What’s fact and what’s fiction, when it comes to this popular supplement?
🕒 7 min read
If there’s one supplement that’s really soared in popularity over the past 12 months, it’s creatine. Or more specifically, creatine monohydrate. It’s so popular that the global creatine market was estimated to be worth a staggering $1.37 billion in 2025.
However, while it’s now one of the best-known supplements in sports nutrition, creatine is still widely misunderstood.
You may associate creatine with weight gain or kidney damage, or you might dismiss it as something that only bodybuilders use. However, there’s more to creatine than you probably realise. In fact, creatine is one of the most researched supplements out there, and while it’s not suited to everyone, there are a lot of people who may benefit from adding creatine to their day-to-day routine.
To help put your mind at ease, we’ve busted some common myths and misconceptions about this popular supplement…
What is creatine?
Before we bust some myths, it’s worth knowing what creatine really is. In simple terms, this natural compound helps your body to produce quick energy, particularly for your muscles during short, intensive activity such as sprints and weightlifting.
- Approximately 95% of the human body’s creatine stores are found in the skeletal muscle.
- Creatine is made from three amino acids called glycine, arginine and methionine.
- Creatine is produced naturally in the body, mainly in the liver and kidneys.
Although it’s often described as an amino acid, creatine is actually made from three amino acids called glycine, arginine and methionine. Creatine is produced naturally in the body, mainly in the liver and kidneys. This means that everyone has creatine in their body.
Creatine creates adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production in your muscles. This is the key energy source for short bursts of intense exercise, however, during these intense sessions, ATP stores deplete quickly. Creatine helps replenish the stores, so you can perform better, for longer.
As well as being produced naturally, creatine can also be found in certain foods such as red meat, milk and fish, however many people choose to take it as a supplement. Around half of your daily creatine supply comes from food.
You can explore Healthspan’s full range of creatine supplements.
Does creatine have side effects?
As with many supplements, some people may experience side effects when taking creatine. This includes temporary bloating or water retention, which might feel uncomfortable.
But, it’s generally considered that these side effects are not long term.
Other than that, there are no research-backed side effects of taking creatine. But, if you’re unsure or have any concerns, it’s best to speak to a medical professional who can offer you advice and guidance.
The common myths that need busting about creatine…
Creatine damages your kidneys
There’s been a lot of talk around creatine causing harm to kidneys, but in healthy people, creatine is generally considered safe.
A research review in the Journal of Functional Foods found that creatine poses no adverse health risks in healthy people at dosages ranging from 0.03 to 0.8g per kilogram of body weight every day, for up to five years.
But, if you have an underlying medical condition such as a kidney condition, you should speak to a GP or healthcare professional before taking creatine.
Creatine causes bloating
Although bloating and creatine are two words that often go hand in hand, the reality is that any bloating experienced while taking creatine, is usually temporary.
In fact, many people will take a higher dose of creatine in the first five to seven days of supplementation, known as the loading phase, and it’s during this time that it’s common to experience some water retention, which may cause bloating, pain and gas. After this initial period, it’s recommended to stick to a smaller maintenance dose of creatine, which is far less likely to cause bloating.
Creatine makes you gain fat
Much like bloating, a supplement that supposedly makes you gain fat, isn’t probably going to be too popular. However, there’s no research that suggests creatine causes an increase in fat.
Instead, research has found that an initial mild weight gain, around 1 to 2% of total body mass, is the only consistently reported side effect from creatine supplements.
But, this weight gain effect is dose dependent as lower doses of creatine have been found to cause no weight gain.
Plus, researchers conducting the study added that the weight gain wasn't fat; instead it was most likely due to extra water being stored in the muscles and more creatine being stored in the muscle tissue itself.
Creatine is only for bodybuilders
Despite being associated with bodybuilders and muscle building, creatine has other benefits which might make it suitable for other people.
An interesting research review, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, found that people supplementing with creatine showed an improvement in memory as well as slightly faster reaction/attention time and slightly faster information processing speed. The research found that adults under 60 had some of the strongest results.
There’s also interesting research around creatine’s potential benefits on mental health.
In a huge US study involving 22,000 people, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, people who had higher creatine diets were less likely to have depression. This was especially prevalent in women. The researchers say this is because creatine plays an important role in brain energy production, which may help support mood and mental health.
But, more research does still need to be done and the research just suggests a link, rather than proving that creatine prevents depression.
Women going through menopause may also benefit, as research done on 36 peri- and post-menopausal women found that creatine could help with cognitive performance and potentially even help with mood changes. Other research found that creatine could help improve sleep quality for perimenopausal women.
People who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet may also benefit from supplementing with creatine, as this compound is naturally found in animal-based foods.
Creatine is basically a steroid
There’s a lot of research which has shown how creatine may have a positive impact on exercise, with some comparing it to the impact of steroids. But creatine and steroids are very different.
Steroids are synthetic versions of hormones such as testosterone. These directly affect hormone levels in the body and can change how the body builds muscle.
Creatine on the other hand, is a natural compound made from amino acids. It provides muscles with energy, so you can go harder and further, especially during short, intense bursts of exercise. Unlike steroids, it doesn’t affect hormones or mimic testosterone. Plus, creatine is found naturally in foods, which is why it’s classified as a nutritional supplement rather than a steroid.
How to take creatine sensibly
As creatine is considered non essential, there are no official guidelines around how much should be taken. But, researchers suggest taking 3 to 5g of creatine monohydrate a day. It doesn’t really matter when you take creatine; you may prefer it before exercise or with a meal. Creatine can be taken in capsule or powder form.
For example, Healthspan Elite Creatine Monohydrate comes in powder form, with each scoop containing 5g of premium, pure creatine monohydrate per serving, with an impressive 99.5% purity. It’s also unflavoured, so it can be added to shakes or smoothies.
Elite All Blacks Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine Monohydrate | Supports strength in older adults | 5g ultra-pure creatine | Micronised for easy mixing | Ideal daily support for an active lifestyle
- 5g ultra-pure creatine monohydrate per serving
- Micronised for easy mixing
- Unflavoured powder for shakes, smoothies or water
Conclusion
Creatine is more than just a fancy supplement. Instead, there is a lot of science which backs up creatine’s efficacy. As well as helping to provide energy for quick, intense exercise, there’s also research which suggests it can help support brain health across the ages. It could even help women who are dealing with menopausal symptoms.
It’s also worth noting that despite rumours around creatine’s potential side effects, including kidney damage and fat gain, there’s no research that shows this. Some bloating and water retention may occur in the initial week or so of taking creatine, but this should die down.
Ultimately, while creatine won’t be suited to everyone, there is a wealth of research which suggests it’s a helpful addition to your supplement repertoire. If in doubt however, check in with your GP.
References
- Grand View Research. Creatine Supplements Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report.
- Journal of Functional Foods. Creatine supplementation and health outcomes.
- Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Effect of thirty days of creatine supplementation.
- Frontiers in Nutrition. Creatine supplementation and cognitive function.
- Translational Psychiatry. Creatine intake and depression risk.
- Creatine research in peri and post menopausal women.
- Creatine and sleep quality in perimenopausal women.
