Creatine's Muscle and Strength Benefits May Extend to Middle-Aged and Older Adults, Trial Finds

Researchers at Texas A&M University's Exercise and Sport Nutrition Lab have published a randomized, placebo-controlled trial examining creatine monohydrate in adults ages 45 to 65, a population considerably older than the one typically studied in sports nutrition research.

The trial, led by Richard Kreider, PhD, who has studied creatine for more than 3 decades, found that participants taking 10 g of creatine daily gained lean tissue and strength over 12 weeks, even without a structured exercise program.¹

The finding is relevant to manufacturers because it addresses a gap in the ingredient's evidence base. Most creatine research has focused on younger athletes, while products are increasingly marketed to an older, general-wellness audience. Kreider has also pointed to an argument for supplementation over diet alone, noting that "you would have to eat about 5 to 10 lb of meat or fish each day to obtain 10 g of creatine."¹

What Did the Texas A&M Creatine Trial Measure, and in Whom?

The trial enrolled 73 healthy adults, of whom 64 completed the 12-week protocol.² Participants chose whether to join a structured program combining resistance and aerobic training with a calorie-deficit diet, or to remain in a non-exercise group; within each group, they were randomly assigned to 10 g of creatine monohydrate daily or a maltodextrin placebo.² Outcomes included body composition, strength, and markers of health.²

What Did the Study Find About Muscle, Strength, and Body Fat?

Among non-exercising participants, those taking creatine gained about 2.4 lb of lean tissue over 12 weeks and improved leg and bench press strength, relative to placebo.² Participants who combined creatine with exercise saw larger strength gains and improved time to exhaustion.

When creatine was added to the structured exercise-and-diet program, participants gained nearly 3 lb of lean tissue and showed a greater reduction in body fat percentage than the exercise-and-diet placebo group, a combination the researchers say had not been demonstrated previously.²

Aerobic capacity did not improve with creatine, a result consistent with its established mechanism of action in muscular strength and power rather than endurance.

How Does This Trial Fit Into the Broader Evidence on Creatine Safety?

The new findings follow a 2025 analysis by Kreider and colleagues of 685 clinical trials, which reported no significant difference in the rate of adverse events between creatine and placebo groups, reinforcing creatine's standing as one of the more extensively studied compounds in sports nutrition.³ Taken together, the 2 papers describe a favorable safety profile alongside a new efficacy signal in an older population, though it’s important to keep in mind that 1 trial, regardless of design quality, does not settle how creatine performs across the broader range of ages, doses, and health conditions represented in the general wellness market.

Does This Trial Change What Manufacturers Can Claim About Creatine?

Not on its own, and not uniformly across markets. The trial measured body composition and strength outcomes rather than the cognitive claims that have become common in creatine marketing aimed at older adults. In the European Union, regulators have already drawn a line on that specific claim: in a November 2024 opinion, the European Food Safety Authority's Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens found that evidence submitted in support of a creatine-cognitive-function health claim did not establish a cause-and-effect relationship.⁴

In other words, new efficacy data in 1 domain does not automatically extend to claims in another, and manufacturers formulating for an aging-wellness audience will still need evidence specific to whatever benefit they intend to state.

References

1. Clark C. Study finds creatine's benefits extend beyond the gym. Texas A&M University Division of Marketing and Communications. September 18, 2026. Accessed October 1, 2026. https://stories.tamu.edu/news/2026/09/18/study-finds-creatines-benefits-extend-beyond-the-gym/

2. Chun J, Liu Y, Kibler GL, et al. Effects of creatine supplementation with and without exercise and diet intervention on body composition, cognitive function, and markers of health in middle-aged and older adults. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2026;23(S1):2716273. doi:10.1080/15502783.2026.2716273

3. Gonzalez DE, Hines K, Gil A, Bonilla DA, Kreider RB. Safety of creatine supplementation: analysis of the prevalence of reported side effects in clinical trials. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2025;22(sup1). doi:10.1080/15502783.2025.2533687

4. EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA). Creatine and improvement in cognitive function: evaluation of a health claim pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. EFSA J. 2024;22(11):e9100. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2024.9100