Is creatine worth taking?

What the studies we have published say — strongest evidence first. Every claim below links to the paper it came from.

1. A meta-analysis of 14 randomised trials (763 women across reproductive stages) found that adding protein, amino acids or creatine to exercise produced no significant improvement in skeletal muscle mass, appendicular lean mass, fat-free mass, bone mineral content or bone mineral density; only bench press (g = 0.279) and handgrip strength (g = 0.412) improved significantly, with no increase in adverse events.

   well supported · human data

   Pooled from just 14 RCTs totalling 763 women, lumping together whole proteins, amino acids and creatine monohydrate, very different compounds, so heterogeneity is high and the null may hide effects of specific supplements. The authors note that trials were mostly shorter than 12 months and lacked site-specific bone measurements, and no head-to-head comparisons exist.

   Read the breakdown →Nutritional Supplementation Combined with Exercise for Musculoskeletal Health in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Evaluating Proteins, Amino Acids, and Creatine across Reproductive Stages. Int J Med Sci 2026

2. Creatine monohydrate is the most robustly supported sports supplement there is: a large body of human trials and the ISSN position stand agree it reliably improves high-intensity performance and, with training, gains in strength and lean mass.

   well supported · human data
   Read the breakdown →Kreider RB, et al. ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2017;14:18

3. In 60 recreational CrossFit athletes aged 40 and over, both ischaemic preconditioning and cold compression lowered creatine kinase at 72 hours versus passive rest, but their effects diverged: ischaemic preconditioning showed the clearest skin-level perfusion signal while cold compression improved perceived recovery and short-term reactive strength.

   preliminary · human data

   Single 2-week randomised repeated-measures trial, 60 athletes aged 40+ allocated 1:1:1; only tissue perfusion was a confirmatory endpoint and the authors state the results are not evidence of endothelial function or deep muscle perfusion.

   Read the breakdown →Differential effects of ischemic preconditioning and cold compression on recovery in recreational crossfit athletes aged ≥ 40 years: a 2-week randomized controlled trial. Sci Rep 2026

4. Creatine monohydrate did not improve endurance performance in trained people across 13 placebo-controlled trials, with a trivial, non-significant pooled effect of -0.07.

   well supported · human data

   Meta-analysis of 13 placebo-controlled trials in trained populations only; endurance tests varied between studies; the finding does not contradict creatine's established benefit for short, high-intensity exercise.

   Read the breakdown →Effects of Creatine Monohydrate on Endurance Performance in a Trained Population: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med 2023

5. A 2026 meta-analysis in postmenopausal women found that creatine (around 5 g a day) alongside resistance training produced small but real gains in lean mass and leg strength, with no change in bone density and no safety signals.

   well supported · human data

   Pooled from seven trials (608 women, median 38 weeks). Gains were modest, about 0.4 kg lean mass, and appeared mainly at ≥5 g a day with training; several trials had some risk-of-bias concerns, and bone density did not move.

   Read the breakdown →Creatine monohydrate for lean mass, strength, and bone density in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2026

6. A systematic review of 17 randomised trials suggests creatine adds to gains in strength, functional capacity and lean mass in healthy older adults, but only as continuous daily low-dose supplementation combined with at least 12 weeks of resistance training, with effects more consistent in older women.

   preliminary · human data

   Systematic review of 17 heterogeneous RCTs in healthy older adults without pooled effect sizes; no additive benefit was found for mental health outcomes, and optimal dosing and duration remain undetermined.

   Read the breakdown →The Additive Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Exercise Training in an Aging Population: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. J Geriatr Phys Ther 2020

This page collects what our published, cited studies say; it is information, not medical advice. Have a different question? Ask it here.