Creatine goes mainstream with Gen Z and millennials

Creatine goes mainstream with Gen Z and millennials

For decades, creatine was associated with a specific kind of consumer: athletes and gym regulars using it to push through high-intensity training. Today, it shows up in gummy form, and the person taking it may be heading into a board meeting, not a workout.

Catarina Caruso is one of them. She discovered creatine through TikTok rather than a structured training program. “Physically, it has enhanced my muscle growth,” she said. “It’s also helped with mental clarity and managing anxiety.”

Her experience is no longer unusual. Millions of young Americans are reaching for creatine daily, and the reasons go well beyond the gym, NutraBio reports.

Beyond the Weight Room

Dr. Mark Kovacs, former director of sport science and health in the NBA, describes a broader change where creatine is now discussed in the context of overall health and longevity rather than performance alone.

"We now know that creatine not only helps athletes perform at a high level, but it also supports muscle maintenance, brain function, and healthy aging," he said.

That wider lens is reflected in the numbers. The global creatine supplements market was valued at about $1.3 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $8.6 billion by 2033, according to Grand View Research, signaling rapid growth as interest moves beyond its traditional use.

Scientific research is expanding alongside it. "Creatine has been well-established in the sports world for decades, but what's new is the breadth of research," said Yasi Ansari, MS, RDN, CSSD, senior dietitian at UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center. While the strongest evidence remains well-established, other areas are still being explored.

“As research expands, creatine may continue to evolve from a sports supplement into a broader tool for healthy aging and daily function,” says Matt Weik, BS, CSCS, CPT, CSN, writer with NutraBio.

What the Science Clearly Supports

The performance evidence for creatine is, by scientific standards, unusually solid. The International Society of Sports Nutrition describes creatine monohydrate as "the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes" for increasing high-intensity exercise and lean body mass during training.

Newer meta-analyses reinforce that position, showing that creatine, alongside resistance training, improves upper- and lower-body strength and adds lean mass more reliably than training alone.

Yasi Ansari notes that supplementation can raise muscle creatine stores by 20%-40%, which “supports short-burst energy for high-intensity movement and may aid recovery between bouts of activity.”

Recovery is another well-documented benefit, with studies showing reductions in muscle damage and faster recovery between training sessions. Former NFL receiver Ed McCaffrey, who used creatine with the Denver Broncos during back-to-back Super Bowl runs, described it simply: "It helps you recover quicker."

Even the more granular findings point in the same direction. Benefits appear strongest in repeated, high-output efforts such as lifting, sprint work, and other explosive training, where small gains in output can compound over time.

The New Frontier: Brain and Mood

Interest now extends into how creatine may influence the brain, where early research is beginning to map a more complex role. The brain accounts for roughly 20% of the body's energy consumption, and creatine plays a role in maintaining ATP levels during cognitively demanding tasks. Studies suggest that those stores can increase with supplementation.

The most consistent findings involve conditions where the brain is already under stress. A 2024 study found that creatine improved cognitive performance and altered brain energy metabolism during sleep deprivation, a condition increasingly relevant to younger consumers navigating demanding work schedules.

Research also points to potential benefits in memory and information processing speed, though larger clinical trials are still needed.

The mood research is earlier still. Some clinical trials suggest creatine may support antidepressant treatment as an adjunct, with researchers pointing to brain energy metabolism as a possible mechanism.

Yet researchers are careful to emphasize that creatine is not a mental health treatment, and while the cognitive findings are promising, they remain inconclusive.

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The Market Boom

The science alone does not explain the sales numbers. Consumer behavior does. Total creatine sales at The Vitamin Shoppe spiked 300% between 2019 and 2024, according to company data, and growth continues at a double-digit pace.

“Creatine is undergoing a major transformation—from a niche sports nutrition supplement to a versatile tool for daily health and longevity,” said Muriel Gonzalez, president of The Vitamin Shoppe.

That growth is being shaped by who is buying and how they prefer to take it. SPINS data shows year-over-year category growth of 120%, driven by an expanding consumer base that now includes women, Gen X, and older adults alongside traditional gym users.

Gummies have emerged as the fastest-growing format, with North America seeing a 59% increase in new creatine gummy products over the past year.

Convenience is central to that rise. Gummies remove the friction of powders and shakers, making daily supplementation accessible to consumers who may not have considered creatine before. “What consumers want more than anything is convenience and formats that can slot seamlessly into everyday routines,” said Nick Morgan of Nutrition Integrated.

The trade-off is cost and consistency. The price per gram in gummy form can run nearly three times that of powder, and some products have faced scrutiny over actual creatine content. Powder still leads in overall sales, but gummies are expanding the category’s reach.

Safety and Misconceptions

Growth at this scale tends to revive old anxieties, and creatine has carried its share. The most persistent is the kidney concern. Research consistently shows “no adverse effects on renal function in healthy individuals,” with recent meta-analyses confirming no significant impact at recommended doses.

The confusion often traces back to a single lab marker. “People who take creatine may see a small rise in their blood creatinine levels, but that does not necessarily mean their kidneys are being damaged,” Ansari notes. “It simply means their doctor may need to look more closely when checking kidney function.”

Those with existing kidney conditions or anyone taking medications that affect kidney function, should consult a physician before starting creatine.

Reality Check

Creatine's credibility is real, but so are its limits. Not every person responds to it the same way, and not every study points in the same direction. Results vary depending on dose, duration, training status, and how benefits are measured.

One recent randomized trial found no additional lean-mass benefit under specific conditions. That variability makes sense given how creatine works: Its effects are most consistent when paired with resistance training, where greater energy availability compounds over repeated sessions. Outside that context, outcomes tend to be more modest and harder to predict.

Side effects are generally mild but worth noting. Some people experience bloating or stomach upset, particularly at higher doses. Experts suggest starting lower and skipping the loading phase to reduce those effects.

Creatine is one of the most evidence-backed supplements available. It is not, however, a substitute for consistent training, adequate nutrition, or sleep.

Where Creatine Goes From Here

Few supplements have earned the kind of scientific credibility creatine now carries, and fewer still have managed to cross from locker rooms into the daily routines of people who have never touched a barbell. For Gen Z and Millennials, that credibility is precisely the point.

A generation that researches ingredients, reads labels, and treats wellness as a daily practice is not reaching for creatine because it is trendy. They are reaching for it because decades of research have made a compelling case that it works, with benefits that extend further than a gym membership ever suggested.

“Creatine can support performance and long-term wellness, but it's most effective when used thoughtfully, alongside healthy daily habits,” Ansari says.

The supplement may well become a permanent fixture in daily routines well beyond the gym. Or it may settle as a fitness product with broader appeal than it once had. Either way, the conversation around it has fundamentally changed.

This story was produced by NutraBio and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.