Total Nutrition

One of the Most Effective Sports Supplements for Athletes

Key Points

  • Creatine monohydrate is one of the most researched and evidence-based sports supplements available.
  • It increases intramuscular phosphocreatine (PCr) stores, helping regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) during short, high-intensity exercise.
  • A daily dose of 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate is sufficient for most athletes.
  • Regular daily supplementation gradually saturates intramuscular phosphocreatine (PCr) stores within approximately 3–4 weeks.
  • Creatine is particularly beneficial for sports involving repeated high-intensity efforts, such as sprinting, strength and power sports, team sports, and combat sports.
  • It may also benefit endurance athletes by improving the quality of high-intensity training sessions and repeated sprint performance.
  • Current scientific evidence supports the safety of creatine monohydrate in healthy individuals when taken at the recommended dose.

What is creatine monohydrate?

Creatine monohydrate is one of the most researched sports supplements available, with decades of scientific evidence supporting both its effectiveness and safety. It is naturally produced by the body and is also obtained from foods such as red meat and fish.
Inside the muscle, creatine is stored as phosphocreatine (PCr), where it plays an important role in rapidly regenerating adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s immediate source of energy during short, explosive movements. This allows athletes to sustain high-intensity efforts for longer and recover more quickly between repeated bouts of exercise.

Who can benefit from creatine?

Creatine is most beneficial for athletes participating in sports that require repeated high-intensity efforts, including:

  • Sprinting and track events
  • Football and rugby
  • Weightlifting and powerlifting
  • Olympic weightlifting
  • Bodybuilding
  • CrossFit
  • Combat sports such as boxing, judo, wrestling, taekwondo, and mixed martial arts
  • Racquet sports such as tennis, squash, and badminton
  • Team sports involving repeated sprints, including basketball, handball, and hockey

Although endurance athletes rely mainly on aerobic metabolism, creatine may also benefit them by improving repeated sprint performance, supporting higher-quality training sessions, and helping maintain lean muscle mass during periods of heavy training.

What are the benefits?

Research has consistently shown that creatine monohydrate can:

  • Increase strength and power output.
  • Improve performance during repeated high-intensity exercise.
  • Support greater improvements in lean muscle mass when combined with resistance training.
  • Improve training quality by allowing athletes to perform more high-intensity work.
  • Enhance recovery between repeated bouts of intense exercise.

How much should you take?

For most athletes, 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate per day is all that is needed.
Consistent daily supplementation gradually increases intramuscular phosphocreatine (PCr) stores, with saturation typically occurring within 3–4 weeks.

Is creatine safe?

Yes. Creatine monohydrate has an excellent safety profile and is considered safe for healthy individuals when consumed at the recommended dose. Extensive research, including long-term studies, has consistently shown that it does not adversely affect kidney or liver function in healthy individuals.
If you choose to use creatine:

  • Select products that have undergone independent third-party testing (such as Informed Sport, NSF Certified for Sport, or Cologne List), especially if you compete under anti-doping regulations.
  • Follow the recommended daily dose of 3–5 g of creatine monohydrate.
  • If you have pre-existing kidney disease or another significant medical condition, consult your healthcare professional before taking creatine.

Practical Tips

  • Consistency is key, take creatine every day.
  • Combine creatine supplementation with an appropriate training programme, balanced nutrition, and adequate recovery to maximise its benefits.
  • If you’re a competitive athlete, always choose a third-party tested product to minimise the risk of contamination with prohibited substances.

References

  • Kreider RB, Candow DG, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) Position Stand: Creatine Supplementation and Exercise. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2025.
  • Maughan RJ, Burke LM, Dvorak J, et al. IOC Consensus Statement: Dietary Supplements and the High-Performance Athlete. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2018;52(7):439–455.
  • Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Safety and Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation in Exercise, Sport, and Medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14:18.
  • Australian Institute of Sport. AIS Sports Supplement Framework.

Professional Note

The content published on this website is based on the latest scientific evidence and established references in sports nutrition. It is intended to provide accurate, reliable, and evidence-based information for athletes and individuals interested in health, nutrition, and performance.
Nutrition and supplement recommendations should always be tailored to an individual’s health status, training demands, and performance goals.
For athletes competing under anti-doping regulations, it is recommended to choose supplements that have undergone independent third-party testing (e.g., Informed Sport, NSF Certified for Sport, or Cologne List) to minimise the risk of contamination with prohibited substances.

Ghada ALMousawi