Creatine is usually associated with gaining weight rather than losing it.

That can make taking creatine during a weight-loss program seem counterintuitive.

But that assumes the objective is simply to make the number on the scales as small as possible.

A new 2026 randomised controlled trial suggests there may be a better way to think about creatine for weight loss and muscle gain.

Focus on body composition, not just body weight.

What Did Researchers Find?

The study involved middle-aged and older adults aged 45 to 65.

Participants received either creatine monohydrate or placebo for 12 weeks, with the creatine group taking 10 g daily.

Researchers investigated creatine both with and without an exercise and diet intervention.

During the exercise and weight-loss diet intervention, creatine supplementation:

✔ Increased lean tissue mass

✔ Promoted a greater reduction in body-fat percentage

✔ Improved muscular strength

✔ Improved muscular endurance

Selected measures of cognition and memory also improved, although these findings were considered exploratory.

But Doesn’t Creatine Increase Weight?

Creatine can increase body mass, particularly during the early stages of supplementation, because it increases water stored within muscle.

That doesn’t mean you’ve gained body fat.

And it highlights why relying entirely on bathroom scales can become misleading.

Imagine losing body fat while simultaneously increasing lean tissue.

Your body composition can improve even if total scale weight doesn’t fall as quickly as expected.

Creatine Isn’t Doing the Diet’s Job

The study doesn’t demonstrate that creatine is a stand-alone weight-loss treatment.

That’s an important distinction.

The participants showing the body-composition findings were undertaking an exercise and weight-loss diet intervention.

Creatine complemented that process.

So rather than thinking:

Creatine = fat loss

a more useful model is:

Calorie-controlled diet → supports weight loss

Exercise → supports muscle and fitness

Creatine → supports lean tissue, strength and muscular endurance

That’s why the emerging conversation around creatine for weight loss and muscle gain is interesting.

Creatine doesn’t need to be a “fat burner” to have a potentially valuable role during weight loss.

If you’re trying to lose body fat, what you preserve may be just as important as what you lose.

Reference

Chun J, 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. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2026;23(sup1):2716273. doi:10.1080/15502783.2026.2716273.