I’m convinced that, for decades, creatine has had a branding problem. Mention it and you probably picture bodybuilders carrying gallon water jugs, shaker bottles, and tubs of mysterious white powder. But lately, creatine has escaped the weight room. It’s showing up in conversations about women’s health, healthy aging, cognition, and longevity as we get older.

What makes creatine interesting isn’t bigger muscles. At its core, creatine helps the body do something remarkably basic—produce usable energy more efficiently when demand rises. So, did creatine suddenly become a wellness supplement? Or are we finally paying attention to research that has been there all along?

The physiology of creatine

First, creatine is not a steroid. It is a naturally occurring compound made from amino acids and produced primarily in the liver and kidneys. It also comes from foods such as meat and fish. Most of the body’s creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, where it plays an important role in energy production.

Here’s the short physiology lesson: Our cells use adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for energy. During brief periods of high energy demand (lifting something heavy, sprinting, or climbing a flight of stairs), stored phosphocreatine helps rapidly regenerate ATP. Supplementing increases the amount of creatine available for that energy system.¹

Creatine and older adults

Creatine is one of the most extensively studied sports supplements, with substantial evidence supporting improvements in high-intensity exercise performance and strength.¹ But it becomes more interesting as we age. Age-related losses in muscle mass and strength affect much more than our ability to lift weights. Muscle supports mobility, physical function, balance, metabolic health, and independence.

Research in older adults suggests that adding creatine to resistance training can provide modest additional strength benefits compared with resistance training alone. Recent reviews are less certain about how much additional muscle mass or physical function creatine provides, reinforcing an important point: Creatine does not replace resistance training. It supports the work, but we still have to do the work.²

Women and creatine

Women, listen up! Creatine research historically focused heavily on men, but interest in women has grown considerably. Women may consume less dietary creatine than men, and hormonal changes across the lifespan may influence creatine metabolism. Researchers are investigating its potential role during menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, and aging.³ Evidence supports benefits for strength and exercise performance in women, particularly when supplementation is paired with resistance training.

There is also growing interest in creatine for postmenopausal muscle and bone health, but research remains limited.^3,4 Yes, creatine deserves a place in the women’s-health conversation, but before we call it a complete menopause miracle, let’s wait for what research can substantially back up.

Creatine and its effects on the brain

What about the brain? Your muscles aren’t the only tissue interested in ATP. The brain has substantial energy demands and uses the creatine-phosphocreatine system too, leading researchers to investigate whether supplementation could support cognitive function.

A 2024 meta-analysis found improvements in memory and some measures of attention and processing speed, although evidence for overall cognition and executive function was less convincing.⁵ Another systematic review found little benefit in healthy, nonstressed individuals, but suggested creatine may be more useful when the brain is under increased metabolic stress, such as sleep deprivation.⁶ Nearly a third of dentists report poor sleep quality and half report high stress, so creatine supplementation may be a worthy consideration.⁷

Should you take creatine?

For healthy adults under stress, sleep-deprived, and/or interested in longevity, creatine monohydrate remains the form with the strongest research behind it. More expensive formulations haven’t consistently demonstrated superior benefits.⁸ Creatine can modestly raise serum creatinine (a breakdown product used to estimate kidney function—without evidence of corresponding kidney damage in healthy individuals), so those with kidney disease or other medical concerns should consult their physician.⁹

A common maintenance dose of 3–5 grams per day is generally recommended. Consistent daily use is the key to eventual saturation in the cells.¹

Some people notice a small increase on the scale when beginning creatine supplementation, as water content within the muscle increases. This typically stabilizes once creatine stores are saturated and should not be confused with generalized bloating or body-fat gain.¹

Creatine won’t replace resistance training, adequate nutrition, sleep, or recovery. But unlike many products crowding the wellness aisle, this inexpensive white powder has decades of research behind it.

Also by the author:

• Wellness Corner: Red-light therapy—recovery tool, dental therapy, or expensive red lamp?
• Wellness Corner: Strong diet. Weak cement?

Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Clinical Insights newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe.

References

1. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
2. Liu S, Huang N, Wu W, et al. The impact of creatine supplementation associated with resistance training on muscular strength and lean tissue mass in the aged: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Rev Aging Phys Act. 2025;22:26. doi:10.1186/s11556-025-00392-9
3. Smith-Ryan AE, Cabre HE, Eckerson JM, Candow DG. Creatine supplementation in women’s health: a lifespan perspective. Nutrients. 2021;13(3):877. doi:10.3390/nu13030877
4. Smith-Ryan AE, DelBiondo GM, Brown AF, Kleiner SM, Tran NT, Ellery SJ. Creatine in women’s health: bridging the gap from menstruation through pregnancy to menopause. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2025;22(1):2502094. doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2502094
5. Xu C, Bi S, Zhang W, Luo L. The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr. 2024;11:1424972. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1424972
6. McMorris T, Hale BJ, Pine BS, Williams TB. Creatine supplementation research fails to support the theoretical basis for an effect on cognition: evidence from a systematic review. Behav Brain Res. 2024;466:114982. doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2024.114982
7. Marklund S, Mienna CS, Wahlström J, Englund E, Wiesinger B. Work ability and productivity among dentists: associations with musculoskeletal pain, stress, and sleep. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2019;93(2):271-278. doi:10.1007/s00420-019-01478-5
8. Fazio C, Elder CL, Harris MM. Efficacy of alternative forms of creatine supplementation on improving performance and body composition in healthy subjects: a systematic review. J Strength Cond Res. 2022;36(9):2663-2670. doi:10.1519/JSC.0000000000003873
9. Kabiri Naeini E, Eskandari M, Mortazavi M, Gholaminejad A, Karevan N. Effect of creatine supplementation on kidney function: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Nephrol. 2025;26(1):622. doi:10.1186/s12882-025-04558-6