Can I Take Creatine if I’m Not Physically Active?

I recently came across this video about the potential benefits of creatine for those in their 40s and beyond—athletic or non-athletic. But how accurate are these claims? Let’s take a look at some of the findings about creatine’s benefits for aging, less active individuals.

To give some background, creatine is a naturally-occurring compound found in small amounts in various foods, such as meat and fish. It plays a vital role in energy production within our cells, particularly in high-intensity activities like weightlifting and sprinting. Therefore, it's commonly associated with enhancing athletic performance and muscle strength. However, recent studies have begun to shed light on the effects of creatine supplementation for individuals who aren’t physically active.

Benefits of Creatine for Non-Active Individuals

1. Maintaining Muscle Mass

It’s common for people to experience obesity as they age, driving many to diet in order to lose weight. However, this unfortunately causes a loss in muscle mass and strength, both of which are needed to help weight loss and therefore making dieting somewhat counterproductive. 

Creatine helps bring water into your muscles, maximizing their everyday use.

A growing number of studies have also demonstrated that—whether or not you’re regularly exercising—taking creatine can increase body mass, enhance fatigue resistance, increase muscle strength, and improve the performance of activities of daily living. And in case you think these results are only for young people, it might surprise you to know that these studies were actually done on older adults—some in their 60s, 70s, and beyond (2, 4, 6, 7, 8).

This means that no matter what your lifestyle, creatine can make your everyday activities more manageable by making sure your muscles are as efficient as they can be.

2. Reducing Fatigue

Non-active individuals can feel tired for many reasons, including stress, not getting enough sleep, or poor nutrition. The brain uses a lot of energy to work, and creatine can help it make and use energy more efficiently. Research shows that creatine can help you feel less tired, especially when you need to focus for a long time or if you haven’t had enough sleep (5). Taking creatine has been found to boost energy levels and reduce feelings of tiredness, helping both your body and mind feel more awake (9).

3. Cognitive Function

This one is the biggest, most heavily-researched benefit that creatine supplementation can give a non-active individual. Whether or not you’re regularly working out, creatine has shown potential benefits for enhancing cognitive performance, memory, and attention. It does this by giving your brain more energy, fighting harmful chemicals, and supporting clear thinking even when you’re tired. This makes it a great supplement not just for athletes, but for anyone who wants to improve their focus, memory, and problem-solving skills (3, 1, 9).

Understanding the Research

While more research is needed to fully understand the effects of creatine supplementation on non-active individuals, what’s clear is that there have been some promising effects of creatine on a person’s overall health and wellbeing. All the studies mentioned here focused on elderly and/or inactive individuals, and demonstrated an increase in everyday muscle use, cognitive performance, and even a reduction in overall fatigue. So no matter your activity level, creatine provides a scientifically-proven boost to anyone’s lifestyle.

If you’re interested in trying out creatine, it’s important to choose a high-quality brand with well-sourced ingredients. At ViCera, we’ve paired our creatine with natural, animal-sourced collagen to support both muscle growth and joint health. This unique combination helps you build strength while keeping your joints resilient. Our high-quality formulas are not only effective but also taste amazing! Whether you prefer powder or capsules, with or without caffeine, we offer options to match your health goals and lifestyle.

ViCera’s Creatine x Collagen

Give creatine a try and experience the benefits for yourself—you don’t need to hit the gym to feel stronger and more energized every day.

Note: The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a healthcare professional before making changes to your diet or lifestyle.

FDA Disclaimer: Statements made in this blog post have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. 

1. Balestrino, M., & Adriano, E. (2019). Beyond sports: Efficacy and safety of creatine supplementation in pathological or paraphysiological conditions of brain and muscle. Medicinal Research Reviews, 39, 2427 - 2459. https://doi.org/10.1002/med.21590.
2. Candow, D., Forbes, S., Chilibeck, P., Cornish, S., Antonio, J., & Kreider, R. (2019). Effectiveness of Creatine Supplementation on Aging Muscle and Bone: Focus on Falls Prevention and Inflammation. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm8040488.
3. Dolan, E., Gualano, B., & Rawson, E. (2018). Beyond muscle: the effects of creatine supplementation on brain creatine, cognitive processing, and traumatic brain injury. European Journal of Sport Science, 19, 1 - 14. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2018.1500644.
4. Gotshalk, L., Kraemer, W., Mendonca, M., Vingren, J., Kenny, A., Spiering, B., Hatfield, D., Fragala, M., & Volek, J. (2007). Creatine supplementation improves muscular performance in older women. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 102, 223-231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-007-0580-y.
5. McMorris, T., Harris, R., Swain, J., Corbett, J., Collard, K., Dyson, R., Dye, L., Hodgson, C., & Draper, N. (2006). Effect of creatine supplementation and sleep deprivation, with mild exercise, on cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood state, and plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol. Psychopharmacology, 185, 93-103. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-005-0269-z.
6. Rawson, E., & Clarkson, P. (2000). Acute Creatine Supplementation in Older Men. International Journal of Sports Medicine, 21, 71 - 75. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2000-8859.
7. Rawson, E., Wehnert, M., & Clarkson, P. (1999). Effects of 30 days of creatine ingestion in older men. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, 80, 139-144. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004210050570.
8. Stout, J., Graves, S., Cramer, J., Goldstein, E., Costa, P., Smith, A., & Walter, A. (2007). Effects of creatine supplementation on the onset of neuromuscular fatigue threshold and muscle strength in elderly men and women (64 - 86 years).. The journal of nutrition, health & aging, 11 6, 459-64 .
9. Watanabe, A., Kato, N., & Kato, T. (2002). Effects of creatine on mental fatigue and cerebral hemoglobin oxygenation. Neuroscience Research, 42, 279-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0168-0102(02)00007-X.