Creatine
What’s New This Month
- Lean mass: A 2026 review of 37 trials in men aged 18 to 30 found fat-free mass rose 3.39 kg in the 12 trials that paired creatine with resistance training, and did not rise without training. 1
- Postmenopausal women: A 2026 review of 7 trials in 608 women found lean mass up 0.37 kg and leg-press strength up 7.5 kg; bone density did not change. The gain is small. 2
- Teen case report: A published case report describes kidney injury in a 17-year-old after high-dose creatine loading; a single case does not show cause or how often it happens. 3
- Lead notices: Six California notices filed from May 2025 to June 2026 allege lead in creatine products, including a creatine powder and Gold’s Gym creatine gummies. They are allegations, and two have recorded settlements. 4
Overview
Creatine is a natural compound that helps your muscles make quick energy for short, hard efforts like lifting or sprinting. Your body makes some, and you also get it from meat and fish. Almost all of it is stored in your muscles. 5
A French chemist, Michel Chevreul, found it in meat in 1832 and named it after the Greek word for flesh. It became a popular sports supplement after 1992, when research showed that taking it by mouth raises muscle levels. 6
Labels today claim it builds strength, muscle, endurance, memory, sleep and recovery. Monohydrate is the most studied form. 5
How We Researched It
We rate each marketing claim with a modified version of GRADE, the system medical researchers use to say how sure we can be (i.e., high, moderate, low or very low), and check each trial with the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, which asks whether a study’s design could skew its results. For creatine we appraised 42 records, published mostly from October 2022 to October 2026, plus older landmark trials. We also checked 10 regulators and safety databases, and used one Cochrane review (on muscle disorders).
Research NotesTop three benefits
Strength and Power GRADE: Moderate
A 69-trial review of 1,937 people found creatine plus training added about 1.4 kg to the bench press and 5.6 kg to the squat, compared with training alone. 21 A 23-trial review in adults under 50 found gains of 4.4 kg upper body and 11.4 kg lower body, with very consistent results. 16
Bias check: One review’s authors include a researcher with creatine-industry ties. Gains were smaller in women and older adults.
Lean Mass GRADE: Moderate
A 12-study review found 1.1 kg more lean mass with training. 7 A 143-trial review found 0.8 kg more. 22 A 2026 review in young men found 3.39 kg more fat-free mass in the trials with resistance training. 1
Bias check: Scans of muscle thickness in 10 trials showed no clear change, so part of the gain may be water. Three of that review’s authors have industry ties. 8
Older Adults and Sarcopenia GRADE: Low
Across 8 trials in 482 adults aged 50 and up, leg strength and lean mass improved slightly. 23 In 20 trials of 1,093 adults aged 55 and up, the most weight lifted once rose about 2 kg. 24
Bias check: Most trials were small. In one review, 11 of 16 rated trials were at high risk of bias. In the other, most trials did not clearly report how groups were assigned.
Benefit Evaluation
| Claim | Claim Verdict | Research Confidence | Supporting Evidence | Safety Risk | Product Quality | FactStack™ Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength and Power | Supported | Moderate | Convincing | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Favorable |
| Lean Mass | Supported | Moderate | Convincing | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Favorable |
| Older Adults and Sarcopenia | Promising | Low | Promising | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Benefit in Women | Promising | Low | Promising | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Memory and Focus | Promising | Low | Promising | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Recovery | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Postmenopausal Women | TBD | Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Benefit in Vegetarians | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Cognition Under Sleep Loss | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Sleep | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Fatigue | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Mood | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Heart Health and Lipids | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Other Disease | TBD | Very Low | TBD | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Caution |
| Muscle Growth | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Fibre and Regional Muscle Growth | Doubtful | Low | Doubtful | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Endurance and VO2max | Unsupported | Moderate | Unconvincing | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Warning |
| Parkinson's | Unsupported | Moderate | Unconvincing | Within Limits | Inconsistent | Warning |
What Sellers Say vs. What Studies Show
| “Creatine builds muscle tissue.” | Lean mass on the scale rises about 1 kg, but scans of muscle thickness showed no clear change. 7 8 |
| “It boosts endurance.” | In 19 trials, aerobic fitness (VO2max) rose less on creatine than on a dummy pill. 9 |
| “It damages healthy kidneys.” | Recent reviews found no kidney harm in healthy adults. Creatine does raise a blood marker called creatinine, which can look like a kidney problem when it isn’t. 10 11 |
| “It makes your hair fall out.” | A 12-week trial in 45 men found no change in DHT, a hormone tied to hair loss, or in hair thickness. 12 |
| “Fancy forms beat monohydrate.” | No trial shows HCl, buffered or ester forms beating plain monohydrate, and NIH says these forms are not proven superior. 13 5 |
| “Proven to boost your brain.” | EFSA, Europe’s food safety agency, concluded in 2024 that a cause-and-effect relationship between creatine and improved cognitive function has not been established. 14 |
Trial ParametersIf you try it
| Who | Healthy adults who do resistance training. Lean-mass gains need the training. |
| Dose | 3 to 5 g a day, or load with 20 g a day in four doses for 5 to 7 days first. 5 |
| Ceiling | None stated. Use 20 g a day only for a 5 to 7 day load. |
| Duration | No stop rule is established. Without loading, full effect takes 3 to 4 weeks at 3 to 6 g a day. 5 |
| Form | Powder or capsules over gummies: ConsumerLab found 4 of 6 gummies held almost no creatine. Choose a product with a current certificate of analysis. 15 |
| Ask First | Kidney disease; teenagers and children; endurance athletes. Tell your clinician before kidney tests and ask about cystatin C. Pregnancy and breastfeeding not evaluated. |
How to Take It
| Pick a plan | Steady: 3 to 6 g a day; full effect in about 3 to 4 weeks. Fast: 20 g a day in four 5 g doses for 5 to 7 days, then 3 to 5 g a day. Trials found no clear winner. 5 16 |
| Time of day | Not shown to matter. Pick a time you will remember every day. |
| With food | Either way. Adding carbs gave no extra benefit in pooled trials. 7 |
| What to expect | Body weight may rise 1 to 2 kg (2 to 4 lb) in the first month, which NIH puts down to water and possibly muscle. 5 |
| How to mix | Stir the powder into water, juice or a shake. Unflavored monohydrate has almost no taste. |
Works With / Don’t Mix With
✓ Works with
Strength training. In a 37-trial review, lean mass rose with resistance training and not without it. 1
Your normal diet. No added carbs or special timing needed. 7
⚠ Ask first / don’t mix
Kidney blood tests. Tell your doctor you take creatine; it raises creatinine without kidney damage. If a decision depends on the result, ask about a cystatin C test. 10
Existing kidney disease. Safety has not been established in people with kidney disease. Ask your doctor first. 10
Teenagers. A published case report describes kidney injury in a 17-year-old after high-dose loading; a single case does not show cause or how often it happens. Ask first. 3
Manufacturer Recalls & WarningsLast 36 months, newest first
| Date | Maker / Brand | Product | Action | Src |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 2026 | Organika Health Product Inc. (Canada) | Organika Creatine Gummies, 1,000 mg, lot 20260416 | Health Canada recall RA-82618 (Type III): made at a foreign site not on the company’s site licence. The notice states no health risk. | 17 |
| Jun 2026 | Inner, Inc. and Amazon.com Services; Genetic Edge; Gold’s Gym; AfterDark; Vega; Nugevity | Creatine powder, creatine HCl, creatine gummies and creatine protein blends | Six California Prop 65 notices, May 2025 to Jun 2026, allege lead. They are allegations; two have recorded settlements (Gold’s Gym, AfterDark). | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | Hearthy Foods, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA) | Creatine Powder, among other products | FDA warning letter 712415 over manufacturing records, including its creatine powder records. The letter reports no contamination finding for creatine. | 18 |
Where to Buy
We compare products side-by-side not just on price, but on whether NSF lists the product as NSF/ANSI 173 Contents Certified (an independent lab confirms the label matches the contents), whether it is NSF Certified for Sport, whether USP lists it as USP Verified, and whether the seller says it is manufactured in the USA. We leave out a brand’s products for this supplement when, in the last 36 months, the FDA took action against that brand over this supplement (a Class I or II recall, a warning letter, an import alert or an advisory letter). We also leave out any brand with an FDA Class II recall or warning letter on any product. We also leave out any product named in a California Prop 65 notice or a non-US recall, along with that brand’s products of the same ingredient and form. Brands with other actions stay listed and are marked in the Recall Screen column. Our goal remains to provide you, the Consumer, with the information and data necessary to make an informed purchasing decision. Prices reflected below are static and subject to change.
Ratings above describe the ingredient’s research, not any product listed below.
| # | Retailer | Product | Price | NSF 173 | NSF Sport | USP | Mfg. in USA (per seller) | Recall Screen | Affiliate link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | iHerb | Sports Research, Creatine Monohydrate, Micronized, 120 Veggie Capsules (1.25 g per Capsule) | $30.97 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | View on iHerb ↗ | |
| 2 | iHerb | Thorne, Creatine, 16 oz (450 g) | $44.00 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | View on iHerb ↗ | |
| 3 | iHerb | Designs For Health, Designs for Sport®, Creatine Monohydrate, 1 lb (450 g) | $48.99 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | View on iHerb ↗ | |
| 4 | Amazon | Nature Made Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder, 450 g | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on Amazon ↗ | ||
| 5 | Amazon | Klean Athlete Klean Creatine, Unflavored, 11.1 oz | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | View on Amazon ↗ | ||
| 6 | Amazon | Momentous Creatine Monohydrate Powder, 5 g per Serving, Unflavored | Check Price | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | View on Amazon ↗ | ||
| 7 | HerbsPro | Source Naturals, Creatine Athletic Series, 8 Oz | $14.53 | ✓ | ✓ | View on HerbsPro ↗ | |||
| 8 | HerbsPro | Zhou Nutrition, Creatine Unflavoured, 7.94 Oz | $18.00 | ✓ | ✓ | View on HerbsPro ↗ | |||
| 9 | Green's Nutrition | Sunwarrior Active Creatine Raspberry 350 Grams | $29.97 | ✓ | ✓* | View on Green's Nutrition ↗ | |||
| 10 | Green's Nutrition | Best Naturals Creatine Monohydrate 240 Tabs | $29.99 | ✓ | ✓* | View on Green's Nutrition ↗ |
Sources
1. Gu et al. Meta-analysis of creatine with and without resistance training in men aged 18 to 30 (37 RCTs). Frontiers in Nutrition, Apr 2026. doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2026.1800546
2. Naddaf, Antonio, Kreider, Stout. Meta-analysis of creatine in postmenopausal women (7 RCTs, 608 women). Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 23(1):2668435, 16 May 2026. doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2026.2668435
3. Filler et al. Acute kidney injury with cast nephropathy after high-dose creatine loading in a 17-year-old (case report). Pediatric Nephrology 40(10):3089-3092, 2025. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40304760/
4. Proposition 65 60-day notices alleging lead in creatine products: 2026-02750, 2025-04824, 2025-04753, 2025-04728, 2025-02578, 2025-01446 (link: newest notice). California Office of the Attorney General, May 2025 to Jun 2026. oag.ca.gov/prop65/60-Day-Notice-2026-02750
5. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, updated 1 Apr 2024. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/ExerciseAndAthleticPerformance-HealthProfessional/
6. Schwarcz J. Creatine: A Supplement With a Rare Commodity: Evidence. McGill Office for Science and Society, 10 Jul 2026. www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/medical-health-and-nutrition-history/creatine-supplement-rare-commodity-evidence
7. Desai et al. Meta-analysis of creatine plus resistance training on lean mass and body fat (12 studies). Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2024. doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004862
8. Burke et al. Meta-analysis of creatine plus resistance training on directly imaged muscle size (10 RCTs). Nutrients 15(9):2116, 2023. doi.org/10.3390/nu15092116
9. Gras et al. Meta-analysis of creatine and VO2max (19 RCTs). Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2023. doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.2008864
10. de Souza Almeida et al. Meta-analysis of creatine and kidney function (26 RCTs). International Urology and Nephrology, 2026. doi.org/10.1007/s11255-026-05287-x
11. Tsiaras et al. Meta-analysis of creatine and kidney markers (20 trials). Journal of Renal Nutrition, 2026. doi.org/10.1053/j.jrn.2026.04.010
12. Lak, Tinsley et al. 12-week randomized trial of creatine on DHT and hair (45 men). Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2025. doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2025.2495229
13. Korovljev et al. Randomized trial of creatine HCl and ethyl ester in perimenopausal and menopausal women (36 women). Journal of the American Nutrition Association, 2026. doi.org/10.1080/27697061.2025.2551184
14. Creatine and improvement in cognitive function: evaluation of a health claim (Article 13(5)). EFSA Journal 22(11):e9100, 19 Nov 2024. doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9100
15. Creatine Supplements Review (and July 2025 gummy testing). ConsumerLab.com, 22 Jun 2026. www.consumerlab.com/news/creatine-supplements-review/06-22-2026/
16. Wang et al. Meta-analysis of creatine and strength in adults under 50 (23 RCTs). Nutrients 16(21):3665, 2024. doi.org/10.3390/nu16213665
17. Organika Gummies: Foreign site not listed on site licence, RA-82618 (incl. Organika Creatine Gummies, NPN 80134480, lot 20260416). Health Canada, 15 Sep 2026. recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/alert-recall/organikar-gummies-foreign-site-not-listed-site-licence
18. Warning letter 712415, Hearthy Foods, Inc. (CGMP/Dietary Supplement/Adulterated/Misbranded). US Food and Drug Administration, 10 Feb 2026. www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/hearthy-foods-inc-712415-02102026
19. openFDA food enforcement reports, “creatine” (8 records, none since 2017). US Food and Drug Administration, 4 Oct 2026. api.fda.gov/food/enforcement.json?search=product_description:creatine&limit=10
20. CAERS adverse event reports, brand name “creatine”, 4 Oct 2024 to 4 Oct 2026 (24 reports). US Food and Drug Administration (openFDA food adverse events), data to 7 Jul 2026. api.fda.gov/food/event.json?search=products.name_brand:creatine+AND+date_created:[20241004+TO+20261004]&limit=100
21. Kazeminasab et al. Meta-analysis of creatine plus training on strength and power (69 RCTs). Nutrients 17(17):2748, 2025. doi.org/10.3390/nu17172748
22. Pashayee-Khamene et al. Dose-response meta-analysis of creatine and body composition (143 RCTs). Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2024. doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2024.2380058
23. Meta-analysis of creatine in adults aged 50 and older (8 RCTs). European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, Dec 2025. doi.org/10.1186/s11556-025-00392-9
24. Meta-analysis of creatine in adults aged 55 and older (20 RCTs). European Review of Aging and Physical Activity, Oct 2025. doi.org/10.1186/s11556-025-00384-9
