Is creatine good for weight loss?

While creatine is commonly associated with bodybuilders and athletes, you might wonder if its potential benefits could extend beyond building muscle and strength. You might even ask yourself, “is creatine good for weight loss?” 

Ahead, we take a closer look at what the available science says about creatine for weight loss and dig deeper into how creatine works in the body.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that’s created in the kidney, liver, and pancreas before being transported to the skeletal muscles, heart, brain, and other tissues. About 95% of creatine is stored in the muscles, where it plays a key role in energy metabolism and production.

More specifically, creatine aids in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary source of energy in cells. ATP is essentially your body’s fuel; it’s required to power muscles through physical activity, from daily movements to high-intensity exercise. So, that means creatine is also part of what it takes to be able to provide your muscles with energy. 

While your body naturally produces creatine, you can get additional amounts from certain foods, such as fish and certain meats, as well as supplements. And on that note…

During intense workouts (think: sprinting, bursts of heavy weightlifting), your muscles require a lot of energy—and fast. So, they use more and more ATP to create the necessary energy. The benefit of creatine, specifically creatine monohydrate (the form that’s commonly found in supplements and most studied), is that there is an association between creatine supplementation and increased glycogen storage in muscle. The glycogen that creatine promotes can quickly release glucose, an important source of energy in the body. Because energy derived from glucose is essential for the muscle recovery process, consuming creatine could help with muscle healing after strenuous workouts. 

In general, the body needs to replenish 1–3 grams of creatine per day to maintain normal levels. While you can get creatine from protein-rich foods in your diet, creatine monohydrate supplements are available in various forms—e.g. capsules, powders, tablets, and gummies—and are frequently used by athletes and bodybuilders to help build muscle and boost athletic performance. 

Creatine doesn’t directly cause weight loss and, as such, isn’t commonly considered to be a  weight loss supplement, but it may have effects that could help support a weight loss journey. 

But can creatine help you lose weight? It might. 

Studies show the best approach for weight loss includes a combination of factors, such as following a nutritious, balanced diet and with regular exercise. But staying active and powering through challenging workouts (such as strength training, which can be particularly beneficial for weight loss) requires both your mind and body to be in tip-top shape. 

This is where creatine supplements can come in: Research shows that creatine can support muscle health and recovery after certain types of strenuous exercise. These effects can help you keep a consistent workout routine and even increase exercise intensity over time, both of which can contribute to weight loss and management. 

Does creatine boost metabolism?

Another two-word answer: It can. 

Research suggests creatine supplementation can improve muscle metabolism and regeneration, which can contribute to increased muscle growth over time. Increased muscle mass is often associated with a higher resting metabolic rate (RMR), which refers to the amount of energy your body burns without moving. And the higher the RMR, the more energy or calories you’re able to burn at baseline throughout the day, therefore contributing to a faster metabolism. 

Does creatine burn fat?

No, creatine doesn’t directly burn fat. But it can indirectly support fat loss through its effects on muscle.  

Some research suggests that, when combined with resistance training, creatine supplementation can result in a minor, but statistically significant, reduction in body fat percentage more than resistance training alone. Notably, creatine supplementation did not result in decreased total fat mass. This suggests the effects of creatine on fat in the body are minor, and that creatine may result in decreased body fat percentage by increasing other components in the body (such as muscle) rather than directly decreasing fat. 

Nonetheless, a lower body fat percentage can have a positive impact on your health, as a higher body fat percentage has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and higher risk for cancer.  

As mentioned before, creatine may have positive effects on muscle metabolism. Research also suggests that creatine supplementation may also reduce damage to muscles during exercise. This could help  speed up post-workout recovery. But creatine’s uses and potential benefits can extend beyond the world of physical performance. 

Better brain health. For starters, some amounts of creatine supplementation may improve mental fatigue and cognitive function possibly through its role in energy production. The brain requires significant energy, so it needs quite a bit of ATP when performing difficult tasks, such as complex calculations or other information processing. 

Research suggests creatine supplementation can increase the creatinine stores in your brain, helping it produce more ATP and, in turn, power through challenging situations. The same reasoning may explain why creatine supplementation can also strengthen memory. That being said, not all studies demonstrated such improvements, so more research is needed to truly determine how (and to what extent) creatine supplementation can benefit the brain and its processing. 

Improved blood sugar. Small studies have shown that taking a creatine supplement may improve managing blood sugar levels and reducing hemoglobin A1C levels in those with diabetes. Creatine may help lower blood sugar levels by assisting your body with moving glucose (sugar) from the bloodstream into muscles and other cells.

Other potential benefits such as bettered immune health and heart health as well as improvement in neurodegenerative diseases have all been reported. However, the results of studies are mixed, and much of the research is focused on animals. So more research is needed to understand what benefits, if any, creatine supplementation can have on these systems in humans.

Creatine monohydrate is a commonly used supplement and is generally considered safe when taken at the appropriate levels. But with any supplement, there are potential side effects and risks.

When taking a creatine supplement, you could experience side effects, such as bloating, cramping, gas, and nausea, though these side effects are typically minor and have not been reported to occur very frequently . 

Some people may experience weight gain from fluid retention after starting a creatine supplement. This water retention happens because creatine has an osmotic effect. This means the body will try to maintain the ratio of creatine to water in the muscle. So as the concentration of creatine increases it draws water into the muscles to maintain that usual ratio.  This effect is typically temporary while the body adjusts to the new amount of creatine available in the muscles. 

There is conflicting information regarding whether creatine affects kidney function. However, given there has been concern that creatine supplementation can affect your kidneys, it’s better to have your kidney function checked and monitored if you are planning to introduce new supplements like creatine monohydrate  into your routine. 

It’s also important to note that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements, such as creatine. This means creatine supplements do not have to go through the same rigorous testing for safety and efficacy as prescription medications. As such, there’s no guarantee that what you see on the label is what you’ll actually get. 

Remember, it’s always a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider before starting a new supplement, especially for people who have pre-existing conditions. 

When taking creatine for weight loss it’s important to remember it doesn’t directly cause a drop in pounds. If you (with guidance from a healthcare provider) decide to take creatine to help you slim down, it’s best to do so alongside a healthy diet and exercise to hopefully see the best weight loss results. You should also keep in mind that creatine is likely to cause an initial amount of weight gain due to water retention, so weight loss may not be the first thing you experience after incorporating it into your routine.

Follow a consistent exercise routine  

When you’re trying to lose weight, sticking with a consistent exercise routine can provide a big boost to those weight loss goals. And taking a creatine supplement could help you make the most of those workouts. 

Staying active can be more challenging when you feel tired during a workout and sore after. Muscles need ATP the most during bursts of higher intensity workouts, like  resistance training or sprinting. So combining creatine with bursts of intense activity may be able to help improve glycogen stores in your muscles and promote muscle recovery afterwards. The key, however, is keeping a consistent workout routine—without that, creatine can only help so much.  

Eat a balanced diet  

When you’re trying to lose weight, the food you eat matters.

The exact diet and meal pattern you follow while losing weight can vary based on your goals, any dietary restrictions (think: allergies), and other factors. But it’s key to aim for eating a balanced diet full of nutrient-dense foods. This can help give your body all of the nutrients it needs so you can feel your best. Aim for a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and lean protein foods.  

While a balanced diet and creatine supplementation don’t directly impact each other, together they could support weight loss through their individual benefits. 

Choose third-party tested supplements  

As mentioned above, dietary supplements are not regulated by the FDA for safety or efficacy. While there is no official testing of supplements required for regulation, companies can elect to have their supplements tested by organizations, such as National Safety Foundation (NSF) or ConsumerLab. 

When choosing supplements you can look for brands that have been third-party tested. According to NSF, their testing verifies the product contains what it claims, toxicology review, and contaminant review for undeclared ingredients.

Be sure to read the label and follow the recommendations provided for the dose of the supplement and how to best use the supplement. If you have any questions about how much to take or what supplement is best for you, talk to your healthcare provider for personalized guidance. 

Take the right dose 

There are no one set of guidelines for recommended daily intake of creatine. But a 2021 journal article reports the recommended dose of creatine is about 0.1 grams per kg of body mass per day, up to 3-5 grams per day.

Some athletes use a loading phase for creatine supplements followed by a maintenance phase. This approach is used to quickly raise the amount creatine stored in muscles before moving into the lower dose of creatine. However, there are risks to this approach because taking too much creatine can cause stress to your kidneys.

Bottom line: Talk with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian about the best dose of creatine for weight loss based on your specific health needs and wellness goals.

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How we reviewed this article

Every article on Health Guide goes through rigorous fact-checking by our team of medical reviewers. Our reviewers are trained medical professionals who ensure each article contains the most up-to-date information, and that medical details have been correctly interpreted by the writer.

Current version

August 15, 2024

Written by

Ashley Braun, RD, MPH

Fact checked by

Raagini Yedidi, MD

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About the medical reviewer

Raagini Yedidi, MD

Raagini Yedidi, MD, is an internal medicine resident and medical reviewer for Ro.