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    Creatine

    Also known as creatine monohydrate, methylguanidine-acetic acid, phosphocreatine

    Creatine is a naturally occurring compound, about 95% of which is stored in skeletal muscle, partly as phosphocreatine.[1] As a supplement, creatine monohydrate is the most-studied form; the International Society of Sports Nutrition calls it the most effective supplement for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.[2][3]

    Editor reviewedStrict sourcingUpdated WikiHealth and medicine, Sports, Aging and longevity biology
    Key facts

    Creatine is a compound the body makes and also gets from food such as beef and salmon.[4][5] Most of it sits in skeletal muscle, where it is stored partly as phosphocreatine.[1] It is also one of the most-researched sports supplements; for a beginner-friendly overview see the creatine explainer.[2]

    This page describes the compound and the research. It is not medical advice: talk to a clinician or pharmacist before taking any supplement, as FDA advises.[6]

    In the body

    About 95% of the body’s creatine is in skeletal muscle, with about 5% in the brain and testes. Around two-thirds of muscle creatine is phosphocreatine and the rest is free creatine.[1] About 1–2% of muscle creatine breaks down each day into creatinine, which is excreted in urine, so the body must replace about 1–3 g a day.[4] About half comes from the diet; the rest is made mainly in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids arginine and glycine.[4] A pound of uncooked beef or salmon contains about 1–2 g.[5]

    As a supplement

    On a typical diet, muscle creatine stores are about 60–80% full, and supplementation raises muscle creatine and phosphocreatine by about 20–40%.[7] After supplementation stops, stores generally take 4–6 weeks to return to baseline.[8] The ISSN’s 2017 position stand calls creatine monohydrate the most effective nutritional supplement available to athletes for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.[2] A 2021 review by ISSN-affiliated researchers found other forms, such as creatine ethyl ester or buffered creatine, no better than monohydrate.[3] Several authors of the 2021 review disclose ties to the creatine industry.[9]

    Safety record

    The ISSN reports that weight gain is the only consistently reported side effect in the literature, and that it found no compelling evidence of harm in otherwise healthy people in studies lasting up to five years.[10][11] Two recent meta-analyses found creatine raises serum creatinine, a common kidney blood test, without significantly changing measured or estimated filtration rate.[12][13] One called for trials longer than a year to settle long-term kidney safety.[13] The evidence and its limits are discussed in creatine: what the evidence shows.[14]

    Regulation and quality

    In the US creatine is sold as a dietary supplement. FDA does not approve supplements before they are marketed, but manufacturers must follow good manufacturing practices meant to ensure identity, purity and strength.[15][16] Independent testing has found some creatine gummies with little or no creatine.[17] Our creatine buyer’s guide compares forms, certifications and published lab results.[18]

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    Developing in Health

    Questions readers ask

    Is creatine natural?

    Yes. The body makes creatine, mainly in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids arginine and glycine, and gets roughly half of its daily need from food such as meat and fish.[4][5]

    Where is creatine stored in the body?

    About 95% is in skeletal muscle, with small amounts in the brain and testes. About two-thirds of muscle creatine is stored as phosphocreatine.[1]

    Is creatine a steroid?

    No. A 2021 evidence review concluded that creatine is not an anabolic steroid; it has a completely different chemical structure.[19]

    Does the FDA approve creatine supplements?

    No. Under US law FDA does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements before they are marketed, though makers must follow good manufacturing practice rules.[15][16]

    Sources

    · 19 claims from 10 publishers

    Each numbered claim is a statement we checked against the sources listed with it. Tap a number in the text to see its sources in place.

    1. [1]

      About 95% of the body's creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, with small amounts in the brain and testes; about two-thirds of muscle creatine is phosphocreatine. confirmedas of 2017-06-13

    2. [2]

      The International Society of Sports Nutrition's 2017 position stand concluded that creatine monohydrate is the most effective nutritional supplement available to athletes for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training. confirmedas of 2017-06-13

    3. [3]

      The 2021 review concluded that other forms of creatine are not superior to creatine monohydrate; most studies found forms such as creatine ethyl ester, buffered creatine and creatine nitrate had less impact on muscle creatine stores or performance. confirmedas of 2021-02-08

    4. [4]

      About 1–2% of muscle creatine breaks down into creatinine each day and is excreted in urine, so the body needs to replace about 1 to 3 g of creatine a day; about half normally comes from the diet, and the rest is made mainly in the liver and kidneys from the amino acids arginine and glycine. confirmedas of 2017-06-13

    5. [5]

      A pound of uncooked beef or salmon provides about 1 to 2 g of creatine. confirmedas of 2017-06-13

    6. [6]

      FDA advises consumers to talk to a doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional before buying or using a dietary supplement, partly because some supplements interact with medicines. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    7. [7]

      On a normal diet containing 1 to 2 g of creatine a day, muscle creatine stores are about 60–80% saturated, and supplementation raises muscle creatine and phosphocreatine by about 20–40%. confirmedas of 2017-06-13

    8. [8]

      Once muscle creatine stores are raised, they generally take 4 to 6 weeks to return to baseline after supplementation stops. confirmedas of 2017-06-13

    9. [9]

      Several authors of the 2021 ISSN review disclosed ties to the creatine industry, including the lead position-stand author's role as chair of the scientific advisory board of Alzchem, a creatine monohydrate manufacturer. confirmedas of 2021-02-08

    10. [10]

      According to the ISSN position stand, weight gain is the only consistently reported side effect of creatine supplementation in the literature. confirmedas of 2017-06-13

    11. [11]

      The ISSN position stand said there is no compelling scientific evidence that short- or long-term creatine monohydrate use, at up to 30 g a day for 5 years in the studies reviewed, harms otherwise healthy people or clinical populations who may benefit from it. confirmedas of 2017-06-13

    12. [12]

      A 2025 meta-analysis found creatine was associated with a small, transient rise in serum creatinine but no significant change in glomerular filtration rate, which the authors attributed to metabolic turnover rather than kidney impairment. confirmedas of 2025-11-06

    13. [13]

      A 2026 meta-analysis of 19 randomised trials and one crossover study found creatine raised serum creatinine by about 0.13 mg/dL without changing urea or eGFR, and called for trials longer than a year. confirmedas of 2026-04-24

    14. [14]

      The 2024 meta-analysis rated the certainty of evidence as moderate for memory and low for processing speed, overall cognition, executive function and attention. confirmedas of 2024-07-12

    15. [15]

      Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, FDA does not have the authority to approve dietary supplements before they are marketed. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    16. [16]

      FDA regulations require supplement makers, packers and holders to follow current good manufacturing practices meant to ensure the identity, purity, quality, strength and composition of supplements. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    17. [17]

      In a June 2025 report, supplement-rating company SuppCo said it bought 11 creatine products (5 powders and 6 gummies) and had them tested by an ISO 17025-accredited lab; all 5 powders passed but 4 of the 6 gummies failed identity and potency testing. reportedas of 2025-06-12

    18. [18]

      Supplement makers describe the NSF Certified for Sport mark as meaning a product has been tested to match its label claims and to be free of banned substances; Thorne puts the screen at nearly 300 substances. confirmedas of 2026-10-11

    19. [19]

      The 2021 review concluded that creatine is not an anabolic steroid, does not always cause water retention, does not cause dehydration or cramping, and that most evidence does not support a link with hair loss. confirmedas of 2021-02-08

    Revision history (1)
    1. Page created.

    Created Oct 11, 2026. Last reviewed by an editor on Oct 11, 2026. Next scheduled review: Apr 11, 2027.

    Cite this page

    "Creatine." ContentLora, updated Oct 11, 2026. https://contentlora.com/wiki/creatine

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