The Journal
Creatine for Beginners: What It Does, What It Doesn't, and Whether You Need It
The gym bro says it's essential, your mother thinks it's a steroid. What the research actually shows about creatine, how to take it, and why vegetarians may notice it more.
Walk into any gym in Pune or Bengaluru and someone will tell you to start creatine. Mention it at home and someone will ask if it's a steroid that ruins your kidneys. Both reactions miss the point.
Creatine is one of the most studied supplements in sports nutrition. Here's what holds up.
What creatine actually is
Creatine is a compound your body already makes from three amino acids, mostly in the liver and kidneys. You also get it from meat and fish. About 95% of it sits in your muscles, where it helps recycle ATP, the quick energy you use for short, hard efforts like a heavy set or a sprint.
Taking creatine tops up those muscle stores. With fuller stores, many people can squeeze out an extra rep or two, and over weeks that extra work adds up to more strength and muscle.
What the evidence supports
Strength and lean mass. Reviews from the International Society of Sports Nutrition show creatine, combined with resistance training, improves strength and muscle gain more than training alone.
Short, intense effort. Lifting, sprinting, football, cricket fast bowling. It does little for steady long-distance running.
Older adults. Paired with strength training, it may help slow age-related muscle loss.
It does not build muscle on its own. No training, no result.
Myths worth dropping
"It's a steroid." No. It's an amino-acid-derived compound, not a hormone.
"It damages your kidneys." In healthy people taking normal doses, studies haven't shown kidney harm. One thing to know: creatine can raise blood creatinine, the marker labs use for kidney function, without the kidneys being damaged. Tell your doctor you take it before a blood test. If you already have kidney disease, skip it unless your doctor says otherwise.
"It causes hair loss." This comes from one small 2009 study that saw a rise in DHT. It hasn't been repeated, and no study has shown actual hair loss.
"It makes you fat." The 1 to 2 kg early gain is water pulled into muscle, not fat.
The vegetarian angle
Most Indians eat little or no meat, so dietary creatine is close to zero. Studies suggest vegetarians start with lower muscle creatine and often see a bigger response when they supplement. If you're a vegetarian lifter, creatine is one of the few supplements with a real case.
How to take it
Type: plain creatine monohydrate. It's the most studied and the cheapest. Fancy forms haven't proven better.
Dose: 3 to 5 g a day, any time, with water or a meal. A "loading phase" of 20 g a day for a week fills stores faster but isn't necessary.
Consistency: take it daily, including rest days. Timing matters far less than not missing days.
Quality: the Indian market has had problems with mislabelled and adulterated sports supplements. Buy from brands that publish third-party lab tests.
Some people get stomach upset at higher single doses. Splitting the dose usually fixes it.
Who should skip it
Anyone with kidney disease, people on medicines that affect the kidneys, pregnant or breastfeeding women, and teenagers unless a doctor or sports physician is involved.
The short version
If you lift regularly and eat a mostly vegetarian diet, 3 to 5 g of creatine monohydrate a day is a safe, cheap and well-researched option. If you're not training yet, start training first.
This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Supplements are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your doctor before starting anything new, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or managing a health condition.
References
Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017.
Antonio J, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021.
Burke DG, et al. Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003.
van der Merwe J, et al. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clin J Sport Med. 2009.