Title: Creatine Pros and Cons: The Inside Scoop
Headings: What Are the Pros and Cons of Creatine?
Nutrition
What Are the Pros and Cons of Creatine?
Benefits
May increase muscle size and strength
May fight muscle loss in older adults
May improve brain function
Safety and concerns
Is creatine bad for your kidneys?
May cause bloating
How to take it
The bottom line

Content: Creatine is most effective for high-intensity and repetitive sports and activities, such as bodybuilding, combat sports, powerlifting, track and field events, soccer, football, hockey, and track or swim sprints ( 4
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, 5
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). May fight muscle loss in older adults
Creatine may help slow sarcopenia, the progressive loss of muscle strength and function that often occurs naturally with aging. The condition is estimated to affect 5–13% of community-dwelling adults age 60 years and older. It has been linked to physical disability, poor quality of life, and an increased risk of death ( 6
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, 7
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, 8
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). Several studies in older adults have found that taking this supplement in combination with weight lifting may benefit muscle health ( 9
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, 10
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, 11
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). A review of studies found that taking creatine supplements helped older adults build more muscle mass ( 12
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). In the review, participants took creatine supplements and resistance-trained 2–3 times per week for 7–52 weeks. As a result, they gained 3 pounds (1.4 kg) more lean muscle mass than those who only weight trained ( 12
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). Another review in aging adults found similar results, observing that taking creatine may help boost the effects of resistance training, compared with doing resistance training alone ( 13
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). May improve brain function
Taking a creatine supplement has been shown to increase levels of creatine in the brain by 5–15%, which may improve brain functioning.