Why Creatine Is the Most Important Supplement You're Not Taking

If you could only take one supplement for the rest of your life, it should be creatine. That is not an opinion — it is backed by over 500 peer-reviewed studies spanning more than three decades of research. Creatine is the single most studied supplement in sports nutrition history, and the evidence is overwhelming: it works.

Yet most people still are not taking it. Some think it is only for bodybuilders. Others have heard myths about bloating or kidney damage that have been debunked repeatedly by science. The truth is that creatine is safe, effective, and beneficial for nearly everyone — from competitive athletes to weekend gym-goers to adults over 50 who want to maintain strength and cognitive function as they age.

What Is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in your muscles and brain. Your body produces about 1-2 grams per day from amino acids, and you get additional creatine from foods like red meat and fish. But here is the problem: your body's natural creatine stores are never fully saturated. You are always running at a deficit.

Creatine's primary role is in the phosphocreatine energy system. When you perform short, explosive efforts — a heavy squat, a sprint, a box jump — your muscles burn through ATP (adenosine triphosphate), which is your body's immediate energy currency. Creatine phosphate donates a phosphate group to regenerate ATP, allowing you to produce more force for a few extra seconds. Those extra seconds add up to more reps, heavier loads, and better training adaptations over time.

Supplementing with creatine simply tops off your muscle's creatine stores to their maximum capacity. Think of it like filling your gas tank all the way instead of driving around on three-quarters full.

5 Benefits of Creatine

1. Increased strength and power output. This is the most well-documented benefit of creatine supplementation. Studies consistently show that creatine increases maximal strength by 5 to 10 percent and power output by 5 to 15 percent. For a lifter squatting 300 pounds, that could mean an additional 15 to 30 pounds on the bar. Over months and years of training, that compounding effect is massive.

2. Faster muscle recovery. Creatine has been shown to reduce muscle cell damage and inflammation following intense exercise. This means less soreness between sessions and the ability to train harder more frequently. When you recover faster, you can accumulate more quality training volume — the primary driver of long-term progress.

3. Lean muscle growth. Creatine enhances the signals that drive muscle protein synthesis and increases the water content within muscle cells, creating a more anabolic environment. Research shows that creatine supplementation combined with resistance training produces significantly greater gains in lean body mass compared to training alone.

4. Cognitive function support. Your brain is one of the most metabolically active organs in your body and relies heavily on ATP. Emerging research shows that creatine supplementation can improve short-term memory, reasoning, and mental fatigue resistance. This is especially relevant for people under stress, those who are sleep-deprived, or older adults experiencing age-related cognitive decline.

5. Safe and well-researched. The International Society of Sports Nutrition has stated that creatine monohydrate is the most effective nutritional supplement available for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass. Long-term studies — some lasting over five years — have found no adverse effects on kidney function, liver function, or overall health in healthy individuals. It is one of the few supplements that actually lives up to its claims.

Who Should Take Creatine?

The short answer: almost everyone who trains. Creatine is not just for powerlifters or bodybuilders. If you do any form of resistance training, high-intensity interval training, or sport that involves explosive movements, creatine will help you perform better and recover faster.

Athletes benefit from the direct performance improvements. Recreational gym-goers benefit from the ability to push harder and build more muscle over time. Aging adults benefit from creatine's protective effects on muscle mass and cognitive function — both of which naturally decline with age.

Even if you are primarily focused on fat loss, creatine helps. Maintaining muscle mass during a caloric deficit is critical for preserving your metabolic rate and achieving a lean, strong physique rather than just a smaller version of your current body.

How to Take Creatine

The effective dose is 5 grams per day, every day. That is it. No complicated loading protocol is necessary. While some people choose to do a loading phase of 20 grams per day for 5-7 days to saturate their muscles faster, simply taking 5 grams daily will get you to the same saturation point within about 3-4 weeks.

Timing does not matter much. Take it whenever it is most convenient for you — with your morning coffee, in your post-workout shake, or with dinner. The key is consistency. Creatine works by keeping your muscle stores topped off over time, so daily supplementation is what matters, not precise timing.

Creatine monohydrate is the gold standard form. Despite what supplement companies would like you to believe, no other form of creatine — ethyl ester, hydrochloride, buffered, or otherwise — has been shown to be more effective than plain creatine monohydrate. Save your money and stick with what the research supports.

Our Top Creatine Picks

We recommend Thorne supplements because every product is NSF Certified for Sport — meaning it has been independently tested for purity, potency, and banned substances. This matters whether you are a competitive athlete or just someone who wants to know exactly what is in your supplement. Here are our three go-to creatine products:

Black Iron Athletics is a Thorne affiliate partner.