Creatine: How Much to Take, the Water-Weight Question, and the Myths

Creatine is a natural compound your body already makes, and you get some from meat and fish. Your muscles use it as a quick energy reserve for short, hard efforts: a heavy lift, a sprint, a steep set of stairs. Taking it as a supplement tops that reserve up.

It has a gym-bro reputation, but it's one of the most studied supplements in the world, and the research has moved well past bodybuilders.

What it actually does

Established

Fuller creatine stores let you squeeze out a little more work in hard sets: an extra rep or two, a bit more power. Over weeks of training, that adds up to more strength and more muscle than training alone.

Creatine on its own doesn't build muscle. Creatine plus training does. The International Society of Sports Nutrition calls it the most effective supplement available for increasing high-intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass.

Why it matters as you get older

Established

Muscle is one of your best assets for ageing well. It protects your balance, your blood sugar and your independence. We start losing it from around midlife, and the loss speeds up later.

A review of 22 trials with 721 older adults (average ages 57 to 70) found that people who took creatine while lifting weights gained about 1.4 kg (3 lb) more lean mass than people who lifted without it, and got a bit stronger in both upper and lower body. Again, the key words are "while lifting weights".

How much to take

Keep it simple:

• The easy way: 3 to 5 grams a day, every day. Your muscles fill up over about 3 to 4 weeks.
• The fast way (optional): load with about 20 grams a day, split into four 5-gram doses, for 5 to 7 days. Then drop to 3 to 5 grams a day. You get the same end result, just a few weeks sooner.

Loading isn't required. If your stomach doesn't love big doses, skip it. Timing doesn't matter much either. Take it whenever you'll remember: with breakfast, in a shake, after training. Consistency beats timing.

How TK does it: did a loading phase, now 5 grams of plain creatine monohydrate every day, same time as the rest of his morning routine.

What to buy (bang for your buck)

Buy creatine monohydrate. It's the form used in almost all the research, and it's cheap. Fancier versions (creatine HCl, ethyl ester, "buffered" creatine) cost more, and the ISSN says the claims that they work better are unfounded.

• Unflavoured powder is the best value. No sweeteners, no dyes, mixes into anything.
• Look for third-party testing, such as NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport. They check that the tub contains what the label says, and nothing it shouldn't.
• In Canada, look for an 8-digit NPN on the label. That means Health Canada has licensed the product.
• Check gummies carefully. Make sure a serving actually delivers 3 to 5 grams. Powder is usually cheaper per gram.

The water-weight question

Established

Yes, the scale can go up when you start, especially if you load. That's mostly water being drawn into your muscles along with the creatine. It's not fat, and it's not the puffy, under-the-skin bloat people worry about.

A 2021 review of common creatine myths by sports-nutrition researchers found that any water retention tends to show up in the first few days and is temporary. If you're tracking body composition, just know that a small jump in the first week or two is expected and isn't a setback.

Is it bad for your kidneys?

Established

In healthy people, the research says no. The ISSN reports that doses of up to 30 grams a day for as long as five years have been well tolerated in healthy people, far more than the 3 to 5 grams you need. The kidney scare traces back largely to a 1998 case report of a patient who already had kidney disease.

One thing worth knowing: creatine can raise creatinine on a blood test, and doctors use creatinine as a kidney marker. That can make a normal kidney look like it's struggling on paper. If you take creatine, tell your doctor before blood work so the number gets read in context.

If you already have kidney disease or reduced kidney function, this is a talk-to-your-doctor-first supplement.

Does it cause hair loss?

Emerging

This myth comes from one 2009 study of rugby players that found a rise in DHT, a hormone linked to male-pattern baldness. It never actually measured hair. It was also never repeated.

In 2025, researchers finally tested it directly. In a 12-week randomized trial, 38 men took either 5 grams of creatine a day or a placebo. There was no difference in DHT and no difference in hair density, hair thickness or follicle counts between the groups.

That's one solid trial, not decades of data, so we've tagged it Emerging. But so far, the evidence points the same way: no link.

Who should check first

• Anyone with kidney disease or reduced kidney function
• Anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding
• Anyone on prescription medication, especially drugs that affect the kidneys
• Teens: talk to a doctor before starting

One thing this week

If you lift and you've been on the fence, the simplest version is 3 to 5 grams of plain creatine monohydrate a day, alongside at least two strength sessions a week. Give it a month before you judge it.

Sources

1. Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2017;14:18. Link
2. Antonio J, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2021;18:13. Link
3. Chilibeck PD, et al. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on lean tissue mass and muscular strength in older adults: a meta-analysis. Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, 2017;8:213-226. Link
4. Ashtary-Larky D, et al. Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2025;22(sup1):2495229. Link