Creatine Monohydrate in Non-Athletic Adults: Are Health Benefits Independent of Exercise? A Critical Review
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12775/QS.2026.68.74381Keywords
creatine, non-athletic adults, resistance exercise, healthy aging, cognition, metabolic health, safetyAbstract
Background. Health claims for creatine extend beyond sport, but many benefits occur with exercise.
Aim. To distinguish health effects in non-athletic adults supported independently of exercise from exercise-adjunctive effects.
Material and methods. A structured critical narrative review evaluated 30 author-supplied full-text PMC articles and supplementary targeted searches of PubMed/MEDLINE and the Quality in Sport archive. Human trials and quantitative syntheses were prioritized; pediatric, athletic and preclinical evidence was treated as indirect.
Results. Muscle and functional benefits were most consistent in older adults when creatine accompanied resistance training; stand-alone effects on lean mass and strength were small or inconsistent. Cognitive effects did not require exercise but were modest and heterogeneous. Evidence for glycemic control, vascular function, inflammation, rehabilitation and chronic disease remained preliminary or confounded by co-interventions. Recommended doses were generally well tolerated in healthy adults, although serum creatinine could rise without impaired filtration.
Conclusions. Creatine is not a substitute for physical activity. Its best-supported health role is as an adjunct to exercise and adequate nutrition; universal stand-alone use for chronic-disease prevention is not justified.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Natalia Drobińska, Yana Lavrenchuk, Hanna Kasprzak , Kacper Jaskulski, Krzysztof Wichman , Jan Szadkowski , Katarzyna Kowalenko , Zuzanna Olszowiec
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