Is creatine good for weight loss? What the science says

From apple cider vinegar and cayenne pepper to detox teas and soups, there’s a bunch of powders, pills, potions and miracle quick fixes that swear they’ll help you lose weight. One that has gained a lot of popularity in recent years is creatine, which supporters say supercharges your workouts, builds muscle and sheds fat.

But is there any truth to the claims behind creatine? Does it actually support weight loss, or are its supposed benefits complete rubbish? Let’s find out whether there’s any credible evidence to back up the hype.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a compound found naturally in the body. Its main purpose is to supply energy to your muscles, particularly during strenuous physical activity.

You can get creatine through dietary sources like red meat, seafood and dairy, or via oral supplements, but it’s also produced naturally by your liver, pancreas and kidneys. Once it’s made, it travels through your blood to where it’s needed most. About 95% goes to your skeletal muscle, with the remaining 5% to your brain, heart and other tissues.

Why do people use creatine?

Because it’s directly involved in muscle energy production, creatine has become a hugely popular supplement among those looking to enhance their exercise regimen. It's usually sold as creatine monohydrate, the most common and well-researched form of creatine.

Creatine helps generate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a molecule that powers your workouts. ATP supports muscle contraction and is the primary energy source for short, intense bursts of exercise like lifting weights, jumping or sprinting. 

With more energy in your muscles, you may be able to complete more reps, lift heavier weights or go faster. This can make workouts more effective, and over time, may improve strength, power and overall athletic performance.

What are the benefits of creatine?

So, is there any proof that creatine works? Here’s what the science says:

• It may improve exercise performance: Plenty of research shows that creatine can be hugely effective when doing short bursts of intense exercise, because it enables your cells to make energy faster. This energy boost can lead to more strength, greater power and speed, and better performance [1]
• It can help build muscle: Several studies have shown that, when combined with resistance training, creatine can improve body strength. In a meta-analysis of 23 studies, experts found that people taking creatine got stronger across their entire body, increasing upper body strength by around 4.4kg and lower body strength by 11.3kg [2]
• It could support recovery: Some evidence suggests that creatine supplementation can support recovery after intense workouts, as long as it’s paired with sufficient calorie and protein intake. Experts suggest this could be due to creatine’s ability to restore glycogen in the muscles, a process that supports muscle healing [3]
• It could slow age-related muscle and bone depletion: As people age, muscle and bone mass typically decline. But, there’s a growing body of research demonstrating creatine’s ability to preserve age-related muscle mass and performance, and reduce the loss of bone mineral. These effects may have protective benefits, like reducing the risk of falls [4]
• It may benefit brain health: A 2024 review concluded that creatine can improve memory, attention and processing speed, especially among women [5]

Is creatine good for weight loss?

Creatine absolutely could support weight loss, but not directly. Because creatine enhances your workouts, it can help you burn more calories and potentially accelerate your weight loss efforts. 

And because it’s a proven way to build muscle, it may make losing weight more efficient. A higher amount of muscle in your body boosts your metabolism and helps you use up more energy during rest periods, so fat loss becomes more achievable.

However, the evidence on creatine and weight loss is thus far a little mixed. One study done on adults aged 50+ found that a combination of resistance training with creatine supplementation helped participants lose around 0.5kg more fat mass than with resistance training alone [6].

Another study on adults aged under 50 using creatine and resistance training found no difference in absolute fat mass and only a very minimal effect on body fat percentage, with participants losing 1.19% more weight [7].

Finally, a 2025 study found that creatine supplementation had no effect on lean body mass changes when combined with resistance training [8].

Also, remember that like any supplement or diet, it’s not a magic bullet. Relying on creatine alone to lose weight probably won’t work; instead, it’s about implementing holistic lifestyle changes and incorporating it into your routine to complement your efforts, not replace them. 

The basics of weight loss remain the same, no matter what: eat fewer calories than you burn, move more, and stay consistent. Incorporating resistance training into your exercise routine is also key, as it helps build lean muscle mass.

This is where Juniper comes in. Rather than focusing on a single quick fix, the program combines medical treatment with lifestyle changes to deliver a holistic and sustainable weight loss solution.

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The Juniper Programme combines weight loss medication with dietitian-led health coaching and tracking, so you can lose weight and reach your goals for good.

Kickstart your weight loss journey with Wegovy or Mounjaro, two groundbreaking weight loss medications that mimic the GLP-1 and GIP hormones, respectively, to help control cravings, delay stomach emptying, and keep you feeling fuller for longer. These clinically backed treatments help members experience up to 23% body weight loss [12].

Plus, we have a team of expert dietitians and health coaches you can consult with to help you work through any challenges you're experiencing during your weight management journey. This approach sets you up for sustained weight loss, rather than a quick-fix solution.

This means you can continue to enjoy the things you love in moderation without ever feeling deprived.

Ready to see if Juniper is right for you? You can check your eligibility here.

What are the possible side effects of creatine?

Creatine supplements are usually pretty safe if you’re taking them on a short-term basis and at the recommended dose: 3-5g per day for up to 12 weeks, or starting at a dose of 20g for up to seven days. 

If you plan to take it long-term, one study found that it may be safe to do so. Researchers concluded that patients who took up to 30g each day for five years didn’t experience major repercussions [9].

However, you may notice a few unwanted (but largely mild) side effects [10]:

• Water retention, which can cause temporary weight gain
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Excessive sweating

There’s also a risk that creatine could cause problems in people with certain underlying conditions. It’s recommended you avoid creatine if you have kidney or liver disease, diabetes, bipolar disorder or Parkinson’s disease, or if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding.

Always be sure to have a discussion with your GP or healthcare provider before starting a new supplement, especially if there’s a risk of health complications.

How to take creatine

You can actually get about half the creatine your body needs from diet alone.[10] The main dietary sources of creatine are:

• Red meat, like beef and veal
• Seafood, including fish and shellfish
• Dairy milk from cows, sheep or goat

Alternatively, if you want to really up your creatine intake, you can try a supplement. These are usually available in powder, capsule, tablet or liquid form. Powdered supplements are the most popular, and can be easily mixed into water, juice, smoothies or shakes.

How much creatine do you need?

Most people only need 3-5g of creatine daily, which is about one teaspoon. It can be taken at any time of day.

Some also increase their intake in the “loading phase”, a 5-7 day period that saturates the muscles faster. During this phase, they may take 20g each day (split into four doses of 5g each) before dropping to the daily maintenance dose of 3-5g.

Frequently asked questions

Supplements can be helpful, but it’s worth knowing both the benefits and drawbacks first. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about creatine and weight loss.

Does creatine reduce appetite?

There’s no evidence linking appetite reduction and creatine, although some users report either a decrease or an increase in hunger levels. The increase could be related to the energy-boosting effects of creatine, which may make you hungrier. 

Does creatine affect sleep?

Because creatine lifts your energy levels, it might make perfect sense that this could impact your sleep. However, there’s no proof that it causes insomnia. Instead, several studies indicate it could actually reduce the effects of sleep deprivation because it helps deliver energy to the brain. One study on rats, for example, found that creatine supplementation reduced the rats’ need for sleep as well as the pressure to catch up on sleep, showing it could be a useful sleep aid.[11]

Can you drink alcohol while taking creatine supplements?

A small amount of alcohol may be fine when you’re taking creatine, especially if you limit it to rest days – this allows your body to benefit most from the supplement.

That being said, many experts warn against combining alcohol with creatine. Alcohol can inhibit creatine’s positive benefits on muscle recovery, rendering the supplement largely ineffective. And because creatine already affects your body’s water balance and challenges your liver and kidneys, adding alcohol to the equation may worsen dehydration and liver and kidney strain.

Does creatine help to lose belly fat?

Creatine may certainly help you lose body fat indirectly through its ability to enhance workouts and increase muscle mass. 

Unfortunately, though, there’s no single way to target belly fat specifically, whether using creatine or any other supplement. Instead, it’s about losing weight across your entire body, which may or may not include your belly, depending on your body composition and where your body stores fat. 

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