Creatine: strength, running and the actual question

Creatine has an image problem on both sides of the gym door. Lifters treat it as the supplement. Runners treat it as somebody else's supplement. And nearly everyone has a cousin who once heard something alarming about kidneys.

So here is the plain version. Creatine monohydrate is the sports supplement the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) rates most effective for short, hard efforts and strength training, and the meta-analyses below back the strength part. For steady endurance running, the evidence points to no benefit, and a small rise in body weight is the usual price of entry. Whether it is "for runners" depends less on your sport's name than on what the hard parts of your sport look like: a hill repeat and a sprint finish are not the same job as a long, steady jog. Let's look at what creatine actually does in a muscle, then at which kinds of effort it has been tested on.

What creatine is, and what it does in a muscle

Creatine is a compound your body makes and also takes in from food. According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) position stand, the body needs to replace roughly 1 to 3 g a day, about half of it from the diet and the rest made in the liver and kidneys. A pound of uncooked beef or salmon provides about 1 to 2 g (Kreider et al., 2017, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition).

In muscle, creatine is stored as phosphocreatine, a quick-access reserve for rebuilding ATP, the molecule muscles spend as fuel. It matters most in the first seconds of an all-out effort. The same position stand reports that on a normal diet muscle stores are about 60 to 80 per cent full, and that supplementing can raise muscle creatine by roughly 20 to 40 per cent. Vegetarians tend to start with lower stores and may see larger increases.

That is the whole mechanism in one paragraph: more phosphocreatine in the tank, a bit more capacity for repeated bursts. It also explains the pattern in the research below, where the benefits cluster around short, intense work.

Strength and power: where the evidence is strongest

This is creatine's home turf. Two systematic reviews and meta-analyses of placebo-controlled trials by the same French group looked at efforts lasting under three minutes:

• Upper body: 53 studies, 563 people taking creatine and 575 controls. After supplementation the effect size for bench press was 0.265 (95% CI 0.132 to 0.398) (Lanhers et al., 2017, Sports Medicine).
• Lower body: 60 studies, 646 taking creatine and 651 controls. The effect sizes for squat and leg press were 0.336 (95% CI 0.047 to 0.625) and 0.297 (95% CI 0.098 to 0.496) (Lanhers et al., 2015, Sports Medicine).

Those are small to modest effects on average, which is typical for supplements that hold up in trials. A 2025 meta-analysis of 61 controlled trials combining creatine with resistance training found fat-free mass was 1.39 kg higher (95% CI 1.07 to 1.70) than with training alone, with no significant change in fat mass. Both beginners and experienced lifters gained (Ashtary-Larky et al., 2025, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition).

One piece of context on who wrote what: the ISSN position stand was written with support from the Council for Responsible Nutrition, an industry body, and several of its authors declare industry grants, consulting or advisory roles. That doesn't make the findings wrong, and the Lanhers meta-analyses come from a different research group, but it's useful to know when a field is this tightly knit.

Running and endurance: it depends which part of the run

"Endurance" covers very different efforts, and creatine's research splits along the same lines.

Steady endurance performance. A 2023 systematic review and meta-analysis pooled 13 placebo-controlled studies of creatine monohydrate in trained people doing endurance performance tests. It found no significant effect: a pooled standardised mean difference of -0.07 (95% CI -0.32 to 0.18). The authors concluded creatine monohydrate was ineffective for endurance performance in this population (Fernández-Landa et al., 2023, Sports Medicine).

Hard efforts inside endurance sport. A narrative review (not a systematic one) by creatine researchers argues the picture is more interesting than that headline. They conclude that creatine tends to increase time to exhaustion during high-intensity endurance work, that results in time trials are mixed, and that it appears more useful when a race includes repeated surges or an end spurt. They also note that the extra body mass may cancel out gains in weight-bearing sport (Forbes et al., 2023, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition). That is a reasoned hypothesis built from a mixed literature, not a set of proven running results.

Studies that actually involved running. The running-specific trials we found are small, old and use team-sport athletes more than distance runners:

• In 1998, well-trained young male handball players did eight 40 m sprints with 25 seconds' rest. After five days on 15 g a day, times improved in the last three sprints compared with their own pre-supplement test (Aaserud et al., 1998, Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports).
• In 2003, 15 college soccer players took creatine at 0.3 g per kg of body mass for six days before a treadmill run with hill intervals. Creatine raised body mass but did not change time to exhaustion (Biwer et al., 2003, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research).
• In 2011, 15 male endurance runners took creatine plus glycerol for seven days. Body mass rose by 0.90 kg (SD 0.40), yet running economy at 60 per cent of VO2max did not change, while heart rate and core temperature were lower during exercise in the heat (Beis et al., 2011, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition). That was a combined creatine and glycerol protocol, so it says little about creatine alone.

So running economy, the thing runners most want to hear about, has no solid creatine evidence either way. A pack claiming creatine "improves running economy" is running ahead of the data.

• Kind of effort: Lifting, jumping, explosive strength work; What the research shows: Small to modest gains in strength and fat-free mass alongside training; How confident we are: Strongest evidence of any use
• Kind of effort: Repeated sprints, short intense efforts; What the research shows: Improvements in some trials, mostly in team-sport athletes; How confident we are: Moderate, small studies
• Kind of effort: Steady-paced endurance performance (trained people); What the research shows: No significant effect pooled across 13 studies; How confident we are: Reasonably clear
• Kind of effort: Races with surges or a big finishing kick; What the research shows: A plausible benefit argued in a narrative review; How confident we are: Hypothesis, not tested head-to-head
• Kind of effort: Running economy; What the research shows: One small trial, with glycerol, no change; How confident we are: Essentially unknown

If your running week includes gym strength work, creatine's best-supported role is in that gym work, not in your long runs.

Will it make you heavier?

Probably a little. In the 2025 meta-analysis above, body mass was 0.89 kg higher on creatine (95% CI 0.76 to 1.01) across trials that paired it with resistance training, and the amount rose with dose. Some of that is extra muscle over time and some is water held inside muscle cells. Reviewers disagree on how much is water: one expert narrative review says creatine increases intracellular volume in the short term, while noting several studies found no change in total body water (Antonio et al., 2021, Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition).

For a runner this is the real trade-off. A kilogram on a 70 kg body is not nothing when you carry it up a hill, and the one running-economy trial found no penalty, though it was small. A sprinter or a lifter will usually accept that trade; for a marathoner chasing a time it's a closer call.

Does creatine help your brain?

You will see this one a lot, usually attached to the word "focus". It's an interesting question, and the research is smaller and shakier than the muscle evidence. We haven't found anything that supports a focus or gaming claim.

• A 2024 meta-analysis of 16 randomised trials (492 participants, ages roughly 21 to 76) reported a benefit for memory (standardised mean difference 0.31, 95% CI 0.18 to 0.44) and for processing speed, but no significant effect on executive function or overall cognition. The authors rated memory evidence as moderate certainty and the rest low to very low (Xu et al., 2024, Frontiers in Nutrition). A later commentary argued the analysis counted several outcomes from the same participants as if they were independent, which inflates confidence (Citherlet, 2026, Frontiers in Nutrition). A corrigendum to the paper has also been published.
• A 2023 meta-analysis of memory in healthy people found a benefit mainly in older adults aged 66 to 76 (Prokopidis et al., 2023, Nutrition Reviews), and a letter to the journal raised similar statistical concerns (Eckert and Pascher, 2023).
• A preregistered crossover trial of 123 healthy adults (about half vegetarian) took 5 g a day for six weeks. Scores differed from placebo by amounts that were not statistically significant on its two main tests, and side effects were reported more often on creatine than on placebo (Sandkühler et al., 2023, BMC Medicine). The authors judged a small benefit possible but unproven. Funding came from two non-profit foundations (Effective Ventures and Effective Altruism) and a private donor.

Put together: a reasonable question with no settled answer, and nothing yet showing that creatine sharpens focus in a healthy young adult at a keyboard or on a run.

Kidneys, hair and cramps: what the safety reviews say

Kidneys, hair and cramps are the three worries that follow creatine around, so let's take them one at a time. For healthy adults, the main safety reviews are reassuring.

• General safety. The ISSN position stand reports no compelling evidence of harm from short or long-term use in healthy people (up to 30 g a day for five years in the studies it reviewed) (Kreider et al., 2017). The industry-funding caveat above applies.
• Kidneys. A narrative review by an international panel of creatine researchers concluded there is no evidence of kidney damage in healthy people at recommended doses. It also explains a real source of confusion: creatine supplements can raise blood creatinine, the marker doctors use to estimate kidney function, because of the added muscle creatine, not because the kidneys are struggling (Antonio et al., 2021). If you have a kidney condition, or you are due a blood test, mention the creatine to your doctor: this finding is about healthy adults, not existing kidney disease.
• Hair loss. The myth traces to one small study of 20 college-aged rugby players. After a week at 25 g a day and then 14 days at 5 g, their dihydrotestosterone (DHT, a hormone linked to male pattern hair loss) rose by 56 per cent and stayed 40 per cent above baseline, although total testosterone did not change (van der Merwe et al., 2009, Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine). The study didn't measure hair, and the expert review above notes the finding has not been replicated and concludes that current evidence does not show creatine causes hair loss (Antonio et al., 2021). We haven't found a trial that tested hair loss directly.
• Cramps and dehydration. The same review reports that research does not support the idea that creatine causes dehydration or cramping, citing one study of 72 college football players in which creatine users had fewer cramps.

Practical limits apply: Orangefit's creatine page, for example, advises against use during pregnancy or breastfeeding unless a professional says otherwise. If you take medication or have a medical condition, check with a doctor or pharmacist first (our guide to supplement and drug interactions explains how to ask).

Monohydrate versus the fancier forms

Walk the supplement aisle and you will meet creatine hydrochloride, ethyl ester, buffered creatine, nitrate and more. Each arrives with its own pitch about better absorption or no bloating, so it's fair to ask whether the upgrade is real.

The ISSN position stand calls claims that other forms are retained better than creatine monohydrate "currently unfounded", and describes monohydrate as the most extensively studied and clinically effective form (Kreider et al., 2017). A later review by researchers found no peer-reviewed papers showing equal amounts of other forms increase muscle creatine more than monohydrate (Antonio et al., 2021). We did not find a trial showing another form beats monohydrate for performance, so a premium price for a different form buys a claim, not a documented advantage.

The EU's creatine claims, and what to check on a label

Health claims on food supplements in the EU are limited to an authorised list, and the rules apply in the Netherlands as in the other member states. For creatine, a copy of Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 hosted on legislation.gov.uk lists two (read on 8 October 2026):

1. "Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise." The conditions say the food must provide 3 g of creatine a day, the consumer must be told the effect needs 3 g daily, and the claim is limited to foods aimed at adults doing high-intensity exercise.
2. "Daily creatine consumption can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength in adults over the age of 55." Conditions: 3 g of creatine daily with resistance training at 65 to 75 per cent of one-repetition maximum, at least three times a week for several weeks.

This is a UK-hosted copy; check the Official Journal or the Commission register for the current text. Notice what is not on the list: no authorised EU claim about endurance, running economy, brain function, fat loss or muscle growth.

A few things worth checking on a creatine label:

• Which compound is the "3 g"? Creatine monohydrate is about 87.9 per cent creatine by weight (131.13 divided by 149.15, using the molecular weights), so a 3 g scoop of monohydrate holds about 2.6 g of creatine. Studies and the EU claim wording speak of creatine; labels speak of either. Check which one the pack means.
• The ingredient list. Plain monohydrate should list one ingredient. Anything else (flavouring, sweetener, carbohydrate, caffeine) is fine, but it changes what you are buying.
• Quality marks. Some monohydrate is sold under a named manufacturing brand. That tells you who made the raw material, not that the finished product has been tested for contaminants.
• Claims on the front. Compare them with the two authorised statements above. Wording about running, endurance or "focus" is not on that list.

Two Dutch creatine shelves: Orangefit and Upfront

These are examples of what a creatine page tells you. We haven't tested the products; the details below are supplier information read on 8 October 2026 and can change.

Orangefit. Its Dutch creatine page describes "100% pure creatine monohydrate" with one scoop a day, which it states as 3 g, and 100 servings per pack. It says taking a loading phase is optional, and that skipping it gives the same effect after a few weeks. Both statements are the brand's own, and the ISSN position stand agrees that smaller daily doses raise stores more slowly, over three to four weeks.

Upfront. Its product catalogue (read 8 October 2026) lists several creatine products, including a plain powder, a powder described as Creapure creatine monohydrate and creatine sticks. The plain powder page describes "100% creatine monohydraat", and its listing says it is meant for explosive strength efforts "bij een creatine gebruik van 3 gram per dag" (with 3 g of creatine a day), which echoes the authorised claim without matching it word for word: the Dutch text says "voor meer kracht bij explosieve krachtsinspanningen" (for more power in explosive efforts), while the EU wording is about successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise. Check the pack for creatine per serving.

Neither page tells you anything about how creatine performs for running. That is a research question, not a product feature.

So, is creatine for runners?

It depends on the effort. If your goal is strength work in the gym alongside running, the evidence supports creatine monohydrate for that gym work. If you race steady distances and every kilogram matters, the evidence says expect a small weight gain and no proven performance gain. If you play a sport with repeated sprints, surges or a decisive kick, there is a reasonable but untested case. If you are hoping for focus or a sharper head, the research is interesting and not yet convincing.

For label reading beyond creatine, see our guide to reading supplement labels. If you take medicines or have a medical condition, talk to your doctor or pharmacist first.

Where to read next

Creatine rarely travels alone in a gym bag. These guides cover the neighbouring questions.

• Electrolytes: what is in the mix?, for sodium, potassium, magnesium and chloride explained, the overdrinking risk and a worked label example.
• Protein and collagen: what are you actually buying?, for protein norms, whey versus plant and what collagen trials show.
• Magnesium forms: what's actually different?, for how magnesium forms differ in magnesium per gram, absorption and gut effects.

Written by Smart Supplements with AI assistance from the sources linked in the text. It has not been reviewed by a clinician.

Last updated: 12 October 2026

This article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement, especially if you take prescription medication.