
If you’ve been to the gym recently or follow any fitness influencers, you’ve probably heard about creatine.
You train hard and focus on your nutrition so now you want to know what supplements can help your running and endurance performance!
Creatine is very popular for bodybuilders and other strength athletes, but can it help you?
What is Creatine?
Creatine is one of the most popular and well-researched dietary supplements on the market now. Many athletes, both recreational and elite, take creatine supplements to improve their muscle strength and power.
Creatine is a chemical compound produced in the kidneys, liver, and pancreas and formed from three amino acids. It is found mostly in skeletal muscles, which use creatine for quick bursts of energy and muscle contractions.
We use creatine as a quick energy reserve for short bursts of high-intensity exercise – like powering us through that last weight rep or sprinting to the finish line. While creatine is a highly effective supplement for strength and power athletes, it’s reputation isn’t as well known for endurance athletes.
How Does Creatine Work?
Types of Creatine
There are many types of creatine on the market now, so it can be confusing to know how to choose the best product for you.
The only type of creatine that has been tested and shown to have performance benefits is creatine monohydrate! The other forms of creatine are not well researched in humans and we don’t know enough to make any recommendations for them.
Since creatine is naturally found in our bodies and our food supply, it is a legal supplement for all sports. You can find creatine monohydrate sold as a powder, capsule form, or even gummies.

Potential Benefits of Creatine Supplements
Research shows that supplementing with creatine monohydrate can be beneficial for increasing muscle mass, power, and strength. While our bodies produce creatine and we get it from foods, supplementation is necessary to increase creatine stores for endurance performance-enhancing benefits.
Muscle Mass and Strength
Creatine is most well known for its effectiveness in improving muscle mass and strength in both recreational and elite athletes. It can help enhance strength and power, improve recovery from high-intensity exercise, and increase volume and work output during resistance training that can lead to strength gains.
Glycogen Synthesis
Research shows that combining creatine supplementation with large amounts of carbohydrates increases both creatine and glycogen stores in the muscles. It’s important to replenish glycogen stores quickly for recovery and performance since endurance athletes deplete glycogen stores during long training sessions.
Speed
Many studies have shown runners, swimmers, cyclists, and triathletes improve their sprinting speeds with creatine supplementation. This is dependent on training, distance, and the individual athlete but may help interval training during endurance training.
Exercise Capacity
In addition to the other benefits of creatine on athletic performance, creatine supplementation can increase exercise capacity. Athletes had an increased capacity to perform high-intensity exercise after both short- and long-term creatine supplementation in many studies. This may be particularly beneficial to endurance athletes performing large volumes of high-intensity intervals.
Recovery and Injury Rehabilitation
When athletes are injured and recovering, the injured muscles can atrophy from the lack of use and cause imbalances. There is some evidence to show that muscle growth and strength from supplementing creatine could prevent muscle atrophy and improve recovery from injury.
Tolerance to Exercise in Heat
Like carbohydrates, creatine has the ability to retain water in the muscles which aids in hydration during intense exercise in hot and humid environments. This means that supplementing with creatine could help athletes tolerate heat and reduce the risk of heat related illnesses.

Possible Side Effects of Creatine Supplementation
Creatine is considered a safe supplement for short- and long-term supplementation in healthy adults, however some might experience side effects. Those with underlying conditions should consult their health care providers prior to taking any new supplements.
GI Distress
Stomach discomfort, bloating, diarrhea, and nausea are possible side effects of taking creatine supplementation. These GI issues are typically mild and usually seen when taking doses above 5 grams per day. Splitting your supplement doses throughout the day and staying well hydrated can help you deal with these symptoms.
Bloating
Creatine draws water into our muscles, which is great for hydration but can leave us feeling bloated and puffy. This usually occurs when first starting the “loading phase” of supplementing creatine and will go away within a few weeks.
Weight Gain
Since our muscles retain more water with creatine, it is common to gain weight in the first few weeks taking the supplement and should normalize soon. Weight gain with creatine is usually related to water retention and muscle gain, not fat so should not be a concern.
Kidney and Liver Issues
Creatine will not harm healthy kidneys and livers, but those with pre-existing kidney or liver conditions (diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cirrhosis, etc.) should exercise caution. Those with diabetes will also want to monitor their blood glucose levels closely since creatine can

Does creatine improve endurance performance?
While there is a lot of research to show creatine’s effectiveness as a ergogenic aid for strength, power, and high-intensity exercise, there is not as much evidence to support its ability to improve endurance performance. Runners, swimmers, cyclists, and triathletes have varied intensity training and a high volume that could benefit from increased creatine stores.
This means you can probably save your money and skip creatine supplementation for in-season training. I recommend focusing on a high-quality protein powder that contains the amino acids to support muscle recovery and repair.
Off-Season Creatine Supplementation
Every athlete is different and will have individual responses to creatine supplementation due to their creatine muscle stores, muscle fiber-type, and genetics. This means the best time to try supplementing creatine is in the off-season.
Creatine supplementation may be especially beneficial in the off-season for endurance athletes if you’re looking to build lean muscle, increase your strength, or improve your sprinting ability.
Creatine for Plant-Based Runners and Endurance Athletes
While creatine supplements may not be right for all runners and endurance athletes, it can be especially beneficial for plant-based endurance athletes. Vegan and vegetarian endurance athletes have smaller creatine stores than omnivorous athletes since dietary creatine is mostly found in animal products.
Research has shown that creatine supplementation can be beneficial for plant-based athletes for enhancing performance and recovery by increasing their overall creatine stores.
Creatine supplements are typically 100% vegan as they contain no animal products and are made from the amino acids, sarcosine and cyanamide. Capsules might be made with gelatin so it is best to always check the label on supplements for vegan products .
Incorporating Creatine in Your Diet
How Much Creatine Should You Take for Performance
If you choose to take creatine as an endurance athlete, the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends the following protocol:
- Loading phase for 5-7 days with 20 grams of creatine monohydrate (or 0.3 g/kg/day)
- Take 5 grams of creatine 4 times daily to prevent GI distress and water retention
- Maintain muscle creatine stores with 3-5 grams of creatine monohydrate per day
The loading phase is not required for creatine supplementation but saturating muscle creatine quickly will provide more immediate improvements in strength, power, and performance. Some athletes prefer to start supplementing at the maintenance dose, which leads to increased muscle stores but at a slower rate.
When to Take Creatine
As we know now, the best time to start supplementing with creatine for endurance athletes is in the off-season. But should you take creatine before or after workouts?
Recommendations show that creatine can be more effective when combined with carbohydrates and protein just before or after exercise. In addition, taking creatine too far out from exercise may not be as effective.
Some studies suggest it is a better post-workout supplement when combined with protein and carbohydrates – like in smoothies.
Sources of Creatine in Foods
Animal products like red meat, poultry, seafood, and dairy are rich in creatine, as well as protein to aid in muscle strength, recovery, and performance. Plant-based foods are not considered creatine-rich foods for athletes since they only contain trace amounts.
The ISSN recommends athletes should consume 3 grams of creatine per day through food.

Is Creatine Worth It for Runners and Endurance Athletes?
It is up to every individual athlete to decide if supplements are right for them, but the best time to experiment with creatine is the off-season. While it may not improve your endurance, it could improve muscle strength and recovery, increase glycogen stores, and help you sprint your way to the finish line.
Endurance athletes should prioritize carbohydrates and high-quality protein sources with or without creatine supplementation.
Best Creatine Supplements for Runners and Endurance Athletes
If you choose to take a creatine supplement, there are many factors to consider. I evaluated the following creatine supplements for creatine type, supplement form, cost per serving, added ingredients, dosage, and third-party testing.
*Note this post may contain affiliate links and I may receive compensation. Always consult your physician or dietitian before taking a supplement.

Thorne Creatine
- Type: Creatine Monohydrate
- Form: Powder
- Additional Ingredients: None
- Dose: 5 grams per scoop
- Third Party Testing: NSF Certified for Sport
- Cost per serving (at time of publication): $0.46 per serving
Klean Athlete Creatine
- Type: Creatine Monohydrate
- Form: Powder
- Additional Ingredients: None
- Dose: 5 grams per scoop
- Third Party Testing: NSF Certified for Sport
- Cost per serving (at time of publication): $0.55 per serving
Momentous Creatine
- Type: Creatine Monohydrate
- Form: Powder
- Additional Ingredients: None
- Dose: 5 grams per scoop
- Third Party Testing: NSF Certified for Sport and Informed Sport
- Cost per serving (at time of publication): $0.41 per serving
If you still aren’t sure if creatine supplementation is right for you, let’s work together!