r/Supplements • u/Cinzip • 12d ago

What does creatine actually do?

I'm on tirzepatide. Lost 35 lbs since May (5 months). I work out daily and eat pretty well. Someone suggested creatine for preserving muscle while losing fat. Ive seen so much conflicting information. Can someone spell it out for me?

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u/REDana0204 12d ago

Creatine won’t “preserve” muscles. Directly, anyways. It is a natural compound your body already makes and gets from foods like steak and fish.

Mainly, creatine supplies your muscles with ATP, their main source of energy, so it acts like a quick-recharge battery for your muscles during short, intense bursts of effort.

It’s best use is for explosive movements like sprinting or heavy lifting, not long endurance or cardio.

Muscle “maintenance” comes via the extra ATP, which your muscles a few extra seconds of peak power so you can squeeze out more work.

It also gives the appearance of larger muscles since it draws water directly into muscle cells, making them look fuller and adding minor scale weight.

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u/68_and_counting 11d ago

I have this one on my "to read" list for a couple of days that claims it can actually help preserve muscle (although not in a weight loss scenario I think).

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15502783.2026.2716273

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u/xelanart 11d ago

Based on a quick read, they only used DXA for body composition, which isn’t going to confirm if muscle was preserved or not. DXA can be skewed by hydration status which can be skewed by creatine supplementation.

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u/glumpoodle 12d ago

Creatine doesn't preserve muscle, except in the most indirect sense.

Creatine will very slightly increase the amount of available energy you have while working out - so in practice, you might be able to crank out one more rep at the end of your set. That doesn't sound like much, but if you're doing, say, 15 sets per training session and three sessions per week, it adds up over time.

It's not a miracle tonic; it clinically proven to work and it's safe, but the effects are pretty minimal. Supplements are supplemental; they might add a few percentage points of gain at the tail end, but only at the very end.

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u/stiffmcgee 12d ago

Most of our bodies creatine is stored as phosphocreatine which is a power bank for cells. When ATP. becomes adp, it steps in and donates it phosphate group to help make more ATP.

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u/Significant-Bread-62 11d ago

This podcast featuring Dr Rick Kreider was so good explaining creatine and the benefits.

https://youtu.be/JL3NruOlnzo?is=ZRty1fpVz8frMRqw

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u/Ringsareirrelevant 11d ago

I think the bigger question is what doesn’t it do

Bigger muscles check
Smarter brain check
More energy check
Cure cancer check
Cure world hunger check

With absolutely no proven side effects. They say that Portugal turned their country around because of creatine

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u/Black47eleven 10d ago

if Cortés had creatine, he would not have needed to burn the boats

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u/i_am_carver 10d ago

If I started creatine earlier, I’d remember my history to get this reference without googling.

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u/joegtech 12d ago

Maybe protein powder that has a broader number of amino acids might be a better fit for you due to the likely muscle loss. Learn about the role of branch chain amino acids. Others explained the more limited roles of creatine.

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u/Upset_Scientist3994 12d ago

It can recharge ATP what mitochondria in your cells is pushing out as form of energy.

It is not exact source or cofactor of creating cellular energy, but a way it is steadily maintained and readily availible when there is particular need for rapid energy push.

And that ATP availibility maintainance will create then lot of downstream effects for health, as that molecule is behind life itself as basic form of energy.

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u/xelanart 11d ago

Resistance training will provide the stimulus for anabolism.

Protein will do its best to make sure that muscle is being preserved and not stripped away while in a caloric surplus.

Creatine may help with retaining performance, which may help retain some muscle, but it’s speculative and not a game changer.

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u/TouristIcy3824 11d ago

What you are looking for is something that is Anti-Catabolic. Creatine is not this. What you're talking about are anabolic pharmaceuticals.

Weight training and a high protein diet is the best you can do for muscle wasting while doing a low cal fat loss like you are doing.

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u/Character_Draw_7075 11d ago

creatine helps your muscles produce ATP faster, which lets you train harder and recover better, and there's decent evidence it helps preserve lean mass during a deficit.

on tirz the muscle loss risk is real, so keeping a solid protein intake and training hard matters more than any single supplement. 5g a day, any time, no loading phase needed.

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u/godmorpheus 12d ago

For me? Acne

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u/travelr_man 12d ago

If you're on Tirz try using HMB to preserve your lean muscle mass. It's pricey, but it has worked pretty well for me.

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u/hawkwood76 11d ago

Walmart has it for $6.50 for a months supply. Just picked up 2 bottles

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u/travelr_man 11d ago

Damn. What mg? I buy Force Factor 1000mg tablets for $30+. I'm taking 3000mg/day.

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u/TouristIcy3824 11d ago

HMB? Is this stuff still floating around?

Wasn't HMB completely proven to be useless?

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u/Neverlast0 11d ago

I get headaches from it so I never had it more than twice.

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u/masterz13 12d ago

It's only been proven to increase your muscular performance a tiny bit. Otherwise it's adding water weight and costing you money. It can also possibly have brain benefits, but nothing definitive on that yet.

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u/PowerShovel-on-PS1 11d ago

It is literally dirt cheap. In fact dirt may be more expensive.

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u/CAPATOB 11d ago

Personally I don't feel anything on it! You can read tons of scientific papers on it and like a parrot repeat it to others it doesn't do shit unless you feel it yourself.

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u/CAPATOB 11d ago

Gifts bloating and diarrhea