Creatine
Creatine
Skeleton: bullets + studies + dosage. Fill in the connective prose.
The myths (clear these first)
Not a steroid
Does not damage kidneys in healthy people
No good evidence for hair loss, dehydration, or cramping at normal doses
→ Antonio et al., 2021 (review of 500+ studies)
Muscle
Creatine + training = small but real muscle SIZE gains (measured by MRI/CT/ultrasound)
→ Burke et al., 2023
KEY POINT: works WITH training, not instead of it. Low dose + no training = nothing → Naddafha et al., 2026
Aging (the strongest case)
Ranked #1 supplement for muscle gain in older adults, +2.18 kg vs training alone (beat protein + HMB)
→ Ma et al., 2025
Postmenopausal women: 5+ g/day + lifting added lean mass + leg press strength, kidney markers unchanged
→ Naddafha et al., 2026
How to take it
3–5 g/day, every day
NO loading phase needed
Timing doesn't matter — consistency does
Monohydrate (skip the expensive forms)
Pair with training
Brain (promising, NOT proven)
Memory improved vs placebo, biggest effect in older adults 66–76 → Prokopidis et al., 2023
BUT: EFSA 2024 reviewed 23 trials, says cause-and-effect not established → frame as bonus, not fact
Bottom line
Cheap, safe, effective for muscle (especially aging)
3–5 g monohydrate daily + train
Brain = maybe
Sources
Burke 2023, Nutrients — muscle size. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15092116
Ma 2025, Front Nutr — #1 for older adults. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.1640858
Naddafha 2026, JISSN — postmenopausal women. https://doi.org/10.1080/15502783.2026.2668435
Prokopidis 2023, Nutr Rev — memory. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac064
EFSA 2024 — cognition counterpoint. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9100
Antonio 2021, JISSN — myths/safety. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w
