In adults 45 to 65, daily creatine tracked more lean tissue even without a set exercise plan

What the research found

Study (12-week human trial, with an important design limit). Richard Kreider and colleagues report in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (doi 10.1080/15502783.2026.2716273; EurekAlert 18 September 2026). Sixty-four healthy adults ages 45 to 65 finished. People chose whether to join a structured exercise and diet program or stay in a non-exercise group, and were then randomized to 10 grams of creatine monohydrate a day or placebo. Among those not in the exercise program, creatine tracked about 2.4 pounds more lean tissue over 12 weeks, plus higher leg-press and bench-press strength. The exercise arm trained with resistance and aerobic work three times a week on a modest calorie deficit. In that arm, creatine tracked greater strength gains, longer time to exhaustion, nearly three pounds of lean tissue gained, and a larger drop in fat mass and body-fat percentage. The placebo exercise group showed little lean-tissue change. Aerobic capacity did not improve more with creatine. The exercise-versus-rest split was self-selected, so it is not a pure randomized test of exercise. Ten grams is the dose used in this study, not a serving suggestion. The release also cites a 2025 review by Kreider of 685 trials that found no significant difference in reported side-effect rates versus placebo; that is a separate safety summary, not this trial's outcome. Educational supplement notes. Not medical advice. Not a substitute for prescribed care.

Evidence level: Clinical trial. This is among the stronger kinds of evidence, but one study rarely settles a question.

Read the original at Texas A&M University / EurekAlert