Over 500 studies confirm it works. Builds muscle, boosts performance, improves cognition. Dirt cheap. If you lift weights, you should be taking it. No debate.
Creatine is a compound your body naturally produces and stores in your muscles. It helps produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate) - the energy currency your muscles use for quick, explosive movements.
You get some creatine from meat and fish, but not enough to saturate your muscle stores. That's where supplementation comes in.
Creatine helps you train harder (more reps, heavier weight), which directly leads to more muscle growth. Studies show 5-10% strength increases and 2-5 lbs of lean muscle gain in 4-12 weeks.
Massive benefit for high-intensity, short-duration activities: sprinting, weightlifting, HIIT, sports with explosive movements. Less benefit for endurance activities like long-distance running.
You can lift more weight, do more reps, recover faster between sets. This compounds over time into significant strength gains.
Emerging research shows creatine may improve memory, focus, and mental performance - especially during sleep deprivation or mental fatigue.
Creatine draws water into muscle cells, making them look fuller and more pumped. This is water weight, not fat, and it's a good thing.
| Method | Dosage | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance (Recommended) | 5g per day | Daily, indefinitely |
| Loading Phase (Optional) | 20g per day (4 x 5g doses) | 5-7 days, then 5g daily |
Timing: Doesn't matter. Take it whenever. Post-workout, with food, before bed - timing is irrelevant. Just take 5g daily, consistently.
Mix with: Water, juice, protein shake - whatever. Some studies suggest taking it with carbs improves absorption, but the effect is minimal.
You MUST take creatine consistently. It builds up in your muscles over time. Missing days means you lose saturation and benefits.
The Gold Standard. 99% of research uses monohydrate. It's the cheapest, most proven form. This is what you should buy.
Micronized Creatine: Just creatine monohydrate ground into smaller particles. Mixes better in water. Still cheap. Fine to use (like our Optimum Nutrition recommendation).
Creatine is one of the safest supplements ever studied. Hundreds of studies over 30+ years show no serious side effects at recommended doses.
If you lift weights, you should be taking creatine. End of story.
It's the most researched supplement in history, it's proven to work, it's safe, and it costs $0.10 per day. There's no rational reason NOT to take it if you train.
Skip all the fancy creatine variants. Buy plain monohydrate (like Optimum Nutrition Micronized), take 5g daily, and watch your performance improve.
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