Creatine for strength and exercise: what you need to know

Few sports nutrition supplements have received as much attention as creatine. Popular with everyone from gym-goers and strength athletes to people simply looking to get more from their workouts, creatine is one of the most extensively researched ingredients in active nutrition.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found throughout your body, with most stored in your skeletal muscles.² Your body can make it from amino acids including arginine, glycine and methionine, and you’ll also get some through foods such as meat and fish.^2,3

There’s a reason creatine gets so much attention in the fitness world – it’s one of the most well-researched sports nutrition ingredients. Taking 3g daily can increase physical performance during repeated bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise.¹ Research has also investigated its effects on strength, muscle mass and other aspects of exercise and training.

Could creatine help you bounce back after a tough workout? Research has explored its effects on muscle soreness, muscle function and markers of muscle damage, but the picture isn’t clear yet. One study found lower levels of creatine kinase (CK), a marker of muscle damage, following creatine supplementation. However, there was considerable variation between studies and limitations in the quality of the research.¹⁰

Maintaining muscle mass and strength becomes increasingly important as we age, which has led researchers to explore whether creatine could have a role alongside resistance training in older adults. One meta-analysis found greater increases in lean tissue mass and upper- and lower-body strength when creatine was combined with resistance training compared with resistance training alone.¹² However, the evidence isn’t conclusive.

So, while the findings are promising, we need more high-quality studies before we can fully understand the role creatine might play in healthy ageing.

Here, there’s still a sizeable gap in the research as historically, much of the evidence on creatine has come from studies involving men. As a result, we know less about the effects of creatine for women. A 2025 review of 27 studies in physically active women found mixed results for outcomes including strength, power and anaerobic performance. Importantly, most studies didn’t adequately account for considerations specific to female athletes, making it harder to draw firm conclusions.¹⁴

Your body can make creatine itself, but you’ll also get some through your diet. Creatine is found primarily in animal derived foods, particularly meat and fish.²

As dietary creatine comes predominantly from animal-derived foods, people following vegetarian and vegan diets typically consume much less than those who eat meat and fish. Research suggests that vegetarians tend to have lower muscle creatine stores than omnivores.¹⁵ However, this doesn’t automatically mean you need to take a supplement, as your body can make creatine itself.

There’s a reason creatine gets so much attention in sports nutrition. It’s one of the most extensively researched ingredients in the space, with the strongest evidence showing that 3g per day can increase physical performance during successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise.¹

Disclaimer – This article provides informational advice and is not a substitute for medical care. Working with experts for accuracy, we take great care to ensure the information is up-to-date and relevant. However, you should always consult your GP or healthcare professional before using supplements or alternative products, particularly if you have medical conditions or are under supervision.