement is appropriate, safe, and effective for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass.Source: Kreider et al. (2017), International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand.
By the numbers
The cheapest evidence-backed supplement on the market. About $0.10 per dose at typical retail prices.
References
- Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation. JISSN, 14, 18. View source →