Creatine has long been associated with strength training and sports performance. A new study suggests its role may not stop there.

Researchers at Texas A&M University found that middle-aged adults who took creatine gained lean tissue and improved strength over 12 weeks, even without following a structured exercise program.

The findings add to research on how creatine may support muscle health as people age. They also suggest that creatine could have value beyond traditional athletic use, although exercise still produced greater overall benefits.

What the Study Found

The study included 64 healthy adults between 45 and 65 years old who completed the full 12-week intervention. Participants chose either a structured exercise and diet-induced weight-loss program or a non-exercise group.

Researchers then randomly assigned them to take either 10 grams of creatine monohydrate or a placebo each day.

Among adults who did not participate in the exercise program, those taking creatine gained about 2.4 pounds of lean tissue during the study. They also improved their leg press and bench press strength.

Pexels | kaboompics.com | Even without exercise, adults taking creatine gained 2.4 pounds of lean tissue and increased overall strength.

The exercise group trained three times each week. Their program included both resistance and aerobic exercise. Participants who added creatine recorded greater improvements in leg press strength, bench press strength, and time to exhaustion than those who took the placebo.

Creatine did not appear to increase aerobic capacity beyond the improvement produced by exercise itself. This matches earlier research showing that creatine mainly supports muscular strength, power, and performance rather than aerobic fitness.

Creatine During Weight Loss

Maintaining muscle while losing body fat can be difficult, especially when calorie intake drops. The researchers examined whether creatine could help protect or increase lean tissue during a diet and exercise program.

Participants in the exercise group followed a diet designed to create a modest calorie deficit. After 12 weeks, people taking creatine gained nearly three pounds of lean tissue while also losing fat mass.

The placebo group followed the same exercise and diet plan but showed little change in lean tissue. The creatine group also recorded a greater reduction in body fat percentage.

According to the researchers, the study is the first to show that adding creatine to an exercise and diet-induced weight-loss program can reduce body fat percentage more than exercise and diet alone.

Why Creatine Matters With Age

The study was led by Dr. Richard Kreider, a professor and director of the Exercise and Sport Nutrition Lab at Texas A&M University. Kreider has researched creatine for more than 30 years.

Creatine occurs naturally in the body and helps restore cellular energy. The body also gets creatine from foods such as meat and fish. However, getting 10 grams of creatine from food alone would require eating roughly five to 10 pounds of meat or fish each day, according to Kreider.

Unsplash | Travis Yewell | While meat and fish provide natural creatine, getting 10 grams daily requires eating five to ten pounds.

That makes dietary supplementation a practical research area, particularly for people who may have difficulty maintaining muscle as they get older.

Kreider's earlier research has also examined creatine's possible role across the lifespan, including its potential effects on age-related changes in muscle and cognitive function.

What Research Says About Safety

Creatine remains one of the most extensively studied sports and nutrition supplements. In a 2025 analysis, Kreider and colleagues reviewed 685 clinical trials. They found no significant difference in reported side-effect rates between people taking creatine and those receiving a placebo.

Still, individual needs can vary. Anyone considering a supplement should consider their overall diet, health status, medications, and personal nutritional needs with a qualified healthcare professional.

The Texas A&M study adds another piece to the evidence surrounding creatine and muscle health. The results suggest that creatine may support lean tissue and strength even without structured exercise, while combining it with resistance and aerobic training can produce larger improvements.

For middle-aged adults, maintaining muscle becomes increasingly relevant as part of healthy aging. This study does not replace the benefits of regular physical activity, but it provides useful evidence for continued research into how creatine may fit into long-term muscle and nutrition strategies.