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Imagine a single supplement that boosts muscle growth, strength, recovery, and supports brain health, energy, mood, and bone health. This isn’t a dream, it’s creatine. And as someone who’s taken this supplement every day for the past year, I can tell you first hand: It’s a game-changer.

I recently explored the science behind this supplement with leading creatine researcher Darren Candow, Ph.D., on the mindbodygreen podcast. With his deep expertise in exercise physiology and aging, Candow sheds light on why this supplement lives up to the hype and why we should all consider taking it.

To come, a few highlights from the episode.

Creatine’s evolution in the world of wellness 

I’ve worked in wellness for over 15 years and I’ve witnessed the most dramatic shift in the conversation around creatine just in the last year, with even more pickup in the last few months.

What was once considered a bodybuilder’s supplement reserved for gym bros only, has undergone a striking rebrand in recent years. Creatine has quickly become one of the most well researched and highly recommended daily supplements for optimizing health—whether you’re an athlete or not.

Creatine’s benefits for body & brain support

Given its extensive list of benefits, I’m not surprised by the obsession. Below, a few of the main perks you should know. 

1. Muscle, strength, & performance enhancement

Beyond the lab, creatine also earns high marks in the real world. “Anecdotally, a lot of people say they can do more repetitions, they’ve gotten stronger, their muscles don’t seem to be as sore, so that allows them to train more frequently,” Candow notes.

Because of this, he says he’d be shocked if the vast majority, if not all, of the athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics aren’t either increasing creatine in their diet or taking it as a supplement.

But let’s not forget—the other 5% of your body’s creatine is scattered throughout areas like your bones and brain, which brings us to the next benefit.

2. Bone support, especially for postmenopausal women 

Next up is bone health support, particularly crucial for postmenopausal women. “When you look in the mirror, most people are not concerned with bone health,” Candow says. But while it may not be top of mind aesthetically, bone health is deeply connected to lifelong mobility.

Candow breaks it down: Your muscles pull on your bones all day long, whether you’re doing daily activities or working out. “Lo and behold, just like your muscles, bone cells use creatine for energy.”

In essence, creatine acts as fuel for these cells.

For women going through menopause or postmenopause, this is even more critical because the risk of osteoporosis4 skyrockets due to decreased estrogen levels.

However, if you’re looking to reap bone health benefits from creatine, take note—you’ll need a daily dose of eight to ten grams, compared to the two to five grams typically recommended for muscle support, Candow advises.

3. Boosts mood, cognition, & even helps to combat jet lag

In terms of benefits, “The brain has taken on a new life of its own, from concussion to depression, sleep deprivation, [and] cognition,” Candow says, adding memory to that list as well. 

“The theory here is that when the brain is stressed, creatine acts like an anti-inflammatory, reducing metabolic stress and helping the brain recover,” Candow explains. 

Typically, you can achieve brain, bone, and muscle benefits with a daily dose of 10 grams of creatine. However, if you’re sleep-deprived, you might want to boost your intake to reap the benefits.

Candow suggests upping your dose to 20 grams a day for at least seven days if you anticipate running on low sleep—say, when you’re crossing time zones or working later hours.

But remember: Creatine can’t act alone

It’s great that so many people are talking about creatine right now, but there’s an important part of the conversation that’s missing—you can’t just take creatine and expect to build muscle automatically.

“99% of all these benefits are driven by exercise,” Candow says.

“If you just take creatine without exercise, you’re likely not going to get any of these substantial beneficial effects,” he says. 

So, how much should I take?

Candow speaks candidly about creatine’s potential side effects when taken in those high doses, for a loading phase. Most notably, you could experience some bloating. 

“You start to get an increase in intracellular water in the muscle, which is great,” Candow says, but could result in water retention. This could manifest as bloating, increased weight on the scale, and a feeling of general puffiness for some people.

You can think of the ideal dosage on a sliding scale:

“I don’t think you need to do the loading phase unless you’re an athlete,” he says. 

In the end, creatine has a packed resume and has earned its spot as one of the most researched supplements out there. As Candow says, “Creatine has a gamut of potential benefits for everybody across the lifespan, including pregnancy, all the way up to your grandparents.”

The takeaway

Creatine is a powerhouse supplement that boosts muscle growth, strength, and recovery, while also supporting brain health, energy, mood, and bone health.

Whether you’re an athlete or just aiming to optimize your well-being, creatine delivers—just remember, it works best when paired with exercise, and adjusting your dosage can help you get the most out of it. 

To dive deeper into the science behind the supplement, even more benefits to know, and common myths about creatine, tune into the full episode. You can watch the interview on YouTube or listen in on Apple Podcasts.