Are Creatine Supplements Really Necessary?

First, it was mushrooms in your coffee. Then protein in your soda. The latest wellness staple sneaking into your pantry is creatine. In the days of yore, creatine supplements were a muscle-bro staple, relegated to the lockers of collegiate linebackers and bodybuilders. Lately, it has muscled its way into Pilates studios, gym girlies’ TikToks, and longevity wellness retreats.

“Creatine has been gaining popularity among women across different age groups,” says Gretchen Zimmermann, a registered dietitian. “We do see women who are lifting heavier, and there used to be this thing that was circulating a decade or two ago, where women thought that if they lifted heavy, they would get bulked up. Now we know that’s not true, and naturally there’s some interest in creatine for that reason.”

But what is creatine? Here's everything you need to know.

Updated January 2026: We ...