Guide

Creatine may help preserve strength and lean mass after menopause, with the clearest gains usually seen alongside resistance training.

Creatine may help some trained teens in short-burst sports, but most adolescents need food, sleep, and training before any supplement.

Creatine can help you keep training and hold lean mass during a calorie deficit, but it does not directly burn fat and may raise scale weight.

Daily creatine works best when you take it every day, with post-workout use getting a small edge in some studies.

Current research shows standard-dose creatine does not harm healthy kidneys, though people with kidney disease need a doctor’s advice first.

Pick unflavored for mixing freedom and fewer extras; pick flavored if better taste helps you take creatine every day.

Creatine monohydrate can help with short bursts of hard training, and 3 to 5 grams a day covers most healthy adults.

Different forms of creatine vary in texture, price, and digestion, yet monohydrate still has the strongest research record.

This workout supplement can help short-burst training and lean mass, yet many scary claims about kidneys, hair, and cycling fall flat.

Creatine hasn’t been shown to block pregnancy, but research before conception is thin, so many doctors suggest pausing until you get personal advice.