Is creatine safe to take?
Safety of creatine supplementation: analysis of the frequency of reported side effects in clinical trials
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Muscle cramps were reported more often with creatine (0.52%) than placebo (0.07%), yet the difference wasn’t statistically significant (p=0.085).
For decades, athletes have blamed creatine for cramps and dehydration — but even with a 7x higher number, the result wasn’t strong enough to prove causation.
Practical Takeaways
You can safely take creatine long-term without increased risk of side effects.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
Muscle cramps were reported more often with creatine (0.52%) than placebo (0.07%), yet the difference wasn’t statistically significant (p=0.085).
For decades, athletes have blamed creatine for cramps and dehydration — but even with a 7x higher number, the result wasn’t strong enough to prove causation.
Practical Takeaways
You can safely take creatine long-term without increased risk of side effects.
Publication
Journal
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Year
2025
Authors
Adriana Gil, Drew E. Gonzalez, Kelly Hines, Diego A. Bonilla, R. Kreider
Related Content
Claims (6)
Taking creatine doesn’t seem to cause more stomach issues than a fake pill — about the same number of people get digestive problems whether they take creatine or not.
Taking creatine is safe for kids, teens, and adults of all ages, and doesn’t cause more side effects than a sugar pill, according to studies that looked at people from young children to older adults.
Taking creatine — whether it's the common monohydrate type or another form — doesn't seem to cause more side effects than a fake pill, even in kids, older adults, healthy people, or those with medical conditions.
People who take creatine don't seem to get more muscle cramps or pain than those who don't — even though a few more users reported it, the difference isn't big enough to matter.
Taking creatine doesn’t seem to hurt your kidneys — studies show no difference in kidney health between people who take creatine and those who don’t, even after hundreds of trials.