1. It increases the availability of ATP, the immediate energy of your muscles
During a brief, intense effort (e.g., sprinting, weightlifting, HIIT), your muscles use ATP as fuel.
The problem? These reserves are depleted in seconds. Creatine helps replenish ATP faster, via the phosphocreatine system, and helps you perform sets, sprints, or short bursts with greater intensity.
2. It supports performance… but also recovery
Numerous studies show that creatine:
- improves maximum strength (especially on multi-joint exercises)
- increases lean muscle mass (especially when combined with structured training)
- accelerates recovery between sessions
Regular supplementation allows you to better withstand training loads... and therefore progress more quickly.
3. It can also improve tolerance to prolonged exercise
Even in endurance or mixed sports (Crossfit, team sports), creatine improves energy reserves at high intensity, which is valuable in acceleration, recovery, or end-of-effort phases. It is useful for runners, triathletes, football or rugby players, etc.
4. It also plays a role in cognition and mental fatigue
The brain, like muscles, uses ATP. Some studies show that creatine supplementation can:
- reduce the perception of effort
- improve concentration under fatigue
- promote better post-session cognitive recovery
A real plus for professional athletes, student athletes, or periods of intense training.
4. Creatine and preconceived ideas, is it doping?
Creatine is not a performance-enhancing substance. It occurs naturally in our bodies, synthesized from three amino acids (glycine, arginine, and methionine), and is also provided through food, primarily through meat and fish.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) does not consider creatine to be a performance-enhancing drug. It is not on any prohibited list, and no doping control has ever sanctioned its use.
Why the confusion? Because creatine was one of the first supplements studied in the 1990s to actually measurably improve athletic performance. It was therefore wrongly associated with banned substances... even though it is legal, well-tolerated, and extremely well-documented. Today, creatine has hundreds of clinical studies, including in children, the elderly, and diseased populations, with an excellent safety profile when used at recommended doses.