These days, you’re just as likely to see a glamorous TikTok influencer espousing the benefits of taking creatine as you are a bodybuilder. Once the preserve of athletes looking to bulk up, it is the wellness supplement du jour – taken to boost energy, ease ­menopause symptoms, and even prevent brain decline.

Creatine is a natural compound, made from three amino acids (the building blocks of protein), found in meat and fish. It’s stored in our muscles where it helps produce bursts of energy – ideal for improving performance in sport.

But now scientists are finding these energy-boosting effects can help preserve bone and strength as we age, combat fatigue, lift menopausal brain fog, and even aid treatment for depression and dementia. So, should we all be taking creatine?

‘There is growing evidence to suggest creatine supplementation alone could help counteract age-related issues such as muscle mass loss and strength,’ says Sammie Gill, a dietitian and spokesperson for the British Dietetic Association.

When older adults combined strength training, such as chair squats and light weightlifting, with taking 3g-5g creatine a day, they gained on average 1.4kg more muscle and up to 8 per cent more strength than those who didn’t take it, according to a 2022 research review in the journal Nutrients.

Creatine fuels what’s known as the ATP-CP (or adenosine triphosphate-creatine phosphate) system – the body’s fastest, most immediate energy system.

ATP is the molecule all our cells use for energy, but stores run out quickly. Creatine helps recycle ATP so muscles can keep working hard for longer. This same system also powers the brain – one of our most energy-hungry organs. Creatine acts as a reserve tank that can quickly top up energy when demand spikes, says Sammie Gill. ‘That may explain its promising effects on cognition, fatigue and recovery from stress,’ she says.

For instance, in a 2019 study published in the journal Psychopharmacology, Ali Gordji-Nejad, a research scientist at Forschungszentrum Jülich research centre in Germany, found that a single morning dose of 5g creatine improved reaction times by 10 per cent in healthy adults who’d been kept awake all night.

‘Creatine is most effective when cells are under stress, such as during sleep deprivation, fatigue or cognitive disorders,’ he says. ‘It’s comparable to refuelling a car after a long journey.’

Creatine has also shown promise for post-viral fatigue.

A 2023 trial found that 4g of creatine a day for six months improved symptoms in people with long Covid. The trial was small – involving 12 people – but those who took creatine reported a 20 per cent improvement in energy levels and a 30 per cent drop in fatigue scores compared with those taking a placebo, along with measurable increases in the amounts of creatine in the brain and muscle seen on MRI scans, according to the journal Food Science & Nutrition.

There is also promising early evidence that creatine could have a role in treating Alzheimer’s, says Dr Matthew Taylor, an assistant professor of neurology at the University of Kansas.

A 2025 pilot study he led found patients with early Alzheimer’s who took 20g creatine a day for eight weeks had greater levels of phosphocreatine (the compound that helps brain cells regenerate energy) in their brains. There were also small improvements on memory and attention tests, reported the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions.

‘We are still far from knowing if it is truly helpful for Alzheimer’s, but we believe it should be investigated with larger clinical trials,’ says Dr Taylor, who adds that given how few effective treatments there are for Alzheimer’s, a safe, inexpensive supplement would be a valuable option.

Terry McMorris, a professor of sport psychology at the University of Chichester who studied creatine’s effect on physical and mental performance, agrees it could one day have a role in dementia.

For now, based on his research, he believes the biggest benefit is when the brain is under stress, such as during sleep deprivation.

He thinks it’s too early to say that everyone should take creatine for cognitive benefits.

‘I see no point in using it for brain function in healthy adults,’ says Professor McMorris.

‘Dosage is a massive issue. We do not know what the dosage should be for cognition. It needs more research.’ (That said, he takes creatine – and credits it with maintaining muscle mass as he ages, alongside exercise.)

Because the brain depends so heavily on energy, scientists are also testing whether boosting that supply could help lift mood.

Carmine Pariante, a professor of biological psychiatry at King’s College London, explains that parts of the brain involved in emotion and motivation seem to run low on fuel during depression.

By replenishing these stores, creatine helps those areas function normally again. ‘That’s the theory,’ says Professor Pariante.

A 2025 study in European Neuropsychopharmacology reported that adults receiving cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for depression did better when 5g a day of creatine was added, with greater reductions in symptoms than CBT alone.

‘The results are encouraging – but early,’ says Professor Pariante. ‘Creatine should only be used under medical supervision in depression and people with bipolar disorder must be especially careful.’ In rare cases, extra energy in the brain can tip mood too far, risking mania.

Meanwhile, research suggests creatine may be particularly beneficial for menopausal women.

A 2021 review of every study of creatine in women – 16 in total – concluded that fluctuating levels of oestrogen throughout life (during puberty, pregnancy, and menopause) alter how much creatine the body can make, store and use.

When levels of oestrogen fall as a woman approaches menopause, levels of creatine also fall. This drop in oestrogen is known to reduce muscle and bone strength, increasing the risk of osteoporosis. Low creatine levels may add to this vulnerability as muscles tire more easily and bones lose protection from regular movement.

The same 2021 review, which was published in the journal Nutrients, also found that creatine may support cognitive function during menopause – with some trials showing the supplement led to better short-term memory and reaction times.

‘Research shows females have 70 to 80 per cent lower natural creatine stores than men,’ says Bonnie Jortberg, an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Colorado, ‘largely because of lower muscle mass and hormonal changes that affect its production’. She believes taking 3-5g a day is useful for women.

Women’s lower creatine levels may partly explain why many notice more fatigue and slower recovery in midlife than men, she adds.

A 2023 study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that post-menopausal women who took 5g of creatine alongside doing light weight training gained more muscle strength than those who trained without it. Some also reported better sleep and steadier mood.

And a 2025 study in the Journal of the American Nutrition Association reported reduced mood swings during peri-menopause in women who took daily creatine.

However, the biggest benefits seem to come from taking creatine alongside resistance exercise (lifting weights).

Several studies have found little or no benefit from creatine alongside exercise such as walking or cycling. And a 2021 study in ­journal Nutrients found post-menopausal women who took creatine without doing any weight training showed little change in strength or bone health.

In creatine’s favour – even if it doesn’t have dramatic benefits for everyone – is that it’s considered a safe supplement.

A 2025 review in Frontiers in Nutrition pooled 685 clinical trials and found that side-effects were mild and no more common than with placebo. The most frequent complaints were short-lived bloating, stomach upset or a small weight increase from extra water held in muscle (needed to store the creatine).

‘It is amazingly safe,’ says Richard Kreider, a professor of exercise and sport nutrition at Texas A&M University, who led the review. ‘Creatine has no negative effect on the kidneys or liver. In fact, data shows that people who consume diets higher in creatine have less kidney and liver issues as the age.’

(That said, taking creatine can interfere with blood test results for kidney and liver function, so caution is advised for anyone with kidney or liver disease – always discuss with your doctor.)

Sammie Gill adds: ‘Don’t expect miracle results. There is a lot of hype surrounding creatine.

‘Whilst it’s an exciting area of research and results so far show promise, it’s not a panacea for good health.’