Creatine’s sales boom—and why a nutritionist says most lifters still misuse it

Step into any supplement aisle in 2025 and you’ll see tubs of creatine shoulder-to-shoulder with protein powders.

The craze isn’t anecdotal: sales of creatine at The Vitamin Shoppe have jumped more than 320% in just 5 years, according to a July 28 report by the New York Post. 

Market forecasters echo the surge. Future Market Insights projects the global creatine category will mushroom from ≈ $640 million in 2025 to over $2.1 billion by 2035 — a 13% compound annual growth rate. 

Analysts attribute the boom to TikTok “strength-tok” trends, endorsements by longevity doctors, and rising interest among women and older adults. Yet amid the rush, sports dietitians warn that the majority of new users still treat creatine like a pre-workout magic dust rather than the saturation supplement it is.

That disconnect is setting many up for wasted money, stalled progress, and unnecessary side-effects — problems a few simple dosing tweaks could prevent.

A proven supplement—still clouded by myths

Creatine monohydrate is hardly experimental. More than 1,000 peer-reviewed papers confirm it can add 5–15% to high-intensity power output, improve lean mass, and even support cognition in sleep-deprived soldiers.

The International Society of Sports Nutrition calls it “the most effective ergogenic aid available to athletes”.

Even so, misinformation flourishes on social media: myths that creatine causes kidney damage, hair loss, or “water bloat” continue to circulate years after being debunked.

Part of the confusion stems from how creatine works. It doesn’t give an acute stimulant kick like caffeine; it requires muscle saturation over days or weeks.

Without that context, newcomers toss five grams into a shaker before leg day, feel nothing, and assume it doesn’t “work.”

Registered sports dietitian Maria Tanielian says most questions she fields aren’t about safety but timing. As she notes, people ask, ‘When should I take it—pre or post?’ The honest answer is ‘whenever you remember,’ because consistency matters more than timing. 

Yet timing myths persist, overshadowing basics like daily adherence and total dose.

Three ways newcomers misuse creatine, according to dietitians

Despite iron‑clad evidence, sports nutritionists say most first‑time buyers stumble over the basics:

1. Skipping a loading phase
2. Underdosing maintenance
3. Taking it only on workout days.

Because creatine works by saturating muscle stores, experts recommend either the classic 20–25 g “front‑load” for five to seven days or a slower four‑week build‑up at 3–5 g daily. Sporadic “scoop‑and‑go” dosing—popular on TikTok—never reaches full saturation, so lifters feel no difference and quit early.

Another issue is cycling off for fear of kidney strain.

Yet decades of data (including the 12‑week Volek study) show no harmful kidney markers in healthy adults at standard doses. When users stop mid‑cycle they simply watch their hard‑earned gains ebb as intramuscular stores decline.

Finally, many stir creatine into plain water — pairing it with carbohydrates or sodium—fruit juice, salted oatmeal—can enhance uptake by leveraging the insulin response.

How to dose it right, backed by science

The simplest evidence-based protocol remains the gold standard.

Step one: loading—four 5-gram servings per day for one week, each with a carb-rich snack or meal to spike insulin and drive creatine into muscle.

Step two: maintenance—3–5 grams daily, any time of day, with ample fluids.

Step three: consistency—no cycling unless advised by a physician.

This regimen elevates intramuscular phosphocreatine stores 20–40 percent, improving ATP regeneration during all-out efforts like sprinting or heavy squats.

Contrary to TikTok trends, swallowing dry scoops or stacking creatine with fat burners offers no added benefit and may upset the stomach.

For users who experience GI issues, the Vitamin Shoppe report notes that a micronized powder or creatine hydrochloride can improve solubility and tolerance.

As for hydration, older fears of bloating stem from misconceptions: yes, creatine draws water into muscle, but studies show total body water remains stable if you’re adequately hydrated—roughly 35–40 mL per kilogram of body mass daily.

Beyond biceps: why the boom matters for wider health and sustainability

Creatine’s resurgence isn’t just a gym story.

Preliminary studies — cited by the New York Post feature — hint at benefits for cognitive performance, healthy aging, and even blood‑sugar control, which partly explains its adoption by older adults and non‑athletes.

Yet mass‑market demand raises questions about supply chain and education.

Retail sites show more than 700 Vitamin Shoppe locations now carry multiple creatine SKUs, each requiring raw materials that are energy‑intensive to synthesize. As the category grows, manufacturers will face pressure to adopt greener production methods and clearer consumer guidance.

The public‑health angle matters, too: if novices misuse creatine, they may write it off as ineffective, missing out on a low‑cost tool with robust evidence behind it.

Nutritionists therefore see an urgent need for better point‑of‑sale instructions and influencer accountability — to keep the 320 % surge from turning into a 320 % disappointment.

What smart consumers—and the industry—should do next

For individual users, the takeaway is straightforward: choose evidence-based forms (creatine monohydrate), saturate fully, dose consistently, and ignore hype about exotic blends unless you have a medical reason.

Consult a healthcare professional if pregnant, managing kidney disease, or on medications, but healthy adults can safely take creatine long-term.

For brands and retailers, transparency on dosing instructions and sustainability metrics will become competitive differentiators as the market swells past a projected $4 billion by 2030. 

Experts hope the current surge doesn’t repeat past supplement bubbles punctuated by misinformation.