Last updated: October 2026
Creatine monohydrate is a natural compound your muscles store for short, intense efforts. In Great Britain it carries an authorised claim: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise, with 3g a day. Most people take 3 to 5g daily, and consistency matters more than timing. Early water weight is the commonest side effect.
Below: what creatine does, what the evidence shows, whether to take it before or after a workout, how much to take, bloating, headaches, hair loss, kidneys, weight, gummies vs powder, and who should check with a GP first.
Creatine in 30 seconds: take 3 to 5g of creatine monohydrate every day, at whatever time you’ll remember, ideally with a meal. It works best alongside strength or high-intensity training. Expect up to 1 to 3kg of extra water weight if you “load”. Skip it, or ask your GP first, if you have kidney problems, are under 18, pregnant or breastfeeding.
What creatine is and what it does
Creatine is made in your liver and kidneys from three amino acids, and you also get it from meat and fish. About 95% of it sits in your skeletal muscles. An adult needs roughly 1 to 3g a day to keep normal stores topped up: about half comes from food and the rest is made by the body. A pound (about 450g) of raw beef or salmon provides only around 1 to 2g, so it’s hard to raise your stores much through diet alone.
In muscle, much of it is stored as phosphocreatine. When you sprint, lift or jump, your muscles burn through their small supply of ATP (the body’s immediate energy currency) in seconds. Phosphocreatine is used to rebuild ATP quickly, which matters most in short, all-out efforts. Supplementing raises muscle creatine and phosphocreatine stores by about 20 to 40%, so you may squeeze out an extra rep or a slightly faster sprint, set after set. Over weeks of training, that extra work is thought to explain most of the gains in strength and muscle.
Vegetarians and vegans tend to start with lower muscle stores, because they get little or no creatine from food, and may see a bigger response.
What you’re allowed to claim in the UK
Health claims on foods and supplements in Great Britain must come from the GB Nutrition and Health Claims Register. Creatine has two authorised claims:
- “Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise.” The benefit comes with a daily intake of 3g, and the claim is for adults performing high-intensity exercise.
- “Daily creatine consumption can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength in adults over the age of 55.” This needs 3g a day alongside resistance training at least three times a week for several weeks, at 65 to 75% of the most you can lift once.
A claim that creatine improves cognitive function is listed as non-authorised. So if a tub promises “brain power”, “toning” or “muscle definition”, that’s marketing, not an approved claim. In October 2026 the Advertising Standards Authority upheld a complaint against a creatine advert for going beyond the authorised wording.
What the evidence shows
Creatine is one of the most studied supplements there is. Here is an honest summary by goal.
| Goal | What the research shows | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Strength and power, with training | A 2026 meta-analysis of 63 studies (1,489 people) found resistance training plus creatine gave moderately bigger strength gains than training alone, in both upper and lower body | High |
| Muscle mass | A small extra gain in lean mass in the same analysis. Part of the early gain is water held inside muscle | Moderate |
| Endurance (running, cycling) | A 2023 meta-analysis of 13 studies in trained people found no effect on endurance performance | Little or no benefit |
| Brain and memory | A 2024 meta-analysis of 16 trials (492 people) found a small benefit for memory; other measures were low certainty. The claim isn’t authorised in GB | Emerging |
| Adults over 60 | A 2026 meta-analysis of 11 trials found a small extra strength gain with resistance training; effects on muscle mass and day-to-day function were uncertain | Moderate for strength |
| Women | Similar benefits with training; menopause research is growing. See creatine for women | Moderate |
| Weight loss | No change in fat mass in large analyses; it isn’t a fat-loss supplement | No benefit |
Two points are worth knowing. First, creatine mostly helps you do more training; on its own, without exercise, the benefits are much smaller. Second, many of the leading creatine researchers declare ties to creatine manufacturers or to sports nutrition bodies funded by industry. That doesn’t make the findings wrong, and independent meta-analyses broadly agree, but it’s why we lean on pooled analyses rather than single studies.
If you’re over 40, see supplements for men over 40 for where creatine sits among other options. For the brain side, our nootropics guide covers creatine alongside caffeine and L-theanine.
Should you take creatine before or after a workout?
Short answer: it barely matters. Taking it every day matters far more. Creatine works by building up your muscle stores over days and weeks, not by giving you a hit in the moment like caffeine. Once your stores are full, the exact time you take your daily scoop makes little difference.
The “after” idea comes mainly from a 2013 study of 19 recreational male bodybuilders who took 5g either just before or just after training for four weeks. The post-workout group gained a little more lean mass and strength on average, but the difference wasn’t statistically significant; the authors used a less strict statistical approach to suggest after was “possibly” better. A 2021 study took a cleverer approach: 10 young adults trained each side of the body separately, with creatine before training on one side and after on the other. Gains in muscle and strength were the same on both sides.
A 2021 review concluded that some evidence leans towards after exercise, but the studies are too small and too flawed for firm conclusions. A 2025 review by an international panel of creatine researchers went further: the evidence does not show that timing is critically important, and consistent daily intake is what counts.
What to do in practice
- Pick a time you’ll stick to. Post-workout is a fine habit if you train most days, because it ties creatine to something you already do.
- Take it with a meal. Taking creatine with carbohydrate, or carbohydrate and protein, may help your muscles hold on to more of it. See muscle recovery for what to eat after training.
- Take it on rest days too. Your stores need a steady top-up, whether or not you trained.
- Mixing with coffee is fine. The 2025 review found that moderate caffeine is unlikely to cancel creatine out, though combining heavy caffeine with a loading phase may cause more stomach upset.
How much creatine should you take?
The standard dose is 3 to 5g of creatine monohydrate a day, or about 0.1g per kg of body weight. Check your scoop size, as scoops vary. The GB authorised claim is based on 3g a day.
Loading vs no loading
“Loading” means taking about 20g a day, split into four 5g doses, for 5 to 7 days, then dropping to 3 to 5g a day. It fills your muscles faster. But you don’t have to load: in a classic study, 3g a day for 28 days raised muscle creatine by about the same amount (around 20%) as 20g a day for 6 days.
| Loading | No loading | |
|---|---|---|
| How | About 20g a day in 4 doses for 5 to 7 days, then 3 to 5g a day | 3 to 5g a day from the start |
| Muscles full in | About a week | About 4 weeks |
| Water weight | Often 1 to 3kg in the first week | Smaller and more gradual |
| Stomach upset | More likely, especially in doses over 10g | Uncommon |
| Best for | A competition or test within a month | Almost everyone else |
What about 10g “brain” creatine?
Some newer UK products offer 10g servings marketed for the brain. Brain creatine rises much less than muscle creatine (about 5 to 10%, against 20 to 40% in muscle), and researchers say there’s no clear dose-time relationship yet. The 2025 review also found no evidence that creatine improves thinking when you’re sleeping normally; the more interesting findings are during sleep deprivation, using large doses in small studies. Remember too that a brain or cognitive claim for creatine isn’t authorised in GB. For most people, 3 to 5g a day is plenty.
Does creatine make you bloated?
It can, briefly, and mainly if you load. Expert reviewers describe water retention in the first several days as the most common side effect of creatine. Creatine draws water into your muscle cells, so the scale may jump 1 to 3kg during a 20g-a-day loading week. Longer studies at normal doses mostly show no lasting rise in body water beyond what you’d expect from extra muscle.
That’s different from a swollen, gassy stomach. Stomach upset and diarrhoea are more likely with big single doses: reviewers advise keeping each serving to 10g or less.
How to avoid creatine bloating
- Skip the loading phase and take 3 to 5g a day from the start.
- If you do load, split it into four smaller doses across the day.
- Stir powder in fully, with enough liquid, and take it with food.
- Give it two to three weeks: early water shifts usually settle.
Ongoing bloating, tummy pain or a change in bowel habit is worth mentioning to your GP whether or not you take creatine.
Can creatine cause headaches?
Headaches aren’t a side effect that shows up consistently in creatine trials, and the major expert reviews of creatine safety don’t list them. Despite the old myth, controlled studies have also found that creatine doesn’t cause dehydration or muscle cramps.
If you get headaches after starting a creatine product, the usual suspects are worth checking first:
- Fluids. The NHS lists not drinking enough fluids among the common causes of headaches. Training hard and sweating adds to that. See how much water should I drink and electrolytes.
- Caffeine. Many pre-workout powders combine creatine with a lot of caffeine. Check the label, and see how long caffeine lasts.
- Skipped meals and tension. Irregular meals, stress and poor posture are other common causes. See tension headaches.
If headaches continue, stop the product and see if they ease. See a GP if headaches keep coming back or aren’t getting better. Get urgent advice from NHS 111 if a headache is triggered by exercise, coughing or bending, or comes with being sick or vision problems.
Does creatine cause hair loss?
The worry comes from one small 2009 study in 20 college rugby players. After a week of loading (25g a day) and two weeks at 5g a day, levels of DHT, a hormone linked to male-pattern hair loss, were 56% higher after loading and 40% above baseline at the end. Testosterone didn’t change.
What that study did show: a rise in a blood hormone over three weeks. What it didn’t show: any hair loss, because hair wasn’t measured. Reviewers have since pointed out that DHT stayed within the normal range, that the creatine group started with lower DHT, and that the result has never been repeated. No study has reported hair loss in people taking creatine.
In 2025 a 12-week randomised trial tested the question directly. Of 45 resistance-trained men aged 18 to 40, 38 finished taking either 5g of creatine or a placebo daily. There were no differences in DHT, the DHT-to-testosterone ratio, hair density, hair follicle counts or hair thickness.
The honest bottom line: the evidence is reassuring but limited to short trials in young men. If you’re already losing hair or have a strong family history, it’s reasonable to watch for changes, and a GP or pharmacist can talk you through hair loss treatments. Stress is a far more common trigger for shedding: see stress and hair loss.
Is creatine bad for your kidneys?
In healthy people, trials haven’t shown harm. A 2026 meta-analysis of 20 randomised trials found creatine nudged up blood creatinine slightly (by 0.13mg/dL on average) but made no difference to urea or eGFR, the main estimate of how well your kidneys filter. The authors noted that trials lasting longer than a year are still needed.
That small creatinine rise matters in one practical way. Creatinine is the breakdown product of creatine, and GPs use it to estimate kidney function. Taking creatine can make a routine blood test look slightly worse than your kidneys really are, so tell your GP or nurse you take creatine before a kidney blood test.
If you have kidney disease, have been told your kidney function is reduced, or take medicines that affect the kidneys, don’t take creatine unless your doctor agrees.
Creatine, weight gain and weight loss
Weight gain: expect the scale to go up a little. Weight gain is the only side effect consistently reported in the expert position stand. Early on it’s water in the muscles; over months of training, it’s more lean tissue. In the 2026 meta-analysis of 63 studies, body weight rose slightly with creatine, mostly from lean mass, and there was no increase in fat mass.
Weight loss: creatine isn’t a weight-loss supplement. In a 2023 analysis of 12 studies in adults under 50 doing resistance training, creatine trimmed body fat percentage by about 1.2 points, but made no difference to the actual amount of fat. Body fat percentage fell mostly because muscle went up, not because fat came off.
If you’re trying to lose fat and keep muscle, the basics do the heavy lifting: strength training, enough protein and good sleep. See sleep and weight loss.
Creatine gummies vs powder
Gummies can work if they actually contain the dose. In a 2026 trial, 32 female beach volleyball players took 5g a day of creatine in gummy form for 10 weeks; compared with a control group, they jumped higher and changed direction faster. The catch is quality, not the format itself.
Creatine is stable as a dry powder but slowly breaks down into creatinine in liquids, faster in warm or acidic conditions. Gummies are moist and often acidic, so the creatine content can fall short of the label, especially as they age. Before you buy gummies, look for independent lab results showing the creatine content per gummy, ideally per batch.
| Powder | Capsules or tablets | Gummies | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research behind it | Almost all trials | Same ingredient, fewer trials | Very few trials |
| Servings for 3 to 5g | One scoop | Often several capsules: check “per serving” | Often several gummies: check “per serving” |
| Stability | Very stable dry | Stable | Can degrade in moist, acidic gummies |
| Sugar and sweeteners | Usually none (unflavoured) | None | Usually some |
| Cost per gram | Lowest | Higher | Usually highest |
| Best for | Value and reliability | Travel, no taste | People who won’t take powder |
Our view: unflavoured creatine monohydrate powder stirred into a drink or yoghurt is the cheapest and most reliable option. If gummies are the only way you’ll take it every day, choose a brand that publishes independent testing.
How to choose a creatine supplement
- Choose creatine monohydrate. It’s about 88% creatine by weight, it’s the form used in almost all the research, and no other form (ethyl ester, buffered, nitrate or salts) has been shown to raise muscle creatine more.
- Check the source. Expert reviewers recommend German-made creatine monohydrate, because some other manufacturing methods have been linked to contaminants. Creapure is a well-known German-made brand of creatine monohydrate, and many products state when they use it.
- Micronised powder mixes more easily. It’s the same creatine, just finer.
- Avoid “proprietary blends” that hide how much creatine you get, and be wary of extra stimulants in pre-workouts.
- Competing in tested sport? UK Anti-Doping says no supplement can be guaranteed free of banned substances, and you are responsible for anything in your system. If you choose to use one, pick a batch-tested product (for example through Informed Sport) and check the batch number.
- Ignore unauthorised claims. “Toning”, “fat burning” and “brain boosting” aren’t approved claims for creatine in GB.
Who should avoid creatine or ask a GP first
- Kidney disease or reduced kidney function: only with your doctor’s agreement.
- Medicines that affect the kidneys, or any regular medication: check with your GP or pharmacist first.
- Under 18s: research in teenagers is limited, especially in girls, and the GB authorised claims are for adults. Young athletes should talk to a GP or sports medicine professional rather than buying creatine themselves.
- Pregnancy and breastfeeding: there are no well-designed human trials yet, so safety isn’t established. We don’t recommend our products during pregnancy or breastfeeding, and we’d suggest the same caution with creatine.
- Drug-tested athletes: batch-tested products only (see above).
Stop and see a GP if you develop new symptoms you’re worried about, such as persistent stomach upset, swelling or a big change in how much you urinate.
Where magnesium fits in
Evopure doesn’t sell creatine, and nothing replaces training, food and sleep for building strength. But recovery is when training pays off, and sleep is a big part of that. Our Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex is an evening drink with magnesium bisglycinate and citrate, glycine, L-theanine and botanicals. Magnesium contributes to normal muscle function and to a reduction of tiredness and fatigue. It isn’t a performance supplement and won’t make creatine work better; it’s simply part of a calm evening routine.
For more on magnesium and training, see magnesium for muscle pain and magnesium for active people. For tiredness more broadly, see best supplements for energy, and for another well-studied sports food, beetroot juice.
FAQs
Is it better to take creatine before or after a workout?
It makes little difference. Small studies hint that after may be slightly better, but reviews conclude timing isn’t critically important. Take 3 to 5g every day, including rest days, at a time you’ll remember, ideally with a meal.
How much creatine should I take a day?
3 to 5g of creatine monohydrate a day, or about 0.1g per kg of body weight. Loading (about 20g a day for 5 to 7 days) fills your muscles faster but isn’t necessary: 3g a day reaches similar levels in about four weeks.
Does creatine make you bloated?
It can for the first few days, mainly if you load. Creatine pulls water into your muscles, which can add 1 to 3kg during a loading week. Skipping loading and keeping each dose to 10g or less makes bloating and stomach upset less likely.
Can creatine cause headaches?
Headaches aren’t a side effect found consistently in creatine trials. Check that you’re drinking enough fluids and whether your product contains caffeine, as many pre-workouts do. See a GP if headaches keep coming back.
Does creatine cause hair loss?
There’s no good evidence that it does. One small 2009 study found a rise in the hormone DHT but didn’t measure hair. A 2025 randomised trial in 38 men found no change in DHT or hair measures after 12 weeks of 5g a day.
Are creatine gummies as effective as powder?
They can be if they contain the full dose, and a 2026 trial using 5g a day of creatine gummies found performance benefits. But creatine can break down in moist, acidic gummies, so look for independent lab results. Powder is cheaper and more reliable.
Is creatine good for weight loss?
No. Creatine doesn’t reduce fat mass, and the scale often goes up slightly because of water and extra muscle. Combined with strength training it may lower body fat percentage a little, mostly by adding muscle.
Sources
- Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register.
- Kreider RB et al (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
- Antonio J et al (2021). Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
- Antonio J et al (2025). Part II. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
- Wang H et al (2026). Resistance training combined with creatine supplementation: a three-level meta-analysis. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
- Fernández-Landa J et al (2023). Effects of creatine monohydrate on endurance performance in a trained population: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med.
- Xu C et al (2024). The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Nutr.
- Yao L et al (2026). Resistance training combined with creatine supplementation in older adults: a systematic review and three-level meta-analysis. Front Nutr.
- Antonio J, Ciccone V (2013). The effects of pre versus post workout supplementation of creatine monohydrate on body composition and strength. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
- Forbes SC et al (2021). Timing of creatine supplementation does not influence gains in unilateral muscle hypertrophy or strength. J Sports Med Phys Fitness.
- Ribeiro F et al (2021). Timing of creatine supplementation around exercise: a real concern? Nutrients.
- van der Merwe J et al (2009). Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clin J Sport Med.
- Lak M et al (2025). Does creatine cause hair loss? A 12-week randomized controlled trial. J Int Soc Sports Nutr.
- Tsiaras A et al (2026). The effect of creatine supplementation on kidney function: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Ren Nutr.
- Candow DG et al (2023). Resistance exercise and creatine supplementation on fat mass in adults under 50 years of age. Nutrients.
- Pereira F et al (2026). Effects of creatine monohydrate gummies on performance and body composition in female beach volleyball athletes. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol.
- NHS. Headaches.
- UK Anti-Doping. Supplements.
- Advertising Standards Authority (2026). Ruling on Unicorn Brands Ltd.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Evopure makes the Magnesium Glycinate Sleep Complex. We don’t sell creatine.
