Creatine isn’t just for the “gym”: what science tells runners and triathletes

Ask the average runner what they think about creatine, and you'll probably hear: “That's for gym rats, to bulk up. The last thing I need is extra weight.” A convenient myth, but an outdated one. Creatine really is the gold standard for strength and power, yet science long overlooked its role in endurance sports. A new scoping review in the journal Nutrients (2026) sets the record straight: the authors pulled together 38 randomized studies from 1996–2025. Spoiler: creatine isn't about “running the marathon faster,” but about what happens around the running — accelerations, strength work, and recovery.

What the review found

The main, honest takeaway: for pure aerobic endurance — steady running, long time trials, “stayer” distances — the effect is weak and contradictory. Don't expect a miracle from creatine here.

But here's where the signal is stable:

Repeated sprints and high-intensity power. This is the most robust effect across the whole body of data. Creatine fits best with disciplines that have a ragged pace: sets of accelerations, finishing kicks, work “through power.”
Recovery and inflammation. The picture is mixed, but some studies showed a drop in inflammation markers — C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α). Markers of direct muscle damage behaved less predictably.
A telling example — a 30 km race. Pre-loading with creatine (20 g/day for 5 days) noticeably curbed the post-race rise in markers: TNF-α was about 34% lower, prostaglandin E2 almost 61% lower, and the rise in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) barely happened at all. In other words, after a hard effort the body “burned” less.
Glycogen. A separate practical bonus: pairing “creatine + a high-carb diet” helps muscles store glycogen more actively during the recovery phase. For multi-day events and packed microcycles, this is literally about refilling the tank faster before the next session.

Which endurance athletes benefit

Creatine isn't for everyone across the board, but for specific goals:

Triathletes and runners with a large volume of intense work — intervals, tempo segments, plenty of strength work in the gym.
Those whose race is decided at the finish — if the outcome hinges on a kick in the final hundred meters or a series of surges in the pack.
Ultra and multi-day athletes — here it's not “speed” that comes to the fore, but recovery and the ability to withstand repeated loads day after day.
Team and mixed sports — where endurance is combined with sprints and changes of pace.

If, on the other hand, you're a “pure” stayer whose goal is even aerobic running with no explosive segments, the potential benefit is more modest, and the decision is worth weighing consciously.

How to take it

Form. Creatine monohydrate is the gold standard. It's the best studied, cheap, and works no worse than “trendy” expensive forms. There's no point overpaying for them.

Protocol. Two working options:

With loading: about 20 g/day (5 g in 4 doses) for 5–7 days, then maintenance of 3–5 g/day. The muscles saturate quickly — handy before a specific start or a training camp.
Without loading: just 3–5 g/day from the start. The result is the same, the depot simply fills more slowly — over a couple of weeks. Gentler on the GI tract and simpler logistically.

It's convenient to take it together with carbohydrates (for example, with a meal) — this improves absorption.

A note on weight. Creatine retains water inside the muscles, so in the first weeks your weight may rise — usually on the order of a kilogram or two. For a runner this isn't fat, but extra grams to carry over the distance. If you're chasing every second on long aerobic work, this trade-off is worth taking into account; for strength and sprint work, on the contrary, it's more of a plus.

Limitations

A review is a map of the evidence, not a prescription. It's important to remember:

It's not a magic pill for aerobic endurance: if your strong suit is even running, the effect will be minimal.
The weight gain is real and not always desirable for runners.
Myths about harm. Tales of “wrecked kidneys” aren't confirmed: for people with healthy kidneys, creatine at sensible doses is considered safe. The myth that “creatine dries you out and dehydrates you” also misses the mark: on the contrary, it holds water inside the cells. (With chronic kidney disease, any supplements only after consulting a doctor.)

The bottom line

Creatine isn't only “for the gym.” For endurance athletes it's useful where there's intensity, sprints, and recovery — not in steady aerobic running.
For pure endurance the effect is weak and contradictory; for repeated sprints and power it's stable.
It helps recovery: it reduces inflammation after hard efforts and, paired with carbohydrates, speeds up glycogen resynthesis.
Monohydrate is the gold standard. Dose: a load of 20 g/day for 5–7 days, or 3–5 g/day right away.
The price of entry is water retention and a small rise in weight. For sprinters and strength athletes it's a plus; for pure stayers, food for thought.
The scare stories about kidneys and “dehydration” aren't supported by science.

Source: Creatine Supplementation in Endurance and Mixed-Sport Contexts: A Scoping Review of Performance, Recovery, and Body Composition. Nutrients, 2026; 18(11):1677. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18111677