Creatine and Kidney Function: What You Need to Know

When you take creatine, a naturally occurring compound found in muscle cells that helps produce energy during high-intensity exercise. Also known as creatine monohydrate, it's one of the most researched supplements in sports nutrition. Many people use it to build strength, increase muscle mass, and recover faster—but a common question keeps coming up: does creatine hurt your kidneys?

The short answer? For healthy people, no. Multiple long-term studies, including one published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, found no negative impact on kidney function in healthy adults taking up to 30 grams of creatine daily for five years. Your kidneys aren’t overwhelmed—they just process it like any other waste product. But if you already have kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure, your body handles creatine differently. In those cases, extra stress on your kidneys, organs that filter waste and excess fluid from your blood could make things worse. That’s why doctors often advise against starting creatine without checking your renal function first.

It’s also worth knowing how creatine shows up in blood tests. When you take it, your creatinine levels go up—that’s a normal byproduct of creatine metabolism. But some people panic when their lab results say "high creatinine," thinking it means kidney damage. It doesn’t. Your doctor needs to know you’re taking creatine, or they might misread the results. This is why tracking your renal function, a measure of how well your kidneys filter blood, often checked through creatinine and eGFR tests before and after starting creatine makes sense. It’s not about fear—it’s about smart monitoring.

What you’ll find below are real, practical posts that dig into how creatine interacts with your body, what the science says about long-term use, how it affects people with existing health conditions, and what signs to watch for. You’ll also see how it compares to other supplements that impact kidney health, and what alternatives exist if you’re concerned. No fluff. No hype. Just clear, evidence-based info to help you decide if creatine is right for you—based on your health, not just your fitness goals.