If you’re a man or woman reading this, excellent. It applies to both.
If you’re an athlete or non-athlete—even better. If you’re a parent, coach, or health-conscious adult—keep reading!
Creatine is one of the most researched, safest, and MOST effective supplements available today, yet it remains widely misunderstood. This article will clarify what creatine is, what it does, who benefits, and why it deserves far more respect than it currently gets. Anyone with a beating pulse should be supplementing with a third party tested creatine monohydrate.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made from three amino acids—glycine, arginine, and methionine. It is synthesized primarily in the liver, with smaller contributions from the kidneys and pancreas, and stored predominantly in skeletal muscle as phosphocreatine.
Phosphocreatine plays a critical role in energy production by rapidly regenerating ATP (adenosine triphosphate)—the body’s primary energy currency—during short, high-intensity efforts such as sprinting, lifting, jumping, and repeated explosive movements.
The greater the intramuscular creatine stores, the greater the capacity to:
- Produce energy quickly
- Sustain high-intensity output
- Recover between bouts of effort
This mechanism explains creatine’s well-documented benefits for strength, power, sprint ability, muscular endurance, and training adaptations.
Clearing a Persistent Myth: Creatine Is NOT a Steroid
Let’s address one of the most persistent myths:
“Creatine is a steroid.”
This is false.
Creatine has no structural or functional similarity to anabolic steroids. Steroids are defined by a specific molecular structure consisting of four fused rings—creatine does not possess this structure and does not act hormonally.
For perspective, cholesterol—found naturally in eggs—is a steroid compound and a precursor to hormones like testosterone and estrogen. Creatine is not.
This misconception has been thoroughly debunked in the scientific literature, including publications by Dr. José Antonio and colleagues in peer-reviewed journals.
Dietary Sources vs. Supplementation
Creatine is naturally found in foods such as:
- Beef and pork
- Salmon, tuna, cod, and herring
- Shrimp
- Milk and eggs
However, meeting optimal creatine needs through diet alone is difficult. Research suggests the body must replenish 1–3 grams per day, depending on muscle mass. Supplementation allows for consistent saturation of muscle creatine stores, which is difficult to achieve with food alone.
Beyond Muscle: The Expanding Benefits of Creatine
Creatine is often associated solely with muscle gain, but research shows benefits far beyond physique and performance.
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand, creatine supplementation has been studied in relation to:
- Post-exercise recovery and injury reduction
- Thermoregulation
- Concussion and spinal cord neuroprotection
- Cognitive function and reduced mental fatigue
- Aging and sarcopenia
- Osteoarthritis and bone health
- Type 2 diabetes and glucose metabolism
- Neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, muscular dystrophy)
Long-term studies (including doses up to 30 g/day for several years) show creatine to be safe and well tolerated across populations ranging from infants to older adults.Another study examined the potential of creatine or phosphocreatine supplementation in cerebrovascular disease and in ischemic heart disease
Creatine is not “just for male bodybuilders.” It is one of the most versatile supplements studied in human health.
Why More Women Should Use Creatine
Creatine remains significantly underutilized by women due to outdated myths.
Creatine does not:
- Make women bulky
- Cause fat gain
- Cause harmful water retention
- Alter femininity or hormones
What creatine does support:
- Lean mass development
- Strength and power
- Improved recovery
- Bone mineral density
- Long-term metabolic and cardiovascular health
Multiple studies demonstrate that women—both trained and untrained—experience significant improvements in strength, fat-free mass, and functional performance when creatine is paired with resistance training.
Even older women supplementing with creatine during resistance training have shown 20–25% greater strength gains compared to placebo groups. Keeping aging muscles fit is also linked to better health later on in life according to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health .
Brain, Metabolism, and Aging
Creatine supplementation has been shown to:
- Increase brain creatine levels by ~5–15%
- Improve cognitive performance during sleep deprivation
- Reduce mental fatigue
- Support glucose tolerance and glycemic control when paired with exercise
Emerging research suggests potential protective effects against stroke, ischemic heart disease, and neurodegeneration, though more human research is ongoing.
Maintaining muscle mass as we age is strongly associated with:
- Lower cardiovascular risk
- Improved metabolic health
- Reduced injury and disability
- Better quality of life
Creatine can play a meaningful role in preserving muscle and function across the lifespan.
Safety & How to Supplement Creatine
Creatine is one of the most extensively studied supplements in history, with over 200 years of research supporting its safety. There’s well over 500 published studies available citing the data! Position Stand: Creatine Supplementation and Exercise.
General Recommendations
- 5-7 g/day of creatine monohydrate
- Timing is flexible; post-workout with carbs/protein may enhance uptake
- No calories; weight changes reflect intracellular water—not fat gain
Optional Loading Phase (Not Required)
- 0.3 g/kg/day divided into 3–4 doses for 5–7 days
- Follow with a maintenance dose of 3–5 g/day
Cycling
- Use for 12–16 weeks, then reassess or take a brief break
Youth Athletes
Research in athletes under 18 is limited but plenty of data supports the benefits. Available data suggests tolerance without adverse events, but ethical guidelines require individualized evaluation. Nutrition, sleep, hydration, and training must come first. Read my creatine and youth athletes blog HERE.
Quality Matters
Always choose third-party tested supplements (NSF Certified or Informed Choice). Purity and dosage accuracy matter—especially for athletes.
I personally trust and use Momentous, a brand that meets the highest standards for quality and safety.
👉 Use code WendiIrlbeck for 15% off Momentous creatine and supplements. See my supplement stack here.
Final Thoughts
Creatine is not a shortcut—it is a tool.
It works best when paired with:
- Consistent training
- Adequate nutrition
- Proper hydration
- Quality sleep
In good health, faith, and fitness,
Wendi Irlbeck, MS, RDN, LD, CISSN is a registered dietitian nutritionist and performance coach specializing in evidence-based sports nutrition for high school and collegiate athletes. She develops strategic, individualized fueling systems designed to optimize performance, enhance recovery, and reduce injury risk—while minimizing the health consequences of under-fueling, overtraining, and widespread nutrition misinformation.
Wendi collaborates closely with parents, coaches, athletic trainers, and sports performance professionals, as well as special needs and recreational athletes, to deliver practical nutrition education and sustainable, performance-driven lifestyle strategies. Through her team of credentialed dietitians, she provides virtual services nationwide, including sports nutrition presentations, 1:1 and group coaching, and structured athlete development programs for families and active adults.
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