Need help or have questions about your order? Call 510-991-8265Questions about your order? Call 510-991-8265

Sign InShop GLPs
Shop GLPs

Is Creatine Enough on Its Own to Build Muscle and Improve Body Composition?

By
Published Updated Last reviewed
9 linked public sourcesEditorial, sourcing, and corrections policy

At a glance

  • What it is / Over-the-counter dietary supplement; no FDA-approved drug application with creatine as the active ingredient [2][6]
  • Main effect / Raises muscle phosphocreatine and improves short, high-intensity performance [3][4]
  • Strength with training / 8% greater strength gain and 14% greater weightlifting performance gain than placebo plus training in a 22-study review [1]
  • Body composition / Partly water: water retention can add about 1-2 kg in a month with strength training [2]
  • Testosterone / Did not change total testosterone in the studies that measured it [5][7]
  • Typical protocol / 20 g/day for 5-7 days then 3-5 g/day, or about 3-6 g/day for 3-4 weeks without loading [2]
  • Safety / ISSN position stand: up to 30 g/day for 5 years safe and well tolerated in healthy people [3]

What Does Creatine Actually Do?

Creatine monohydrate is the most studied form. It is about 88% creatine by weight, and other forms have not been shown to be better for muscle creatine, digestibility, stability or safety [2][6]. In muscle, creatine increases phosphocreatine, which is used to regenerate ATP during short, intense efforts [3]. In one study of 9 healthy men, 6 days of creatine at 0.5 g/kg/day raised muscle phosphocreatine by 4-6% and improved torque by 10-23% during an intermittent knee-extension test [4]. That study measured torque, not muscle size. This performance effect is the main reason creatine can support training adaptations [3].

Is Creatine Enough Without Resistance Training?

The strength results that make creatine famous come from trials where it was added to resistance training. A 2003 review of 22 studies found that creatine plus resistance training increased average muscle strength by 8% more than placebo plus resistance training (20% vs 12%). Weightlifting performance rose 14% more (26% vs 12%) [1]. A 2017 meta-analysis of 53 randomized trials, with 563 people taking creatine and 575 controls, found an upper-limb strength effect in exercise lasting under 3 minutes; the global effect size was 0.317, and the bench-press effect size was 0.265 [8]. Those are strength and performance results, not direct measures of new muscle, and they do not show what creatine does without a training program.

What About Body Composition and Lean Mass?

Creatine can change scale weight and lean-mass readings, and some of that is water. NIH ODS lists weight gain from water retention as the consistent side effect, about 1-2 kg in a month with strength training [2]. That is not the same as 1-2 kg of new muscle. A 2007 review of creatine during resistance training in older adults said creatine has the potential to increase muscle accretion, although the mechanism is unclear [9]. The practical claim is modest: creatine may help you train harder and may support training adaptations [2][3][1].

Does Creatine Raise Testosterone or DHT?

Creatine is not a testosterone booster. In 11 men, 20 g/day for 5 days did not change testosterone or growth hormone responses to a single heavy resistance-training session [7]. In 20 college rugby players, 25 g/day for 7 days followed by 5 g/day for 14 days raised DHT by 56% after loading and kept it 40% above baseline, while total testosterone did not change [5]. That study did not measure hair loss [5].

How Is Creatine Taken?

NIH ODS describes a loading phase of 20 g/day in four 5 g portions for 5-7 days followed by 3-5 g/day, or about 3-6 g/day for 3-4 weeks without a loading phase [2]. The ISSN position stand says short- and long-term supplementation up to 30 g/day for 5 years is safe and well tolerated in healthy people and some patient groups, from infants to the elderly [3]. That is a society position paper, not a regulator's finding. HealthRX.com offers creatine monohydrate powder.

What Should You Watch For?

NIH ODS reports no consistent set of side effects except weight gain from water retention, about 1-2 kg in a month with strength training [2]. Anecdotal reports include nausea, diarrhea, muscle cramps and heat intolerance; adequate hydration may minimize them [2]. An early jump on the scale can reflect that water retention rather than new muscle [2].

Bottom Line

Creatine is useful, but not enough by itself. The strongest case is creatine monohydrate added to resistance training, which produced better strength and weightlifting performance than training alone [1]. The weight it adds early on is partly water [2]. It is sold as a dietary supplement, and Drugs@FDA lists no approved drug application with creatine as the active ingredient [2][6].

Frequently asked questions

Is creatine enough to build muscle without lifting?
The strength and performance trials added creatine to resistance training [1]. Creatine raises phosphocreatine and can improve short high-intensity performance [3][4], but those studies do not show new muscle without a training stimulus.
How much strength can creatine add?
In a 2003 review of 22 studies, creatine plus resistance training increased average strength by 8% more than placebo plus training (20% vs 12%) and weightlifting performance by 14% more (26% vs 12%) [1].
Does creatine raise testosterone?
No. In 11 men, 20 g/day for 5 days did not change testosterone or growth hormone responses to heavy resistance training [7]. In 20 rugby players, DHT rose 56% after loading, but total testosterone did not change [5].
Is creatine a steroid?
No. Creatine is a compound the body makes from glycine, arginine and methionine, and it is found in meat and fish [2].
What dose does NIH ODS describe?
A loading phase of 20 g/day in four 5 g portions for 5-7 days, then 3-5 g/day; or about 3-6 g/day for 3-4 weeks without loading [2].
Is long-term creatine safe?
The ISSN position stand says short- and long-term supplementation up to 30 g/day for 5 years is safe and well tolerated in healthy people and some patient groups [3]. NIH ODS lists weight gain from water retention and anecdotal nausea, diarrhea, cramps and heat intolerance [2].

References

  1. Rawson ES, Volek JS. Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2003;17(4):822-31. Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance
  2. National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Exercise and Athletic Performance: Health Professional Fact Sheet. Exercise and Athletic Performance: Health Professional Fact Sheet
  3. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, Ziegenfuss TN, Wildman R, Collins R, 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. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine
  4. Vandenberghe K, Gillis N, Van Leemputte M, Van Hecke P, Vanstapel F, Hespel P. Caffeine counteracts the ergogenic action of muscle creatine loading. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1996;80(2):452-7. Caffeine counteracts the ergogenic action of muscle creatine loading
  5. van der Merwe J, Brooks NE, Myburgh KH. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clin J Sport Med. 2009;19(5):399-404. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players
  6. Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs. Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs
  7. Eijnde BO, Hespel P. Short-term creatine supplementation does not alter the hormonal response to resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2001;33(3):449-53. Short-term creatine supplementation does not alter the hormonal response to resistance training
  8. Lanhers C, Pereira B, Naughton G, Trousselard M, Lesage FX, Dutheil F. Creatine Supplementation and Upper Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Med. 2017;47(1):163-173. Creatine Supplementation and Upper Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
  9. Candow DG, Chilibeck PD. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on muscle accretion in the elderly. J Nutr Health Aging. 2007;11(2):185-8. Effect of creatine supplementation during resistance training on muscle accretion in the elderly
Evidence overview for Is Creatine Enough on Its Own to Build Muscle and Improve Body Composition?