20-05-2025
The Benefits and Safety of Creatine for Older Age
Athletes use creatine to boost muscle strength and performance. It's safe in moderate dosages, and studies indicate it may help effectively combat age-related muscle loss in older adults, among other benefits.
Your body derives creatine naturally from foods like red meat and seafood, synthesizing it in your liver and kidneys. It then stores about 95% of it in your muscles in another form called phosphocreatine.
This enhances the production of a molecule called adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which can help support your body during exercise and help you maintain strength and muscle mass.
Read on to learn more about taking creatine supplements in older age, the potential benefits and risks, and the recommended dosage.
Benefits of creatine for older adults
Sarcopenia is a condition that can develop in older age. It involves a gradual loss of muscle mass, strength, and physical performance. This can lead to weaker bones, increasing the chance of falling and fracturing bones. Regular resistance training can prevent weak bones, and research suggests that taking creatine supplements may also help.
Creatine vs. creatinine
It's important not to confuse creatine with creatinine, a waste product made by the kidneys.
In combination with resistance training, having creatine supplements could not only help support your muscle strength but also benefit your bones. Some evidence suggests that creatine supplements could help maintain bone mineral density, which can decrease as you age, putting you at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
However, creatine's benefits in older age aren't limited to muscles and bones. Research suggests it may also help improve cognitive performance, potentially reducing age-related cognitive changes. For example, according to a 2023 study, creatine may help support memory, especially in people between the ages of 66 and 76 years.
Also, creatine may have other potential health benefits, such as regulating blood sugar, reducing the chance of developing diabetes, and helping lower fatigue related to COVID-19.
Safety of creatine in older age
Many claims suggest that taking creatine supplements might not be safe. That said, there isn't enough research to support these concerns.
A comprehensive 2021 review of more than 500 research studies suggests that taking creatine is safe and effective when you stick to the recommended dose of 3 to 5 grams (g) per day or 0.1 g per kilogram (kg) of weight.
These studies refuted many of the beliefs about creatine, finding that it does not act like an anabolic steroid nor cause any of the following:
kidney damage
water retention
hair loss
dehydration
muscle cramps
weight gain
At what age should people not take creatine?
Research suggests that creatine is safe at any age as long as one is otherwise healthy and adheres to the recommended dosage.
That said, limited evidence for negative side effects doesn't necessarily mean that they cannot occur, especially for children and adolescents. For instance, a 2025 study reported that an adolescent developed kidney disease from taking high creatine doses.
Moreover, direct research on the safety of creatine specifically in older people is also limited. For this reason, it's always a good idea to speak with your doctor before starting any supplement.
How to take creatine
Given creatine's benefits, you may try maintaining an exercise routine while taking it, especially exercises that focus on bone and muscle strength.
Creatine typically comes as a powder you mix into a drink. On workout days, consider taking your full dose shortly before, shortly after, or splitting it around your session.
Some research suggests that taking creatine after exercise may be more beneficial than taking it before your workout, although the findings on this are mixed.
Also, you can still take creatine on days when you don't work out at any time you want to maintain consistent levels.
