It’s hard to go online right now without seeing yet another reminder that you’re not having enough protein in your diet to support muscle strength and recovery, especially if you’re a woman over 50. But there is also an arsenal of commentary to suggest that you should be taking a creatine supplement for that same reason, too. As a result, you (and many others) are left wondering creatine vs. protein: Which is better for muscle strength and recovery?
It’s important to stress this upfront: It’s best to consult with a healthcare provider before putting yourself on any kind of supplement. But there is data to support taking in plenty of protein and creatine, making it more than fair to be confused.
Meet the experts: Kenton Fibel, M.D., primary care sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles, CA; Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S., a co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab; Jillian Chaney, R.D.N., dietitian for the Anaheim Ducks; Steven K. Malin, Ph.D., an associate professor and researcher in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School
Each nutrient has its value, but is one better than the other for muscle strength and recovery? And is it OK to take them both or should you choose one over the other? We tapped sports medicine physicians and dietitians for more.
Dietary supplements are products intended to supplement the diet. They are not medicines and are not intended to treat, diagnose, mitigate, prevent, or cure diseases. Be cautious about taking dietary supplements if you are pregnant or nursing. Also, be careful about giving supplements to a child, unless recommended by their healthcare provider.
Benefits of creatine for muscle strength and recovery
Creatine is a compound that’s typically found in your muscles and brain, according to the Mayo Clinic. Your body naturally makes creatine—your liver, pancreas, and kidneys make about a gram of creatine a day. But you can also get creatine from eating seafood and meat, or through a creatine supplement.
Creatine helps to make energy for muscles, explains Albert Matheny, R.D., C.S.C.S., a co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab. It’s especially helpful with short-term, power-based activities. “Creatine can help with your muscle strength, but it can also help with your recovery,” Matheny says.
Creatine is stored in your muscles as phosphocreatine, explains Steven K. Malin, Ph.D., an associate professor and researcher in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. When your muscles contract, they break down adenosine triphosphate (ATP). But for your muscles to keep contracting, you need to keep having ATP at the ready, Malin says.
When creatine is converted to phosphocreatine, it can increase and store ATP in your muscles, giving you stores for when you need it, Malin says. (Creatine supplements can help increase those stores, he says.)
As a whole, creatine seems to help with high-power, strength-training moves to build muscle, Malin says. There is data to support this. A Current Developments in Nutrition study published in February 2025 found that cyclists who took creatine had better sprint performance. And a 2022 scientific review published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition found that taking creatine helped to support performance in older adults.
Potential downsides to creatine
Creatine is typically considered a safe supplement when you take it as recommended. It may cause some water retention, along with dehydration, bloating, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and muscle cramps, per Malin. (But these are often temporary.) Jillian Chaney, R.D.N., dietitian for the Anaheim Ducks, says you’re more likely to have these side effects if you do what’s called a “loading phase,” where you take higher amounts of creatine to start and then taper off. “If people take the recommended amount—which is usually about 5 grams a day—the bloating doesn’t happen generally,” she says.
Creatine also may not be safe for people with kidney disease, Matheny says, so you’ll want to consult with your healthcare provider before taking a creatine supplement.
Benefits of protein for muscle strength and recovery
Protein is a crucial nutrient to build and repair muscle tissue, Matheny points out. You need amino acids, which are the building blocks of protein, for muscle health. “Protein helps with recovery and strength,” Matheny says. “But this also requires training. Typically, you’re not going to see big changes if you just eat a bunch of protein.”
Chaney points out that protein needs increase slightly as you age to lower the risk of muscle loss. “Your protein needs in general do increase—that’s important to know,” she says.
Of course, there’s more than just your strong biceps to consider. Having enough protein (and muscle) can help you live a longer, healthier life. Case in point: One scientific analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine found that patients who had less muscle mass had more health complications, stayed in the hospital longer, and had lower survival rates compared to their more muscled counterparts.
Another study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition determined that taking in enough protein was linked to higher odds of healthy aging in midlife women.
Potential downsides to protein
Given how filling protein is, it’s hard to overdo it on this macronutrient from food, Matheny points out. But, when you take in more protein than your body needs, it’s converted into fat and stored, leading to weight gain, he says.
With protein supplements, additives like sugar alcohols may cause digestive issues, Matheny says. If you have an allergy or intolerance to dairy, it’s also important to choose a plant-based protein or you may end up with uncomfortable side effects or even health issues, Matheny points out.
Creatine vs. protein: Which is better for muscle strength and recovery?
This is tricky. Your body benefits from both creatine and protein, and Matheny points out that you’ll often find these together in nature. “Animal proteins like beef will contain creatine and protein,” he points out.
Matheny also notes that these nutrients do different things in the body. “It’s not comparing apples to apples—it’s apples to oranges,” he says. “You should have some of each.” Chaney agrees. “Both can be good,” she says. “You don’t necessarily need to choose between them.”
Matheny recommends doing what you can to get both creatine and protein in your diet and taking things from there. “If your diet is low in them, then I would suggest taking protein and creatine,” he says.
Matheny points out that most people don’t get enough protein. “Because protein is with creatine, and you’re probably also not getting enough creatine, I think most people would benefit from creatine and protein supplements,” he says. Matheny says that most women over 50 would be fine to have 3 to 5 grams of a creatine supplement a day, but it’s best to consult with a healthcare professional first. For protein, Matheny says it’s important to consider your intake from your diet and round things out from there.
The RDA for protein hasn’t changed for 30 years from 0.8 grams per kilogram, but many in the nutrition science community recommend that active people have 1.2 to 1.5 grams per kilogram of protein to support tissue growth.
What to do if you’re interested in these supplements
This is a lot to navigate, and it’s still best to contact a healthcare provider or dietitian before putting yourself on a creatine or protein supplement, says Kenton Fibel, M.D., primary care sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles, CA. “There are so many supplements out there, and quality can vary,” he says. (While creatine and protein are largely considered safe supplements, Chaney says that your doctor can also help you navigate if there are any potential interactions with medications or other supplements you’re taking.)
Your healthcare provider can also help you figure out the best dosing for you, Dr. Fibel points out.
But Matheny stresses that you don’t necessarily need to choose between having creatine and protein. “Both are helpful,” he says.
