Creatine has become one of the most popular supplements in the fitness world. Athletes, gymgoers, and even weekend warriors often turn to creatine with hopes of gaining muscle mass, increasing strength, and improving exercise performance. And while creatine is a naturally occurring compound in the body and found in animal-based foods, I do not recommend taking it in supplement form—and here’s why.
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a nitrogen-containing compound produced in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It helps recycle adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the primary energy currency of the body—especially during short bursts of high-intensity activity like weightlifting or sprinting. About 95% of your body’s creatine is stored in skeletal muscle.
Your body makes creatine from amino acids—arginine, glycine, and methionine. You can also get creatine from food, especially red meat and seafood.
What Creatine Supplements Claim to Do
Creatine monohydrate, the most common supplemental form, is marketed to:
- Increase strength and power output
- Enhance muscle mass and recovery
- Support brain energy metabolism and cognitive function
- Aid high-intensity training and anaerobic performance
While there is some research supporting these claims, that doesn’t mean supplementation is the healthiest or safest way to achieve these benefits.
The Dark Side of Creatine Supplements
- Highly Processed and Isolated
Creatine supplements are made in labs using chemical synthesis. This is a far cry from how creatine exists in its natural state—in whole foods, accompanied by cofactors, enzymes, and other nutrients that support absorption and metabolism. When you isolate a compound, you disrupt nature’s balance. Creatine on its own doesn’t function the same as creatine in a steak or salmon fillet. - Digestive Issues
Many users report side effects such as bloating, cramping, diarrhea, and water retention. These are signs the body may not fully tolerate synthetic creatine. - Strain on Kidneys
Excess creatine is broken down into creatinine and excreted by the kidneys. For people with subclinical kidney dysfunction (often undiagnosed), this added burden could be harmful. I’ve seen lab markers go in the wrong direction when people megadose on creatine supplements. - Possible Contaminants
Some creatine supplements may contain contaminants like heavy metals or unlisted ingredients, especially when manufactured overseas with low quality control standards. - Methylation Disruption
Creatine synthesis in the body uses methyl groups. If you’re taking in loads of creatine artificially, it may downregulate your body’s own production and throw off important methylation cycles that impact DNA repair, detoxification, and neurotransmitter function. - False Sense of Health
Like many supplements, creatine can mask poor lifestyle choices. Just because you lift more weight or look slightly bigger doesn’t mean your body is truly healthier. True strength and longevity come from clean food, restorative sleep, sunshine, movement, and avoiding toxic exposures—not from a scoop of powder.
The Better Way: Get Creatine From Food
Your body was designed to get creatine the way nature intended: from food. The best sources of natural creatine are:
- Grass-fed red meat (especially bison and beef)
- Wild-caught fish and seafood
- Organ meats like heart, kidney, and liver
If you want a superior source of creatine (and countless other bioavailable nutrients), look no further than these two whole food supplements:
🫀 Kickstart My Heart
This powerful bison organ complex includes heart, which is naturally rich in creatine, CoQ10, and bioavailable iron. Organ meats are the original superfoods—dense in nutrients that support energy production, cardiovascular health, and performance.
🐟 Wild Salmon Roe
Salmon roe offers a potent blend of healthy omega-3 fats, phospholipids, vitamin D, vitamin B12, choline, and yes—even some creatine. Unlike a scoop of white powder, this is a whole food that nourishes your body from the cellular level up.
Final Thoughts
Creatine isn’t the enemy—but synthetic, isolated creatine supplements are a poor substitute for real food. If you want the benefits of creatine along with thousands of other essential nutrients, choose wild, nutrient-dense animal foods. Your body knows what to do with real food—it doesn’t need lab-made shortcuts.
Ditch the powder. Eat like your ancestors. Live with vitality.
Try Kickstart My Heart and Wild Salmon Roe for nature’s version of performance and strength—no side effects, no compromises.
Need help building your supplement stack for strength, stamina, and cardiovascular health? We’re here to guide you—the natural way.
