Supplements · Metabolic & Cardiometabolic
creatine increases muscle strength and power
In plain terms: Does creatine actually make you stronger and more powerful?
Part of: 🧪 creatine
Yes — this is one of the best-established supplement effects there is. Paired with resistance training, creatine reliably adds strength and power across ages and both upper and lower body. The boost is modest but real and well-replicated.
Evidence ladder
How far up the ladder this claim has climbed. A high consensus on a low rung means "consistent so far," not "proven in people."
Top evidence so far: All trials, pooled (Meta-analysis)
How the studies fall
What the evidence shows
Robust, consistent meta-analytic support for creatine + resistance training on maximal strength and power; effect sizes are modest but reliable across ages and both upper and lower body.
The evidence (6)
| Source | Grade | Stance | Quality | Finding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lanhers 2017 · Sports Med | meta-analysis | supports | high | Meta-analysis: creatine improved upper-limb strength performance across exercises. |
| Devries 2014 · Med Sci Sports Exerc | meta-analysis | supports | high | Meta-analysis: creatine + resistance training increased strength gains in older adults over training alone. |
| Kazeminasab 2025 · Nutrients | meta-analysis | supports | high | Meta-analysis: creatine increased both upper- and lower-body maximal strength and muscular power vs placebo. |
| Branch 2003 · Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab | meta-analysis | supports | moderate | Meta-analysis: creatine improved high-intensity/short-duration performance and strength (small-moderate ES). |
| Kreider 2017 · J Int Soc Sports Nutr | observational | supports | low | ISSN position stand: consistent evidence creatine augments high-intensity strength and power adaptations. |
| Dos Santos 2021 · Nutrients | meta-analysis | supports | high | Meta-analysis: creatine + RT significantly improved muscle strength in older adults. |
Disagree, or know a study we missed?
We grade by evidence, not opinions. The way to weigh in is to point us to a study we haven't cited (check the evidence table above first), or to flag a problem with one we have. Every submission is reviewed; if it holds up, the grade updates and shows in Science Changes Its Mind.
Opens a short form. You'll sign in with Google so submissions are tied to a real account — we don't display your identity, and we only accept a link we can verify (PubMed, DOI, ClinicalTrials.gov).
Educational only, not medical advice. Grades and scores reflect published evidence weighted by study design and quality; see the methodology.