Volume 30, Issue 174, August 2026

Creatine - is it really a great supplement? - Literature review

Gabriela Krych^1♦, Aleksandra Rusak-Sobolewska²

¹Dr. Rafał Masztak Grochowski Hospital, ul. Grenadierów 51/59, 04- 073 Warsaw, Poland
²The Nicolaus Copernicus Municipal Polyclinical Hospital in Olsztyn, ul. Niepodległości 44, 10-045 Olsztyn, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Gabriela Krych, Dr. Rafał Masztak Grochowski Hospital, ul. Grenadierów 51/59, 04- 073 Warsaw, Poland

ABSTRACT

Creatine is the most popular supplement worldwide. It is promoted for benefits ranging from muscle growth and performance to cognitive enhancement and weight management. This review assesses the mechanism of action, efficacy, and safety of creatine supplementation across multiple domains — muscle and exercise performance, dosing and timing strategies, body composition and weight, cognitive function, and neuroprotection in older adults — to critically evaluate whether creatine earns its standing as a "great" supplement. The results show that its usefulness is best established for muscle mass and exercise performance, particularly in resistance training. Its effect on weight is limited to modest increases in lean mass and water retention rather than fat loss. Cognitive benefits - especially under conditions of metabolic stress such as sleep deprivation and in older adultsare promising but inconsistent. There is not enough data to determine whether it is safe for those with impaired renal function or pregnant women to supplement. Overall, creatine supplementation is strongly supported by evidence in the context of exercise performance. Still, claims regarding cognitive enhancement and neuroprotection remain preliminary.

Keywords: creatine, sports medicine, neuroprotection, supplement

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e162ms3963

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Published: 25 August 2026