I take creatine every day — 5 grams most days, sometimes 10 — and recommend it to many of my clients. It’s one of the most well-researched, safe, and effective supplements available. But let’s be honest: the hype machine has done what the hype machine does. Creatine has gone from underrated to borderline magical in some online corners.

Here’s the truth: creatine isn’t overrated, but it is often misrepresented. The real benefits? Modest but meaningful — and incredibly consistent.

What Creatine Actually Does (And Doesn’t Do)

Creatine’s primary role is to increase phosphocreatine stores in muscle, which helps regenerate ATP — your body’s short-term energy currency. That means more fuel for high-intensity efforts like lifting, sprinting, and explosive movements.

But the key phrase is “with resistance training.” Without it, creatine won’t do much for you.

What the research says:

• Users typically gain an extra 1.1 to 2.2 kg (2.4–4.8 lbs) of lean mass over 8–12 weeks of training.

• Strength increases, especially on compound lifts, are 8–14% greater than in non-supplementing groups.

• Some of that “mass” is from increased intracellular water — not pure muscle fiber growth — but that water supports performance and recovery, which helps long-term progress.

Creatine ≠ Muscle in a Bottle

It’s not going to turn you into a beast overnight. What it does is help you get one more rep, add a bit more weight, or recover faster between sets. And over time, that adds up.

Without lifting weights? You’ll notice nothing. So if you're expecting results from creatine without training, you're giving it a job it was never designed for.

The Brain Boost Debate: Is There Anything to It?

Emerging research suggests creatine might support cognitive performance, especially under stress. Think sleep deprivation, heavy mental tasks, or aging populations with declining creatine levels.

Most promising:

• Older adults may experience improvements in memory and processing speed.

• Vegetarians and vegans, who don’t consume dietary creatine, often benefit more cognitively than omnivores.

• Sleep-deprived individuals may see slightly improved mental performance and reaction time.

But don’t expect sharper focus, smarter decisions, or better memory just because you started tossing creatine in your coffee. These effects are subtle and highly dependent on context — not something you’ll feel instantly like caffeine.

Bone Health: Not Direct, But Still Helpful

Does creatine help bones? Indirectly, yes — by allowing you to train harder and build more muscle, which improves skeletal loading and bone density.

Studies in older adults show:

• Resistance training + creatine = improved bone mineral density (~1.2% gain at the femoral neck).

• Creatine alone, without strength training = no meaningful change.

So again, it’s not creatine doing the magic — it’s the stronger, more frequent training that creatine allows you to do.

What It Won’t Do (No Matter What TikTok Says)

Let’s put to rest a few exaggerated claims:

• ❌ Creatine doesn’t treat depression (yet — promising, but not conclusive).

• ❌ It won’t solve fertility or testosterone issues.

• ❌ It doesn’t prevent cancer.

• ❌ It doesn’t “dry you out” or ruin your kidneys (in healthy individuals).

These myths often stem from early hypotheses, misunderstood mechanisms, or isolated case studies. The current consensus: creatine is safe, effective, and best used for what we know it helps with — strength, muscle, and potentially cognitive aging.

Final Take: The Real Value of Creatine

If you train hard and want an edge in performance, recovery, and long-term muscle retention — creatine delivers. It’s:

• ✅ Safe (even long term)

• ✅ Affordable

• ✅ Consistently effective when paired with resistance training

• ✅ Potentially supportive for brain and bone health with age

It’s not a magic pill — it’s a reliable ally. Use it for what it’s good at, and you’ll get real value. Expect it to replace hard work, and you’ll be disappointed.

Bottom Line: Creatine isn’t overhyped — it’s just often misunderstood. If you’re serious about lifting, aging strong, or training smart, 5 grams a day is one of the easiest decisions you can make.

Don’t cycle it. Don’t stress over timing. Just take 5g/day — every day.

It doesn’t matter if it’s pre- or post-workout. Just stay consistent.

Mix it in your coffee (yes, that’s fine — as long as you drink it fairly soon after mixing), protein shake, or even plain water — it’s tasteless and effective.

🔗 Your Turn: Want to Train Smarter with Supplements That Actually Work?

Creatine is just one piece of the puzzle.

My coaching helps you integrate supplements, training, and nutrition into a plan that makes sense for your life — not just your gym PRs.

If you're training hard, trying to stay sharp, or just want to age with more strength, let's build your roadmap together.

👉 [Let’s Build Your Plan]​ 

You’re not here to guess. You’re here to grow — intelligently.

There is no need for take-out with this quick-n-tasty recipe for Asian Shrimp and Noodles! This dish has all of the Asian flavors that you love, with a fraction of the carbs and calories of traditional take-out.

All of the flavors, none of the guilt!

This dish is pretty epic: plump shrimp and tender veggies combine with savory sauce and satisfying veggie noodles. Yes, please!

What you need
Serves 4

For the Coconut Amino Sauce

1/3 cup coconut aminos
2 teaspoons garlic, minced
½ teaspoon liquid stevia
1 Tablespoon chili paste (sambal oelek)
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 Tablespoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For the Noodles

1 butternut squash
1 sweet potato
1 teaspoon olive oil
sea salt and black pepper

For the Shrimp and Veggies

1 teaspoon olive oil
12 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups (5oz) white cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
2 zucchini, diced
1 carrot, grated
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, minced

Instructions

For the Coconut Amino Sauce

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the sauce ingredients together. Whisk until fully combined.

For the Noodles

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Peel the sweet potato and peel and seed the butternut squash and run both through a spiral slicer to create long, thin noodles. Toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Set aside.

For the Shrimp and Veggies

1. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, 2 Tablespoons of the coconut amino sauce and the shrimp. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until fully cooked. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the mushroom, bell pepper, zucchini and carrot to the skillet. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add the shrimp, noodles and remaining coconut amino sauce back into the skillet and stir until fully combined.

4. Remove from heat, garnish with cilantro and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Nutrition
193 calories, 4g fat, 20g carbohydrate, 6g sugar, 429mg sodium, 3g fiber, and 19g protein.

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