SupplementsSpecialtyCreatine

Creatine

as creatine monohydrate

The most studied sports supplement there is, and one of the few with results to match its reputation.

Get a protocol
A pale creatine capsule
Builds up
About 4 weeks
In your body
Hours in blood
Per 1 capsule
750 mg
30-day supply
$4.20One capsule a day, plus packing and delivery

What is creatine?

Creatine is made from amino acids in your liver and kidneys, and you also get it from meat and fish. Most of it is stored in your muscles.

Muscles use it to recycle energy quickly during short, hard efforts. Ours is creatine monohydrate, the form nearly all the research used.

What it does

  • Strength and powerSupports strength and performance in short, intense exercise.
  • MuscleSupports lean mass when combined with resistance training.
  • RecoveryHelps maintain muscle energy stores between sets.

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

The full guide · 8 min readCreatine: strong evidence for muscle, and a kidney number it moves on purposeWhich form, how much, when to take it, and whether it's worth it, with the studies behind each answer.

What people take it for

How long it takes

Creatine builds up in your muscles over time. At about 3 g a day, they fill in around 4 weeks. Less takes longer.

Creatine in your muscles, at about 3 g a dayTypical pattern
Full at about 4 weeks
You stop
Back to where you started
StartAbout 10 weeks
  1. HoursMoves from your blood into your muscles
  2. About 4 weeksMuscles are full, at about 3 g a day
  3. About 30 days after stoppingLevels are back to where you started

How long it stays in your body

It leaves your blood within hours, but what counts is your muscles. They hold on to it for about a month after you stop.

What's in a capsule

One capsule holds 750 mg. Most studies used about 3 g or more a day, so one capsule won't do what those studies saw.

What it does to your blood tests, and methylation

Creatine breaks down into creatinine, the number doctors use to check your kidneys. So taking it can make your kidney results look worse when your kidneys are fine. Tell your doctor you take it.

Your body uses a lot of its methyl groups making creatine, the same ones it uses to clear homocysteine. Taking creatine means it makes less of its own and saves some of them.

Read the full guide to creatine

What it interacts with

Goes well with

Side effects

  • Water weight in the first weeks, because muscles hold more water.
  • Stomach upset, mostly at larger amounts.

Check first if

  • Kidney disease: ask your doctor first.
  • Pregnancy or breastfeeding: there isn't enough safety data.

The blood tests that go with it

Work it out

Water falling through fine glassKidneys and electrolytes · CalculatoreGFR calculatorKidney filtration from creatinine, age and sex.The muscle of a strong shoulderBody and fitness · CalculatorLean body mass calculatorEverything that isn't fat, three ways.An egg resting in its broken shellBody and fitness · CalculatorProtein calculatorYour daily grams, and how to split them.

Supplementation

Or start from a ready-made protocol.

Start from one of these, or add it to your own. Everything comes in one pouch each morning.

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  • cGMP-certifiedFacilities
  • FDA-registeredFacilities
  • Accredited labsIndependent testing
  • Non-GMOIngredient options
  • OrganicIngredient options
  • VeganFormula options

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Want it more precise? Get the app.

A page can only tell you about Creatine. The app tells you about you: whether it fits, when to take it, and whether it's working.

  • Checked against your blood work and everything you already take
  • On your daily timeline, around your sleep, training and meals
  • Followed over time, so you can see what moved
Download the appStart on the web
09:41
74LIFE FORCE›
09:00— 12:0011:05now
CreatineOPEN 09:00
Checked for youTHIS MORNING

Creatine against your blood work, your sleep and what you already take.

LifeFromAI

Your creatinine went up since you started creatine. That's expected, and your cystatin C looks fine.

ASK ABOUT CREATINE
People take it for

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Questions

Does creatine damage your kidneys?

In healthy people, research hasn't found harm. It can raise creatinine, which can look like a kidney problem on a blood test. If you have kidney disease, ask your doctor first.

How long does creatine take to work?

At about 3 g a day your muscles fill in around 4 weeks. One capsule holds less, so it takes longer and may not get as far.

Does creatine cause hair loss?

There's no good evidence it does. The idea came from one small study.

Does creatine make you gain weight?

Often a little at first, because muscles hold more water. That isn't fat.

Do women benefit from creatine?

Yes. It works in women too, and more women are taking it for muscle and bone as they age.

Sources
  1. Kreider RB et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation. JISSN, 2017.
  2. Hultman E et al. Muscle creatine loading in men. J Appl Physiol, 1996.
  3. Antonio J et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation. JISSN, 2021.
  4. Longobardi I et al. Is it time for a requiem for creatine supplementation-induced kidney failure? Nutrients, 2023.
  5. Brosnan JT et al. The metabolic burden of creatine synthesis. Amino Acids, 2011.

Written by LifeFrom from these sources, and not yet reviewed by a clinician. Talk to your doctor before starting a supplement.

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