Creatine: The Most Proven Supplement in Fitness
If you take exactly one supplement, the evidence says it should be creatine monohydrate. Hundreds of studies over three decades show consistent gains in strength, power, and lean mass — with a safety record most medicines would envy.
What it actually does
Creatine increases your muscles' stores of phosphocreatine, the fastest fuel system for short, intense efforts — heavy sets, sprints, jumps. More phosphocreatine means one or two more quality reps per set, and those extra reps compound into measurably more strength and muscle over months.
Meta-analyses put the average benefit at roughly 5-10% greater strength gains versus training alone, plus 1-2 kg of additional lean mass over a training block. There's also growing evidence for modest cognitive benefits, particularly under sleep deprivation.
Dose, timing, and loading
The dose is 3-5 g of creatine monohydrate daily, taken whenever you'll remember it. Timing is irrelevant once your muscles are saturated; consistency is everything.
Loading (20 g/day for 5-7 days) saturates stores in a week instead of three or four, at the cost of possible mild stomach upset. It's optional — the destination is identical either way.
Skip the premium variants. HCL, buffered, and 'creapure blends' have never outperformed plain monohydrate in a controlled trial. Monohydrate is the studied form and the cheapest one — a rare alignment.
The myths, quickly
Water retention: real but intramuscular — the water goes inside the muscle cell, which looks like fullness, not bloat. Typical gain is 1-2 kg in the first weeks; it isn't fat and it isn't under your skin.
Kidneys: in healthy people, decades of studies show no harm at recommended doses. Creatine raises creatinine — a marker labs use to estimate kidney function — which creates false alarms on blood tests. Tell your doctor you supplement.
Hair loss: the entire concern rests on one small 2009 study that measured a DHT increase but never measured hair. It has not been replicated. Current evidence does not support the claim.
Who benefits most
Around 20-30% of people are 'non-responders' whose stores are already near-saturated from a high-meat diet. Vegetarians and vegans sit at the other extreme — lower baseline stores and typically the largest response.
Drink normally, take it daily including rest days, and give it 4-6 weeks before judging. That's the entire protocol.
Try the numbers yourself
Put it into practice
Track workouts, macros, and progress with the ElevenSix Fitness app for iPhone.