Creatine: What It Actually Does, and the Myths That Refuse to Die

Creatine is the most researched supplement in sports nutrition, with hundreds of studies behind it, and it is still the one people ask the most nervous questions about. Almost every worry attached to it traces back to a single study or a rumour that has outlived the evidence. Here is the plain version.

What creatine actually does

Your muscles use a compound called ATP for short, hard efforts. That supply runs out within a few seconds, and creatine is what helps regenerate it. More creatine stored in your muscle means you can do slightly more work before that system runs dry.

In practice that means an extra rep or two on a heavy set, and a bit more total work in a session. Over months of training, more work adds up to more muscle and strength. Creatine does not build muscle directly. It lets you train harder, and the harder training builds the muscle.

How much, and do you need to load?

Both end in the same place. Loading just gets there faster, and it is the phase most likely to cause the stomach discomfort people complain about. Unless you have a specific reason to saturate quickly, skip it and take 5 g a day.

Which form?

Creatine monohydrate. It is the form used in nearly all the research, it is the cheapest, and no other version has been shown to beat it. Hydrochloride, buffered, liquid and micronised variants are mostly marketing with a higher price tag attached.

Does timing matter?

Barely. Creatine works by saturating your muscles over weeks, not by what happens in the hour after you take it. Take it whenever you will actually remember. Consistency across months is the only timing that matters.

The myths, one at a time

Does creatine cause hair loss?

No, on the current evidence. This fear traces to a single 2009 study of rugby players that reported a rise in DHT, a hormone linked to male pattern baldness. That study did not measure hair loss at all, and attempts to replicate the DHT finding have not consistently reproduced it.

In 2025 a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial tested the question directly over twelve weeks. It found no difference in DHT, no difference in the DHT-to-testosterone ratio, and no difference in hair growth measures between the creatine and placebo groups. That is about as clean an answer as this field produces.

Does creatine damage your kidneys?

Not in healthy people. This concern rests on two published case reports, and review panels examining the wider literature have found no association between creatine supplementation and kidney disease at normal doses.

One practical note: creatine raises blood creatinine, which is a marker doctors use to estimate kidney function. That can make a routine blood test look abnormal when nothing is wrong. Tell your doctor you take creatine before any blood work.

Does it make you fat or bloated?

It causes some water retention, but the water is drawn into the muscle rather than under the skin, so the visual effect is fuller muscles rather than a puffier face. Expect roughly one to two kilos on the scale in the first few weeks. That is water and stored fuel, not fat.

Is it a steroid?

No. It is a compound found naturally in red meat and fish, and produced by your own body. It has no structural or functional relationship to anabolic steroids and is legal in every sport.

Do you need to cycle off it?

No. There is no evidence that your body stops responding or that natural production is permanently suppressed. Taking a break simply lets your muscle stores fall back to baseline over about a month, which achieves nothing useful.

Who benefits most

That last row is worth sitting with. Creatine amplifies training. Without the training there is nothing to amplify, and a supplement will not stand in for the work.

Beyond muscle

Your brain also runs on ATP, and there is a growing body of research into creatine and cognitive function, particularly under sleep deprivation or stress, and into its potential role in mood. This work is genuinely promising and genuinely unfinished. Treat it as an interesting possibility rather than a reason to take it.

Practical rules

1. 1Buy plain creatine monohydrate. Check the ingredients list says only that.
2. 2Take 5 g a day, every day, including rest days.
3. 3Mix it into anything. Water, milk, juice or a shake all work.
4. 4Do not bother with loading unless you need results within a fortnight.
5. 5Drink normal amounts of water. You do not need extreme intakes, just do not be chronically dehydrated.
6. 6Give it four to eight weeks alongside consistent training before judging it.

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are under 18, or take regular medication, speak to your doctor before starting creatine.