Supplements insights
Peer-reviewed supplements research, translated into plain English.
Does creatine affect kidney function? The marker rises, filtering doesn't
Does creatine affect kidney function? Across 12 pooled trials the kidneys' filtering rate held steady while the blood marker used to estimate it edged up.
Does creatine cause bloating? A small early water gain, then it settles
Bloating from creatine is described as transient water retention in the early weeks, and in a review of 951 women the weight gap came to about 1.4 kg, or none.
How much creatine per day? Trials mostly used 3 to 5 grams
How much creatine per day did the research use? Mostly 3 to 5 grams of monohydrate, taken continuously, with the loading week only speeding things up.
What are the side effects of creatine? Mostly mild, and not kidney damage
The side effects of creatine are mild and no more common than with placebo. The catch is water weight, and a blood marker that can misread healthy kidneys.
Is creatine safe for teenagers? The evidence is thin, not alarming
Studies in teenage athletes have not recorded adverse events, but whether creatine is safe for teenagers rests on a few small, short trials.
Does IV vitamin therapy work? The trials were run on hospital patients
The serious trials of IV vitamin therapy tested people already in hospital, not healthy adults, and the largest found no benefit.
When is the best time to take creatine? The daily total matters more
The best time to take creatine is whenever you will take it consistently: one 32-week trial in adults over 50 put after-training slightly ahead of before.
Does creatine cause hair loss or increase DHT?
One 2009 trial found creatine raised DHT by 56% in 20 rugby players. A 2025 trial measured hair itself in 38 men and found no change after 12 weeks.
Creatine may help cognition most when the brain is under strain
The clearest human signal is for short-term memory and reasoning, not a general brain boost for everyone.