Study finds creatine may increase muscle and strength

In a 12-week study published in the International Journal of Sports Nutrition, adults between the ages of 45 and 65 who took creatine increased their lean tissue and muscle strength, even without following a structured exercise program. Participants who combined creatine with regular exercise experienced even greater improvements.

The findings add to a growing body of research exploring creatine as more than a supplement for athletes. Scientists are also studying whether creatine can support muscle health and healthy aging.

The study was led by Dr. Richard Kreider, professor and director of Texas A&M’s Institute of Exercise and Sports Nutrition. Kreider has researched creatine for more than 30 years. Creatine occurs naturally in the body and helps restore cellular energy, while decades of research have investigated its effects on athletic performance, muscle growth, and strength. Kreider’s previous research also suggests that creatine may offer health benefits throughout life.

You don’t need to do structured exercise to get the benefits of creatine.

How the 12-week creatine study worked

The new study involved 64 healthy adults who completed the full 12-week intervention. Participants chose whether to join a structured exercise and diet weight-loss program or remain in the no-exercise group. Within those groups, they were randomly assigned to receive either 10 grams of creatine monohydrate or a placebo each day.

Among participants who did not follow an exercise program, those who took creatine gained approximately 2.4 pounds of lean tissue over 12 weeks. They also improved their leg press and bench press strength.

Participants in the exercise program performed resistance training and aerobic training three times per week. Those who added creatine experienced significant increases in leg press strength, bench press strength, and time to fatigue.

Creatine did not appear to improve aerobic capacity beyond the benefits of exercise alone. This result is consistent with previous evidence showing that creatine primarily supports strength and power rather than aerobic fitness.

Creatine may help build muscle while losing fat

Researchers also examined how to reduce body fat without losing muscle in the process.

Participants in the exercise group followed a diet that created a moderate calorie deficit. After 12 weeks, those who took creatine gained nearly 3 pounds of lean tissue while losing fat mass. By comparison, participants who followed the same exercise and diet program while taking a placebo saw little change in lean tissue.

The creatine group also experienced a significant decrease in body fat percentage. Researchers said this was the first study to show that adding creatine to an exercise and diet weight-loss program could reduce body fat percentage more effectively than exercise and diet alone.

Creatine and healthy aging

The findings add to decades of research investigating creatine for purposes beyond athletic performance.

Professor Kreider has previously highlighted the importance of creatine throughout the lifespan, including its potential value for older people facing age-related declines in muscle mass and cognitive function.

Creatine is produced naturally in the body and is also found in foods such as meat and fish. However, according to Kreider, many people may not get enough from food alone. He points out that a person would need to eat about 5 to 10 pounds of meat or fish each day to reach 10 grams of creatine, making supplements a more practical and lower-cost option.

Creatine safety research

Creatine is also one of the most well-studied sports and nutritional supplements. In a 2025 analysis, Kreider and colleagues examined 685 clinical trials and found no significant difference in the incidence of reported side effects between people taking creatine and those taking a placebo.

This research was funded by the WoodNext Foundation through the Texas A&M Foundation.