\n supplements industry is valued at more than US$109 billion ($185b), according to Fortune Insights<\/a>, and the market is flooded with all manner of tinctures, powders and potions touted to do everything from helping grow your hair to boosting energy levels.\n <\/p>\n
The latest buzzword in the supplement lexicon? Creatine. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s been making waves in the fitness world for at least 30 years (an article published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine<\/a> credits widespread creatine use at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics), but now the supplement has entered the mainstream with claims that its benefits go beyond exercise.<\/p>\n Proponents say creatine helps lift brain fog, boost energy levels, support DNA repair and aid longevity.<\/p>\n Despite creatine\u2019s growing popularity, its meteoric rise has been closely followed by a flurry of counter-claims about what the supplement actually does (and who it\u2019s best for). <\/p>\n Viva enlisted three experts to separate fact from fiction behind the internet\u2019s buzziest supplement. <\/p>\n \u201cCreatine is a naturally occurring compound made in the body and found in foods like red meat and fish, where it\u2019s stored in muscle and tightly regulated to support energy production,\u201d performance dietitian Dane Baker says.<\/p>\n \u201cIts key role is to replenish ATP (adenosine triphosphate) – the body\u2019s immediate energy source – through the phosphocreatine system, which fuels short, high-intensity efforts like strength training and sprinting.\u201d<\/p>\n Personal trainer, psychotherapist and lifestyle coach Brittany McNabb says that while creatine remains one of the most studied supplements in sports science, it\u2019s also the most misunderstood. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a steroid. It\u2019s a compound your body already makes from amino acids, and you\u2019ve got it sitting in your muscles and brain right now helping you produce ATP. ATP is the energy your cells run on,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n \u201cEvery time you think, lift, focus, regulate stress, you are spending it; 5g [of creatine] per day helps you recycle that energy faster. So you\u2019ve got more of it available, more often.\u201d <\/p>\n Baker has spent the last decade working with the country\u2019s top athletes and sports organisations, and says that supplementing with creatine can lead to \u201csmall but meaningful improvements\u201d in strength, power and performance when used in conjunction with a healthy diet and regular exercise. <\/p>\n \u201cMore recently, research has expanded beyond muscle to explore potential benefits for brain metabolism, cognitive function and bone – areas that are promising, but still developing,\u201d Baker says.<\/p>\n Are all creatine products the same?<\/p>\n Our experts agree that the gold standard is creatine monohydrate – a highly bioavailable form of creatine which is used in almost all research. <\/p>\n It\u2019s most commonly available in powder or pill form, but McNabb warns not to fall for marketing trickery when buying it over-the-counter at your local supermarket, pharmacy or supplement store. <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t get pulled into fancy blends with apple flavouring and 10 other ingredients you can\u2019t pronounce. Monohydrate is the form with decades of research behind it,\u201d she says, adding she buys hers from Costco where she spends $40 on 1kg of creatine monohydrate powder. <\/p>\n According to Baker, gummies are the least effective way to take creatine. <\/p>\n \u201cMany \u2018wellness\u2019 formats like gummies are under-dosed or use less effective forms, so they\u2019re unlikely to deliver the same results,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n In July 2025, independent testing found that creatine gummies created by popular supplement brand Push contained almost no active creatine, despite claims it contained 5g on the label. <\/p>\n It caused a public outcry from fans of the brand, halting sales and resulting in an official investigation by the New Zealand Commerce Commission. The brand has since pivoted production to a United States-based manufacturer to produce its range of creatine gummies. <\/p>\n Is creatine just for athletes?<\/p>\n For Shelley Empson, Pilates instructor and founder of new supplement brand Creatonic, the shift away from creatine as a supplement only for athletes to being touted as something everyone can use has been particularly exciting. <\/p>\n \u201cCreatine is one of the world\u2019s most research-backed supplements. There are decades of evidence behind it, but many people still think it\u2019s not for them,\u201d she says. <\/p>\n