$100 For Every Time I'm Asked About Creatine
The Creatine Question (Yes… Again)
If I had $100 for every time someone asked me about creatine, I could possibly retire tomorrow.
It is, without doubt, one of the most talked about supplements in my clinic right now.
Here is what the evidence currently tells us.
Energy and Muscle
Creatine helps regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP) the molecule your muscles use for quick bursts of energy. This is why it remains one of the most studied performance supplements available.
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis in Nutrients found that creatine combined with resistance training produced meaningful strength gains in adults under the age of 50, with benefits influenced by training duration and dosing (Wang et al., 2024).
Another 2025 meta-analysis, published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, confirmed significant increases in both body mass and strength outcomes across a large pool of trials spanning novice and experienced lifters (Ashtarky-Larky et al., 2025).
Cognitive Health
This is the part that surprises most people. Creatine is not just beneficial for exercise.
A 2024 systematic review and meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Nutrition looked specifically at cognitive outcomes and found that creatine supplementation may exert benefits, particularly for memory, and potentially also attention time, and information processing speed, more so in adults with existing health conditions and females (Xu et al., 2024). In another systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials, published in 2023, the authors concluded that in healthy adults, creatine supplementation was associated with improved memory outcomes, with the strongest effects seen in older adults, aged 66-76 (Prokopidis et al., 2023).
It is worth noting that the science here is still developing. There have been concerns flagged with methodological limitations in some of the cognition research, and calls for larger, more robust trials before firm claims can be made.
This is exactly why I look at the full body of evidence rather than a single headline.
My Actual Take
Creatine has one of the strongest safety and efficacy profiles of any supplement on the market for energy and muscle support, and genuinely promising, if still emerging, evidence for brain health.
But it still needs to suit your individual health picture, your goals, and what else is going on for you nutritionally.
So rest assured, I will never prescribe you a supplement just because it is trending on TikTok.
When prescribing creatine, my go-to is either CreaUltra Pro (an ultra micronised creatine) or CreaPure, for their high purity standards.
If you are curious whether creatine is right for you, that is exactly the kind of conversation worth having properly in a clinical consultation, not in a comment section.
Would you like some support?
If you would like a personalised plan to help support you with your health, consider booking in a consultation with me at Uprise Health, in person in Richmond or via Telehealth (Australia wide).
Additional testing (blood tests, gut microbiome testing, etc) may be recommended to dig a bit deeper to find the root cause of any symptoms you might be experiencing.
Together, we will create a personalised plan to support your health goals. This incorporates dietary and lifestyle recommendations, and practitioner-only supplements where indicated.
Reach out today to book your appointment.
Katie practices at: Uprise Health, 136 Lennox Street, Richmond, 3121, Victoria.
Appointments: Face-to-face and online (Australia wide)
Contact: admin@katiehopcraft.com.au
If you have any questions or need personalised guidance, feel free to reach out.
The information provided in this blog is for your personal or other non-commercial, educational purposes. It should not be considered as medical or professional advice. We recommend you consult with a GP or other healthcare professional before taking or omitting to take any action based on this blog. While the author uses best endeavours to provide accurate and true content, the author makes no guarantees or promises and assumes no liability regarding the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information presented. The information, opinions, and recommendations presented in this blog are for general information only and any reliance on the information provided in this blog is done at your own risk.
References:
Ashtarky-Larky et al., 2025 doi: 10.1080/15502783.2025.2586523
Prokopidis et al., 2023 doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuac064
Wang et al., 2024 doi: 10.3390/nu16213665
Xu et al., 2024 doi: 10.3389/fnut.2024.1424972.