Creatine shown to build muscle without exercise in new study

A 12-week Texas A&M University study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition reveals that daily creatine supplementation increases lean tissue and strength in middle-aged adults even without exercise. Participants taking 10 grams of creatine daily without working out gained roughly 2.4 pounds of lean mass over 12 weeks. When combined with exercise and a calorie-deficit diet, creatine further accelerated fat loss and enhanced upper and lower body strength gains.

Texas A&M study findings on muscle and exercise

• ▪In a 12-week Texas A&M University study, adults ages 45 to 65 taking 10 grams of creatine daily without structured exercise gained roughly 2.4 pounds of lean tissue and increased leg press and bench press strength.
• ▪A 12-week study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition evaluated 64 healthy adults ages 45 to 65 taking 10 grams of creatine monohydrate daily versus a placebo.
• ▪Participants in the Texas A&M study who combined 10 grams of daily creatine with regular resistance and aerobic exercise achieved greater gains in leg press strength, bench press strength, and time to exhaustion than those exercising with a placebo.
• ▪A 12-week study from Texas A&M University found that creatine primarily supports muscular strength and power rather than aerobic fitness, showing no additional improvement in aerobic capacity beyond exercise alone.

Creatine effects on fat loss during calorie deficits

• ▪The Texas A&M study is the first to demonstrate that adding creatine to an exercise and diet-induced weight-loss program yields a greater reduction in body fat percentage than diet and exercise alone.
• ▪In the Texas A&M study, adults who combined exercise, a calorie-deficit diet, and 10 grams of daily creatine gained nearly three pounds of lean tissue while simultaneously losing body fat mass over 12 weeks.

Health benefits for specific demographic groups

• ▪Nurse and fitness trainer Michelle Nouraei recommends creatine for perimenopausal and menopausal women to combat accelerated muscle loss from declining estrogen levels and to help manage fatigue, foggy memory, and mood symptoms.
• ▪Cedars-Sinai sports medicine specialist Tracy Zaslow states that creatine helps middle-aged and older adults counteract age-related muscle loss and, when combined with resistance training, increases bone mineral content to help prevent osteopenia and osteoporosis.

How creatine functions in the body

• ▪Creatine helps skeletal muscles regenerate adenosine triphosphate for energy, supporting quick-burst power during short-duration, explosive exercise like weight lifting, jumping, and sprinting.
• ▪Creatine draws water into muscle cells to maintain volume and support contractions, aiding exercise performance and post-workout muscle recovery.

Natural sources and dietary intake of creatine

• ▪Creatine is a natural compound produced in the human liver, kidneys, and pancreas from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine, with approximately 95% of total body creatine stored in skeletal muscle.
• ▪Texas A&M researcher Dr. Richard Kreider noted that obtaining 10 grams of daily creatine from food alone requires consuming five to 10 pounds of meat or fish daily, making dietary supplements a more practical option.
• ▪Creatine is naturally present in foods like red meat, fish, seafood, and poultry, containing approximately one to two grams of creatine per pound in red meat and salmon.

Safety and recommended usage precautions

• ▪A 2025 review of 685 clinical trials led by Texas A&M researcher Dr. Richard Kreider found no significant difference in reported side-effect rates between individuals taking creatine and those receiving a placebo.
• ▪Tracy Zaslow considers long-term creatine use safe for healthy adults, but advises against it for people under 18, pregnant or nursing women, individuals with kidney or liver disease, those taking stimulants, or people with bipolar disorder.

Dosage and purchasing recommendations

• ▪UCLA Health dietitian Yasi Ansari advises consumers purchasing creatine to select third-party-tested creatine monohydrate bearing certification seals such as 'NSF for sport' or 'Informed Sport' and avoid proprietary blends.
• ▪The recommended daily adult dosage of creatine is three to five grams, though Michelle Nouraei suggests starting at three grams daily and increasing incrementally by one gram weekly to avoid gastrointestinal side effects like bloating and nausea.