The Study
Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show?
This study didn't do any experiments itself — it read a bunch of other studies and said what most of them found. So it can tell you what people usually notice when they take creatine, but it can't say for sure that creatine caused those changes.
Analysis score
Maximum 100 for a systematic review.
Where the score came from
Creatine is a natural substance that helps your muscles work harder and grow stronger when you lift weights. It doesn't hurt your kidneys, make you dehydrated, or turn you into a steroid user.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 520 / 100
Quality score
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses of cohort studies. They sit above a single cohort study but below a single randomized trial, because the underlying evidence is still observational.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes — this means people who lift weights can get stronger and more muscular without side effects, even if they're young or old.
- 2Creatine boosts muscle creatine by 20-40%, improves strength and muscle gain, and doesn't increase fat, kidney stress, or cramps.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition
Year
2021
Authors
J. Antonio, D. Candow, Scott C. Forbes, B. Gualano, Andrew R. Jagim, R. Kreider, E. Rawson, A. Smith‐Ryan, Trisha A. VanDusseldorp, D. Willoughby, T. Ziegenfuss
Related Content
Claims (5)
Taking 3 to 5 grams of creatine every day can help your muscles store more energy, making you stronger, more powerful, and better at building muscle when you lift weights—without making you gain fat.
Taking creatine supplements won’t make you dehydrated or give you muscle cramps—and might even help prevent them when you’re working out in the heat.
Taking creatine supplements won’t turn you into a steroid user or boost your male hormones in any meaningful way—even though one tiny study saw a short, tiny spike that doesn’t really matter.
Taking creatine supplements the right way is probably safe and might help older people and kids stay healthy, without hurting their liver, kidneys, or metabolism, based on studies done so far.
Taking creatine supplements at the normal dose won’t hurt your kidneys if you’re healthy — lots of studies over many years have shown no consistent sign of kidney problems.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.