Creatine: The Whole Story in One Read
The most studied supplement in sport, still the most misunderstood. Doses, timing, myths and who should skip it.
Dev Sharma
Nutrition Editor
Creatine monohydrate has more than 1,000 studies behind it and roughly 30 years of safety data in healthy adults. It is also the only supplement in the sports aisle we would recommend without knowing anything else about your diet.
The protocol, which has not changed in a decade
- 5 grams per day, every day, whether or not you train.
- No loading phase required — loading just gets you to saturation in a week instead of a month.
- Timing is irrelevant. Consistency is not.
- Buy monohydrate, third-party tested, no proprietary blends, no “HCl” premium.
Expect two to four pounds of water weight in the first weeks; that water is intracellular and part of the mechanism. Creatine does not damage kidneys in healthy adults, does not cause cramping, and — the finding most men have never heard — has meaningful cognitive benefits under sleep deprivation.
Written by
Dev Sharma
Nutrition Editor · Chicago, IL · 156 articles
Registered dietitian who spent six years in professional rugby kitchens. Allergic to fad diets and to under-seasoned chicken.
