Vegetarians — who may not obtain enough creatine from their diet — and older adults may find supplementing particularly useful.

There is evidence that some beneficial muscle-building supplements include protein, creatine, and caffeine. Because creatine supplements raise your creatinine levels, they can falsely create the appearance of kidney problems during routine blood tests[ *]. According to the best science, loading creatine is a safe and effective way to get all the benefits of creatine--about four times faster than you would otherwise. Take creatine the wrong way and you won't experience the same benefits as someone who follows direction.Supplements can be used to improve athletic performance, build muscle mass, and treat problems that result when a body cannot metabolize creatine fully. Oral creatine might reduce the frequency of dehydration, muscle cramping, and injuries to the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons and nerves. There is some concern that this could have serious adverse effects, after one athlete experienced a stroke.

One study showed that taking around 100 grams of carbs with 5 grams of creatine increased total muscle creatine by 60 percent.Creatine has also shown benefits against amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease that affects the motor neurons that are essential for movement. In people with diabetes, blood sugar levels can become too high, leading to health problems, including kidney disease. Some claim that creatine supplements increase your risk of rhabdomyolysis, a condition in which muscle breaks down and leaks proteins into your bloodstream. The creatinine levels that experts consider to be normal may vary among different hospitals and laboratories. In 2003, a meta-analysis published in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine concluded that creatine “may improve performance involving short periods of extremely powerful activity, especially during repeated bouts.