Creatine: What is It, What Does It Do & Should You Take It?

Quest Biohacking

Creatine has recently gone mainstream. So in this episode we dive into the surprising benefits of creatine—not just for athletes, but for anyone looking to boost cognitive performance, energy, and longevity. Often associated with gym-goers and muscle building, creatine is actually one of the most researched and effective supplements out there, with growing evidence that it supports brain health, mental clarity, and even protects against age-related cognitive decline.

We explore how creatine works in the body and why it might be especially helpful for older adults, vegetarians, and those looking to stay mentally sharp. Plus, I look at how to supplement safely and effectively.

Research Sources

Creatine in Health and Disease

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7910963/

Creatine for Exercise and Sports Performance, with Recovery Considerations for Healthy Populations

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8228369/

Single dose creatine improves cognitive performance and induces changes in cerebral high energy phosphates during sleep deprivation

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-54249-9

Creatine: The bodybuilding supplement that boosts brainpower

https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250523-the-surprising-health-benefits-of-taking-creatine-powder

Creatine as a food supplement for the general population

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1756464621002176

Show Transcript

Creatine Overview

In this episode I dive deep, researching a powerful supplement. And the results this supplement deliver are that good it might be the closest thing to a legitimate "secret weapon" you can get. It’s a supplement that's been around for over 30 years and is widely used by athletes and bodybuilders around the world. It’s been studied in more than 500 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and continues to deliver results that few other supplements can match.

It's been shown to increase muscle strength by up to 15%, improve high-intensity exercise performance by 10-20%, enhance brain function under stress, speed up recovery after intense workouts, and even help preserve muscle mass as we age.

So what is this wonder supplement I’m talking about?

It’s creatine!

And unlike many supplements that make big promises but deliver very little, creatine has decades of studies and anecdotal evidence to back it up.

Now if we rewind 25 years to when I was weight training in my early 20’s I remember creatine making waves back then and I used it for a while and saw some phenomenal results in strength and it helped me pack on noticeable lean mass over just a few months. But there’s a history of kidney disease in my family so I’ve always been very cautious about taking a supplement long-term if there isn’t a boatload of evidence to demonstrate that it’s safe. And back then creatine supplementation was really in its infancy, and while it was generally thought to be safe there were concerns about potential strain on your kidneys with long-term usage. And because creatine is a substance that our bodies produce naturally, some scientists were also concerned that sustained usage over a longer period of time could impair our bodies ability to make it naturally.

But that was 25 years ago and since then study after study has confirmed that it's incredibly safe for most people. And we're now talking about a supplement that everyone from elite athletes to weekend warriors have relied on for decades.

So whether you're looking to push through plateaus in the gym, recover faster between workouts, retain and build lean mass as you age or even support your brain health, today's deep dive into creatine might be one of the most valuable 20 minutes you'll spend on your health and wellness journey.

So, shall we dive in?

Creatine Basics: What is it and How Does it Work?

So let's start with the basics. What exactly is creatine? Well, contrary to what some might believe, creatine isn't some artificial chemical concocted in a lab. As I just mentioned, it's actually something your body produces naturally every single day.

Your liver, kidneys, and pancreas team up to create about 1-2 grams of creatine daily by combining three amino acids: and those are glycine, methionine, and arginine. Think of these amino acids as building blocks that your body assembles to make creatine.

But we also get creatine from our diet, particularly from animal products like meat and fish. A nice juicy steak? That's got about 2 grams of creatine per pound. Love salmon? You're getting about 1.5 grams per pound there.

But here's where it gets fascinating. Your body can only store so much creatine - about 120-140 grams total, with the vast majority of it - around 95% - stored directly in your muscles. The remaining 5% hangs out in your brain, liver, and kidneys.

The ATP Energy System

Now, I want you to imagine your muscles as a kind of biological battery. These batteries need energy to function, especially during intense activity. And that energy comes in a form called ATP - adenosine triphosphate.

Let me break that down a bit. ATP is essentially your body's energy currency. The "tri" in triphosphate means it has three phosphate groups attached to it. When your muscles need energy, ATP breaks off one of those phosphate groups, releasing energy in the process. This turns ATP into ADP - adenosine diphosphate. The "di" means it now has just two phosphate groups.

Think of it like this: ATP is like a fully charged battery, and ADP is like a partially drained battery. To recharge that battery - to turn ADP back into ATP - your body needs to attach another phosphate group.

And this is where creatine comes into play. In your muscles, creatine exists as phosphocreatine - essentially creatine with a phosphate group attached. When your muscles use up ATP and need to regenerate it quickly, phosphocreatine donates its phosphate group to ADP, turning it back into ATP.

It's like having a backup generator that kicks in when your main power source runs low! This process happens incredibly fast, which is why creatine is so effective for short, intense bursts of activity like lifting weights or sprinting.

Without this system, your muscles would only have enough ATP for about 8-10 seconds of all-out effort. The creatine phosphate system extends that to around 10-15 seconds. That might not sound like much, but those extra seconds can make a huge difference in performance.

How Creatine Supplementation Affects ATP

Now, let's talk about what happens when we supplement with creatine. Essentially, we're topping up our natural creatine stores to optimize this energy recycling system.

When your muscle cells are saturated with creatine, they can recycle ATP more efficiently during high-intensity exercise. This translates to real-world benefits that you can feel and measure.

Let me paint a picture for you. Imagine you're at the gym, doing your final set of squats. Without creatine supplementation, your muscles might fatigue after 8 reps. But with creatine-saturated muscles, you might be able to push out 10 or 11 reps with the same weight. Over time, those extra reps add up to greater strength gains and muscle growth.

I remember when I first started taking creatine years ago. I was skeptical, to be honest. But within a couple of weeks, I noticed I could push harder in my workouts. That final set wasn't quite as brutal, and I recovered faster between sets. It wasn't a dramatic, overnight transformation - and anyone who promises that is probably trying to sell you something - but the difference was noticeable and consistent.

The Research Backing Up Creatine

Let's talk about the research behind creatine, because this is where things get really interesting. Creatine isn't just some fly-by-night supplement with shaky evidence. It's been studied extensively for decades, with over 500 peer-reviewed studies examining its effects.

What's remarkable is how consistent the findings are. Study after study shows that creatine supplementation can increase maximal strength by about 5-15% and power output by a similar margin. That might not sound like much, but in athletic performance, those margins can be the difference between winning and losing.

But it's not just about raw strength. Creatine has been shown to increase lean body mass too. Now, to be clear, this isn't just about growing bigger muscles - though that's part of it. Creatine works through multiple mechanisms.

First, it draws water into your muscle cells through a process called cell volumization. Imagine your muscle cells as water balloons. When they're filled with more water, they're larger and more rigid. This increased cell volume can trigger protein synthesis - the process by which your body builds new muscle tissue.

Second, creatine appears to increase satellite cell activity. Satellite cells are like the construction workers of your muscles. When activated, they help repair and build new muscle tissue.

And third, creatine might reduce muscle protein breakdown. Think of your muscles as constantly being built up and broken down. If you can slow down the breakdown while maintaining or increasing the build-up, you end up with net muscle growth.

But wait, there's more! The benefits of creatine extend beyond just muscles and strength. Some research suggests it might improve exercise recovery by reducing muscle damage and inflammation after intense workouts.

How Creatine Affects Cognitive Function

And here's something that might surprise you - creatine might also have cognitive benefits. Remember how I mentioned that about 5% of your body's creatine is stored in your brain? Well, your brain also uses ATP for energy, and creatine can help maintain brain energy levels, especially during stressful situations or when you're sleep-deprived.

Some studies have shown improvements in memory, attention, and reasoning skills with creatine supplementation. The research in this area is still evolving, but it's fascinating to think that a supplement primarily known for physical performance might also help keep your mind sharp.

Now, I know what some of you might be thinking. "This sounds too good to be true. What's the catch?" And that's a fair question. The supplement industry is notorious for over-promising and under-delivering.

Common Myths About Taking Creatine

So let's talk about some common myths and misconceptions about creatine.

First up, the big one: "Creatine is like steroids." I can't tell you how many times I've heard this, and it's completely false. Creatine and anabolic steroids couldn't be more different. Steroids are synthetic versions of testosterone that directly alter your hormonal balance. Creatine, as we've discussed, is simply a compound that helps recycle energy in your cells. It has no direct hormonal effects whatsoever.

Another common concern is, "Creatine will damage my kidneys." This myth likely stems from the fact that a byproduct of creatine metabolism, creatinine, is used as a marker for kidney function in blood tests. But here's the critical distinction: elevated creatinine from creatine supplementation doesn't mean your kidneys are being damaged. It's just a reflection of increased creatine turnover in your body.

Multiple studies have examined kidney function in people taking creatine for extended periods - we're talking years - and found no adverse effects in healthy individuals. Now, if you have pre-existing kidney issues, it's always best to consult with your doctor before starting any supplement regimen. But for most people, creatine is completely safe for your kidneys.

I've also heard people say, "Creatine will make me bloated and puffy." There is a grain of truth here, but it's often misunderstood. When you first start taking creatine, especially if you do a loading phase, your muscles will retain more water. But this water retention is intracellular - meaning it's inside your muscle cells, not under your skin. This actually contributes to the beneficial effects of creatine by increasing cell volume.

Some people might experience a slight increase in total body water during the initial loading phase, but this typically subsides, and it's not the same as the kind of bloating you might get from eating too much sodium.

And finally, one of my favorites: "Creatine is only for bodybuilders or serious athletes." Not true at all! While it's certainly popular among those groups, creatine can benefit anyone involved in activities that require bursts of power or strength. That includes weekend warriors, recreational sports players, and even older adults looking to maintain muscle mass as they age.

In fact, some research suggests that older adults might benefit significantly from creatine supplementation, as it can help combat age-related muscle loss and improve functional strength for daily activities.

How To Get Started With Creatine

So, if you're considering trying creatine, how should you go about it? Let's break down the practical aspects.

First, let's talk about types of creatine. Walk into any supplement store, and you'll see a dizzying array of options: creatine monohydrate, creatine HCL, buffered creatine, creatine ethyl ester, and so on. Here's the simple truth: creatine monohydrate is the most researched form, and it's also the most affordable. The fancy, expensive forms haven't consistently shown advantages over good old monohydrate.

Now, for dosing, there are two common approaches:

The traditional method is a loading protocol. This involves taking 20-25 grams per day (divided into 4-5 doses) for 5-7 days, then maintaining with 3-5 grams daily. This approach saturates your muscles more quickly, so you'll see benefits sooner.

Alternatively, you can skip the loading phase and simply take 3-5 grams daily from the start. This approach takes longer to fully saturate your muscles - about 3-4 weeks - but it's equally effective in the long run and might cause less digestive discomfort.

I personally prefer the gradual approach. I've found that the loading phase sometimes gives me a bit of stomach discomfort, and I'm not in a huge rush to see results. But if you're preparing for a competition or just want to see benefits as quickly as possible, the loading protocol is a valid option.

As for timing, it's not actually as crucial as some might think. You can take creatine any time of day. Some research suggests taking it post-workout might be slightly more beneficial, but the differences are minimal. The most important thing is consistency - taking it daily allows your muscles to stay saturated.

Who Can Benefit From Taking Creatine

Now, let's talk about who might benefit most from creatine supplementation.

First and most obviously, strength and power athletes. If you're into weightlifting, sprinting, or sports that require explosive movements like basketball or football, creatine can give you a meaningful edge.

Vegetarians and vegans might also benefit significantly. Since dietary creatine comes almost exclusively from animal products, plant-based eaters typically have lower baseline creatine levels. Supplementation can help bridge that gap.

Older adults, and by older I mean anyone over the age of 30. Because after this age we start losing muscle mass at a rate of about 3-8% per decade - which is pretty depressing to thing about isn’t it really? But we can significantly reduce or even reverse this muscle wastage through resistance training. And taking creatine will help you to get the maximum benefit from your training sessions to help combat age-related muscle loss.

And finally, anyone looking to maximize their high-intensity exercise performance, regardless of their fitness level or goals, could potentially benefit from creatine.

And because of the emerging evidence that suggests that creatine can also help with cognitive functioning — keeping our mind sharp — and could potentially help to prevent against age-related cognitive decline, there is a valid argument that absolutely everybody could benefit from taking creatine.

But if we put the emerging evidence about cognitive benefits aside and just focus on the physical side of things, creatine isn't a magic pill. It works best when combined with consistent training, good nutrition, adequate sleep, and proper hydration. But if you do combine it with these, I think it is probably one of the most beneficial supplements you can take.

Creatine Summary

So, we’ve covered today how creatine is a naturally occurring compound that helps recycle energy in your muscles during high-intensity activities. It's backed by decades of research showing benefits for strength, power, muscle mass, and potentially even cognitive function.

It's safe for most people, with myths about kidney damage and steroid-like effects being unfounded. The most studied and cost-effective form is creatine monohydrate, and you can either do a loading protocol or take a maintenance dose of 3-5 grams daily from the start.

In the often-overhyped world of fitness supplements, creatine stands out as something that actually delivers on its promises. If you're looking to optimize your performance in high-intensity activities, it's definitely worth considering.

Of course, as with any supplement, it's always a good idea to consult with your healthcare provider before starting, especially if you have any pre-existing health conditions.