The Study
Safety of creatine supplementation: analysis of the frequency of reported side effects in clinical trials
This study looked at 685 real experiments where people took either creatine or a fake pill (placebo), and it counted how often side effects were reported. It found that people taking creatine didn’t report more side effects than those taking the fake pill, so we can be pretty confident it’s safe for most people.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review.
Where the score came from
Scientists looked at hundreds of studies to see if people who took creatine had more side effects than those who didn’t.
Where does this study sit?
Systematic Reviews & Meta-analyses
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Cohort Studies
Max 72Case-Control
Max 58Cross-Sectional
Max 44Case Reports & Series
Max 30Expert Opinion
Max 564 / 100
Quality score
The highest quality evidence. These studies systematically search, appraise, and synthesize results from multiple individual studies, providing the most reliable summary of current knowledge.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1The small differences in side effects aren’t big enough to matter for most people, even over long periods or in different age groups.
- 2Out of every 100 people, about 5 on creatine and 4 on placebo had any side effect.
- 3Stomach issues were slightly more common with creatine but not significantly.
- 4Muscle cramps were rare for both.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
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
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.