Creatine Safety Review Finds No Serious Harm
Adults who use creatine monohydrate now have an updated industry review covering 162 clinical studies.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Nutrition
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The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) released an updated safety assessment of creatine monohydrate, reaffirming its safety after a review of 162 clinical studies that found no serious adverse events linked to supplementation. The assessment supports raising the highest observed intake of creatine monohydrate from 5 grams to 10 grams per day, a change of interest to U.S. adults who use creatine.
Why it matters
Creatine is no longer used only by athletes; consumer interest has expanded well beyond traditional sports nutrition. An updated, review-based safety evaluation gives readers and clinicians a more current reference point than the organization's 2006 assessment, which predates roughly two decades of additional research.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition analyzed 162 clinical studies of creatine monohydrate in an updated safety chapter. The review found no serious adverse events linked to supplementation, though the trade group funded the project through a grant from its own foundation.
The players
Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN)
A Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing dietary supplement and functional food manufacturers, which issues safety evaluations of supplement ingredients.
The details
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most studied dietary supplements, and this update extends the organization's safety evaluation to two decades of research published since its 2006 assessment. The chapter was published as part of the fourth edition of Vitamin and Mineral Safety and also extends safety evaluations to other bioactive compounds found in dietary supplements. The proposed change from 5 grams to 10 grams per day reflects a revised estimate of the highest intake level the review considers observed in research without serious adverse effects.
Timeline
2006: CRN issued its prior creatine safety evaluation.
November 5, 2026: CRN released the updated creatine safety assessment from Washington, D.C.
Health Landscape
Creatine monohydrate has long been a staple of sports nutrition, but its use among the general adult population has grown, making updated safety reviews increasingly relevant to a broader audience. This CRN assessment adds a fresh industry-level reference point to a body of research that has accumulated since the organization's 2006 evaluation.
Adults considering creatine supplements may find the review's finding of no serious adverse events reassuring, though the trade group's role in funding the work is worth weighing. Anyone with kidney, liver, or other health conditions should discuss creatine use with their physician before starting or changing a supplement routine.
The takeaway
The updated review reaffirms that creatine monohydrate has not been linked to serious adverse events across 162 studies, but it was funded by the supplement industry's own trade group. Readers who use creatine should talk with a healthcare provider about whether it fits their individual health picture.
Further reading
For more background on what the research says about everyday supplement use, explore our Nutrition coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Mass Market Retailers.
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