Caffeine
The most-used stimulant on earth, and one of the few supplements with strong evidence for both cognitive and physical performance.
100-400 mg
A Strong human evidenceNootropicsPerformance
Performance · Nootropics
Creatine Monohydrate
Also known as: creatine, creatine monohydrate
The most researched supplement in sports nutrition: reliable strength and lean-mass gains, with an emerging case for the brain.
Grade AStrong human evidence
Studied dose3-5 g/day
TimingAny time of day works
EvidenceGrade A
CategoryPerformance
Hundreds of RCTs and the ISSN position stand support creatine for strength, power, and lean mass. The cognitive evidence is younger and graded separately — promising in sleep deprivation and vegetarians, modest elsewhere.
If the entire supplement industry were reduced to the products that demonstrably work, creatine monohydrate would head the list. Across hundreds of randomized trials it reliably improves maximal strength, power output, and repeated-sprint capacity, and over months of training those extra quality reps compound into measurably more lean mass — typically an additional 1-2 kg versus training alone.
The mechanism is refreshingly boring. Your muscles regenerate ATP during maximal efforts by drawing down phosphocreatine, and supplementation raises that store by 20-40%. More stored energy means one or two more hard reps per set before fatigue. Creatine is not a stimulant, does not burn fat, and does nothing acutely — it works by letting you train harder, week after week.
The newer and more interesting frontier is the brain, which runs on the same phosphocreatine system. Trials show meaningful cognitive benefits in states where brain energy is stressed — sleep deprivation most clearly — and in vegetarians, whose baseline stores are lowest. In rested omnivores the effect is small or absent. Graded honestly: A for the gym, C for the brain, with the cognitive research still maturing.
Dosing is settled science. Either load at 0.3 g per kg daily for 5-7 days and saturate in about a week, or take 3-5 g daily and saturate in about four — the destination is identical, and the creatine dose calculator does the arithmetic for your body weight. Expect 1-2 kg of intramuscular water in the first weeks; that is the mechanism working, not bloat. Stick to plain monohydrate: every fancier form costs more and has failed to beat it in head-to-head trials.
How it works
Creatine expands the muscle phosphocreatine pool used to regenerate ATP during short, maximal efforts, letting you produce more high-intensity work before fatigue. The brain runs the same phosphocreatine energy system, which is the basis for its investigation as a cognitive supplement.
What the evidence supports
- Increases maximal strength and power A
- Increases lean mass with resistance training typically +1-2 kg over training alone across a programA
- Improves cognition under sleep deprivation largest in vegetarians and low-baseline groupsC
Safety
One of the most safety-tested supplements in existence; long-term trials at recommended doses show no harm to kidney function in healthy adults. It raises blood creatinine harmlessly (a creatine breakdown product), which can look alarming on lab panels — tell your doctor you supplement. Those with kidney disease should consult a physician first.
Reported side effects
- 1-2 kg water-weight gain in the first weeks
- GI discomfort with large single doses (split the loading dose)
Interactions
- High-dose caffeine taken chronically may blunt some of creatine’s ergogenic effect in a few studies, though the interaction is debated — morning coffee is not a concern.
This guide is educational, not medical advice. Talk to a physician or pharmacist before starting any supplement, especially alongside prescription medication or a medical condition.
Common questions
- What does Creatine Monohydrate do?
- The most researched supplement in sports nutrition: reliable strength and lean-mass gains, with an emerging case for the brain. Its best-supported effects are increases maximal strength and power and increases lean mass with resistance training.
- Does Creatine Monohydrate actually work?
- Strong human evidence (grade A). Hundreds of RCTs and the ISSN position stand support creatine for strength, power, and lean mass. The cognitive evidence is younger and graded separately — promising in sleep deprivation and vegetarians, modest elsewhere.
- How much Creatine Monohydrate should I take?
- The studied range is 3-5 g/day, once daily, every day; optional loading of 0.3 g/kg/day for 5-7 days. Start at the low end — more is not better once the effective range is covered.
- When should I take Creatine Monohydrate?
- Any time of day works — daily consistency is what matters, with or without food. Saturation takes ~1 week with loading or ~4 weeks at 3-5 g/day.
- Is Creatine Monohydrate safe?
- One of the most safety-tested supplements in existence; long-term trials at recommended doses show no harm to kidney function in healthy adults. It raises blood creatinine harmlessly (a creatine breakdown product), which can look alarming on lab panels — tell your doctor you supplement. Those with kidney disease should consult a physician first. The most reported side effects are 1-2 kg water-weight gain in the first weeks, gI discomfort with large single doses (split the loading dose).
- What should you not mix Creatine Monohydrate with?
- High-dose caffeine taken chronically may blunt some of creatine’s ergogenic effect in a few studies, though the interaction is debated — morning coffee is not a concern. Ask a pharmacist or physician before combining it with prescription medication.
References
Evidence review last updated
- Kreider, R. B., et al. (2017). "International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Source
- Avgerinos, K. I., et al. (2018). "Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials." Experimental Gerontology. Source