Our take

Creatine might help athletes who need to use short bursts of speed or increased muscle strength, such as sprinters, weightlifters and team sport athletes.

While taking creatine might not help the performance of all athletes, evidence suggests that it is safe when taken as directed.

Some older reports have suggested that creatine might worsen kidney function in people who already have kidney conditions. But studies in healthy people who take creatine haven't found that creatine harms kidney function when taken at recommended doses.