Creatine Supplements
Creatine remains one of the most trusted and extensively studied supplements in the fitness world, valued for its consistent, proven results. Research and real-world experience show that creatine supports greater strength, muscle growth, improved training performance, and faster recovery between workouts, while also playing an important role in overall cellular energy, brain function, and healthy aging. Whether your focus is heavy lifting, explosive power, or supporting long-term wellness, creatine offers reliable, well-researched benefits to help you feel and perform at your best.
At Sportsfuel, we offer one of the most comprehensive ranges of Creatine NZ has available, featuring trusted local and international brands known for quality and purity. Whether you prefer creatine monohydrate, flavoured creatine, creatine gummies, or creatine tablets, you’ll find clean formulas, creapure verified products, convenient formats, and great-value options to support strength, power, and recovery, all designed to fit seamlessly into your training routine and lifestyle.
Not sure which type of creatine is right for you? Dive into our Creatine Guide to learn more about the different forms of creatine, how to use creatine, or discover how creatine stacks up against other training supplements to find the perfect match for your needs.
If you’re looking for a simple, effective, and versatile supplement to support your training, creatine is a proven choice. Power your performance with quality nutrition — and let Sportsfuel help you reach your potential.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in your muscles and in small amounts in foods like red meat. Inside your muscle cells, it’s stored as phosphocreatine, which your body uses to rapidly regenerate ATP—the primary energy source for short, explosive efforts.
Supplementing with creatine boosts your phosphocreatine stores, giving your muscles more fuel during high-intensity exercise so you can train harder, recover faster, and build more strength. -
Creatine increases the phosphocreatine stored in your muscles, which boosts how much ATP you can produce during intense exercise. That means:
- More strength and explosive power
- Better performance in short bursts like lifting, sprinting, and HIIT
- Improved recovery between sets
- Increased muscle volume — first from extra intracellular water, then from supporting real muscle growth
In short: creatine gives your muscles a bigger, faster energy tank so they can work harder, recover faster, and grow better. -
The sweet spot for most people is 3–5g of creatine monohydrate per day
A loading phase is optional. If you want faster saturation: 20g/day (split into 4 doses) for 5–7 days, then 3–5g/day after that.
If you skip loading, you’ll still get the same results, just over a slightly longer timeframe. -
Yes. Creatine works by keeping your muscle stores consistently topped up. Daily use, even on rest days, keeps levels stable so you get the full performance and recovery benefits.
What happens if you miss a day or two? Don’t worry, your muscle stores don’t drop immediately, it takes weeks for creatine levels to noticeably decline. Just get back to your regular daily dose and you’ll stay topped up. -
With loading: ~3–7 days
Without loading: ~2–4 weeks
As your muscles saturate, you’ll feel stronger, see improved set-to-set performance, and notice fuller muscle appearance. -
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied and safest supplements available. Research shows no harm to healthy kidneys or liver at recommended doses.
Possible minor effects:
- Water retention inside the muscle (a normal part of creatine uptake)
- Mild stomach upset if taken on an empty stomach or in large doses
Stay hydrated and stick to 3–5g/day, and it’s smooth sailing. -
Creatine is safe for most healthy people, but a few groups should be cautious or avoid it unless cleared by a medical professional:
- Anyone with pre-existing kidney issues: Since creatine is processed through the kidneys, those with impaired kidney function should avoid supplementation unless advised by a doctor.
- People with unresolved medical conditions or on certain medications: Especially medications that impact kidney function, hydration, or electrolyte balance.
- Young adolescants: Generally unnecessary unless supervised by a knowledgeable coach or healthcare provider.
For most healthy adults, creatine is one of the safest supplements you can take, but when in doubt, check with your GP. -
There isn’t enough research on how creatine affects youth and teenagers, so Sportsfuel doesn’t recommend creatine to anyone under 18. This doesn’t mean creatine is unsafe, it just means the science isn’t strong enough yet for us to recommend it directly to minors.
If a teen is considering creatine, we always suggest talking with a parent, coach, or healthcare professional to decide what’s best for their training and age. -
Stopping creatine is totally fine — nothing dramatic happens:
- Your muscle creatine stores slowly return to baseline
This takes about 3–4 weeks, depending on your diet and training.
- You may lose a little water weight
Since creatine increases intracellular water, stopping it can make muscles look slightly less full.
- Strength and power may dip slightly over time
Not because you lose muscle, but because ATP regeneration becomes a bit less efficient without elevated phosphocreatine stores.
- Your actual muscle mass stays largely the same.
You won’t “lose gains” unless your training or nutrition changes. Creatine isn’t a hormone — it just helps you perform better by supporting energy production and replenishment.
