Should I take creatine?

Creatine is a safe and useful supplement that can provide health benefits beyond athletic performance, and is recommended for individuals who do not exclusively eat meat, according to Peter Attia, Andrew Huberman, Bryan Johnson, Rhonda Patrick, and Paul Saladino.

It may support prefrontal cortical function, suppress anxiety, improve environmental context interpretation, and enhance cardiovascular health markers.

While generally safe, potential side effects include GI irritation or diarrhea, and it may theoretically increase hair loss by increasing dihydrotestosterone (DHT), though this is not a reason to avoid it.

Taking 10 grams of creatine daily is generally safe, with a gradual titration approach, starting with 3 grams daily and slowly increasing to 5 grams, then 9 grams, potentially improving tolerance, as noted by Rhonda Patrick. Consuming creatine with 80-100mg caffeine (a normal cup of coffee) or 160mg caffeine (two K-cups) should not cause significant interference, according to Rhonda Patrick and Paul Saladino. A loading phase of 20 grams per day is unnecessary; five grams daily saturates muscles in 3-4 weeks, as stated by Peter Attia and Bryan Johnson.

• 01Creatine is a safe and useful supplement that can provide health benefits beyond athletic performance, and is recommended for individuals who do not exclusively eat meat (Peter Attia, Andrew Huberman, Bryan Johnson, Rhonda Patrick, Paul Saladino).
• 02Creatine supplementation can support prefrontal cortical function, suppress anxiety, and improve the interpretation of environmental context (Andrew Huberman).
• 03Studies suggest creatine can meaningfully improve cardiovascular health markers through short-term high-dose and longer-term standard dosing regimens (Rhonda Patrick).
• 04Creatine supplementation, in conjunction with resistance training, has been shown to improve functional tasks such as sit-to-stand in older adults (Rhonda Patrick).
• 05Creatine supplementation can help preserve muscle and enhance recovery after injury (Peter Attia, Rhonda Patrick).
• 06Creatine may have anti-cancer potential, particularly against lymphoma and leukemia, by enhancing the immune system's response (Rhonda Patrick).
• 07Homocysteine levels ranging from 10-12 indicate inefficient methylation and folate cycles, and can be improved by supplementing with creatine, consuming riboflavin, and ensuring adequate folate intake (Paul Saladino).
• 08Taking 10 grams of creatine daily is generally safe, with potential side effects including GI irritation or diarrhea (Peter Attia, Andrew Huberman, Rhonda Patrick).
• 09Creatine is stable in stomach acid and does not require buffering (Peter Attia, Rhonda Patrick).
• 10Creatine loading can increase muscle total creatine stores to approximately 140 millimole/kg dry weight, with loading combined with carbohydrates or carbohydrates and protein potentially reaching 155 millimole/kg dry weight (Paul Saladino).

Creatine supplementation may theoretically increase hair loss by increasing dihydrotestosterone (DHT), but this is not a a reason to avoid creatine, according to Peter Attia, Andrew Huberman, Rhonda Patrick, and Paul Saladino. Combining creatine with high doses of caffeine (>250mg) may blunt creatine's effects, as noted by Rhonda Patrick and Paul Saladino. The standard recommendation of 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day is not universally supported by scientific literature for all individuals, according to Andrew Huberman and Rhonda Patrick. In healthy individuals using reasonable doses, creatine does not cause kidney damage, as stated by Peter Attia, Rhonda Patrick, and Paul Saladino. Buffered creatine and creatine ethyl ester are unnecessary marketing ploys, according to Peter Attia and Andrew Huberman. Claims about creatine's cognitive benefits are premature as current data primarily comes from clinical populations, not from healthy individuals seeking a cognitive boost, as noted by Andrew Huberman and Rhonda Patrick. Creatine does not cause cramps or dehydration; it super-hydrates the muscle, according to Rhonda Patrick. Peter Attia and Bryan Johnson state that a creatine loading phase of 20 grams per day is unnecessary; five grams daily saturates muscles in 3-4 weeks. Peter Attia and Rhonda Patrick advise caution with multi-ingredient compounds where other ingredients may compromise creatine effectiveness. Paul Saladino notes that the paradigm that meat should be avoided for longevity is myopic and ignores benefits like creatine, and that creatine and vitamin B12 are essential nutrients not found in plants. He also states that shunning animal foods can lead to inadequate intake of essential nutrients uniquely found in them, such as creatine, carnitine, choline, carnosine, taurine, anserine, vitamin K2, vitamin B12, and specific peptides. Peter Attia, Andrew Huberman, and Rhonda Patrick state that creatine is not a hormonal substance and likely does not need to be cycled.

The benefit of creatine supplementation is questionable for individuals eating a carnivore diet or a large amount of meat, according to Paul Saladino. Higher doses of creatine might be needed for cognitive function, as noted by Peter Attia.