
It’s 2025, and We’re Still Debating Creatine Use?
Back in August of 2003, I headed off to the University of Connecticut for graduate school. At UCONN, I was super lucky to be surrounded by some really smart professors/researchers and fellow graduate students.
I distinctly remember that in one of my first graduate classes, our professor commented on how creatine was the most researched supplement in history and that the safety and efficacy data was resounding. In supplemental form, it had been on the scene in high level athletes for about a decade at that point, and the support for it was really unwavering in the research community. In fact, this professor had been one of the lead authors on a meta-analysis that summarized in no uncertain terms that creatine worked great and was safe. At the time of that graduate class, I’d already been using creatine myself for two years, and I’m happy to report that now, 22 years of non-stop creatine usage later, I’m not dead!
By “worked great,” I mean that creatine absolutely allows athletes to train harder and longer, and achieve better results. You can’t even call it a “cheat code” because it’s naturally occurring and completely legal to consume in every governing body. You might actually be crazy for not taking it.
You see, over the past few decades, we’ve discovered many more amazing benefits of creatine. It has a role in limiting sarcopenia (muscle loss) and osteopenia (bone loss) in the elderly, astronauts, and other populations. Steady usage has shown promise with improving cognitive function, and a single dose even improved cognition (processing capacity and short-term memory) in a group of sleep-deprived individuals (which – let’s be honest – is far too many of us). Creatine may even have a role in the battle against depression, and some new research suggests that it may improve sleep duration.
Nonetheless, because it’s a supplement, there are still naysayers – and I find myself having conversations on it all the time – usually with parents of young athletes. There’s absolutely a place for it – and I think dietician Angie Asche did an awesome job discussing the big picture of supplements in this old podcast of mine that’s well worth the listen.
Top-notch safety and efficacy aside, it’s also probably the most cost-effective supplement on the market. I use 1st Phorm brand (which is NSF certified) and it works out to a whopping 33 cents a day to use. It’s less 1/10 the cost of a cup of coffee, and confers more benefits (although I am bullish on coffee as well, but that’s a newsletter for another day).
Just plain ol’ creatine monohydrate is your best bet; don’t worry about spending more on souped up concoctions that promise added synergy or a special delivery system. The crew at 1st Phorm also offers free shipping on orders over $75, so the deal is even better.
In a ever-confusing supplement world, it’s nice to be able to have some no-brainers. For me, creatine is right up there with fish oil and Vitamin D as a mainstay.