Creatine for Teens and Young Athletes: What Guidance and Research Say
What a sports nutrition position stand, reviews and surveys say about creatine for people under 18, what safety research is missing, and why parents should ask a pediatrician first.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Quick answer
Creatine is popular with young athletes, but the safety research in healthy young people is thin. The most-quoted guidance we could read comes from a sports nutrition society, and it was prepared at the request of a supplement-industry council. [1] We could not read a statement from a pediatric organization. Proper evidence not found for that: we searched PubMed for pediatric and sports medicine statements on creatine, and the pediatric pages we tried returned errors. That does not prove none exists. A pediatrician or sports medicine doctor can say what is right for a particular young person. This page is information only and gives no dosing advice.
What the sources we read say
| Source | What it says | Things to know |
|---|---|---|
| Sports nutrition society position stand (2017) | With proper precautions and supervision, creatine monohydrate in child and adolescent athletes is acceptable. [1] It recommended considering it only for those in serious, supervised training who eat a well-balanced diet and do not exceed recommended dosages. [1] | Prepared at the request of a supplement-industry council; several authors declare industry ties. [1] |
| Review of safety in youth (2018) | Creatine is popular with adolescent athletes, yet research in this area is extremely limited. [2] | Review, not a trial. |
| Review in children and adolescents (2021) | No studies had been published on safety in healthy young or adolescent athletes. [3] | Authors were paid by the sponsor of the journal issue, a creatine maker. [3] |
| Group review of common questions (2021) | Based on the limited evidence, creatine appears safe and potentially beneficial for children and adolescents. [4] | The same review noted that none of the performance studies in the 2018 review measured specific clinical health markers. [4] Several authors declare creatine-industry funding. |
How common is use among young people
Surveys cited in reviews found creatine use in a minority of school-age athletes. One survey of students in grades 6 to 12 found 8.8% of boys and 1.8% of girls used it. [2] Another, of 270 high school students, found 21% of boys and 3% of girls did. [4] These are older US surveys and may not match today's use. Sex differences in safety or effect among teens: Proper evidence not found in the sources we read.Where children have used creatine under medical care
Creatine has also been studied as a treatment in children with certain neuromuscular and metabolic conditions. [3] For example, a trial in 30 children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy reported gains in fat-free mass and hand-grip strength. [4] That is treatment of an illness in a study. It does not show what creatine does for healthy young athletes, and the two should not be mixed up. A small dose-ranging study of teenage girls with depression that had not responded to an SSRI looked at brain energy markers, and the authors called for more research. [5] A 2026 review of trials found no difference from placebo in the adolescent trial. [6] See creatine and mood, depression and mental health.Frequently asked questions
Is creatine safe for teens?
That is not settled. A review said no safety studies had been published in healthy young athletes. [3] Others judge it appears safe on limited evidence. [4] Ask a pediatrician.
Why do labels say "not for under 18"?
The 2017 position stand describes this as a legal precaution, not a scientific finding. [1] It still leaves the decision to a clinician and family.
Do pediatric groups recommend creatine?
Proper evidence not found. We could not read a pediatric organization's statement on creatine, so we do not report one.
Can creatine be used in children with medical conditions?
Children with muscular dystrophy have been given it in a trial. [4] That is treatment of an illness, not a general green light for healthy young athletes.
What should a parent ask?
Ask the pediatrician about the child's health, kidney function, medicines, the product, competition rules and whether food and training are already in order.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
What the label warnings mean
Many creatine products say people under 18 should not use them. The 2017 position stand describes this as a legal precaution and says there is no scientific evidence that children and adolescents should not take creatine. [1] The 2018 review likewise called such warnings not scientifically based. [2] The 2021 review added that safety concerns in this age group remain highly prevalent. [4] For a family, the practical point is that the label does not settle the question either way. The decision belongs with a clinician.
Safety questions to bring to a pediatrician
- Health conditions. Kidney disease or any long-term condition changes the question. Creatine can raise the blood test creatinine without necessarily meaning kidney function has fallen. [4] See creatine, kidney questions and creatinine testing.
- Medicines. Interaction information was not described in the sources we read. Ask a pharmacist, and see medication interactions.
- Product quality and sport rules. Supplements can be contaminated, and sports bodies have rules. See sports certification and banned-substance contamination and quality testing and certifications.
- Food first. Training, sleep and enough food come before any supplement. For wider guidance, see children and teens and supplement safety resources.
- Pregnancy. For a teen who is pregnant, a 2021 review noted no human studies of creatine in pregnancy. [4]
The overview of this ingredient is at creatine.
References
- Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2017 (full text read via PMC5469049; prepared at the request of a supplement-industry council and the society; several authors declare industry ties). Read 2026-10-22.
- Jagim AR, Stecker RA, Harty PS, et al. Safety of Creatine Supplementation in Active Adolescents and Youth: A Brief Review. Front Nutr 2018 (full text read via PMC6279854). Read 2026-10-22.
- Jagim AR, Kerksick CM. Creatine Supplementation in Children and Adolescents. Nutrients 2021 (review; full text read via PMC7922146; authors were paid by the sponsor of the journal issue, a creatine manufacturer). Read 2026-10-22.
- Antonio J, Candow DG, Forbes SC, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2021 (full text read via PMC7871530; several authors declare creatine-industry funding or advisory roles). Read 2026-10-22.
- Kondo DG, Forrest LN, Shi X, et al. Creatine target engagement with brain bioenergetics: a dose-ranging phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy study of adolescent females with SSRI-resistant depression. Amino Acids 2016 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-22.
- Jeryous Fares B, Zhou C, Fabiano N, et al. The Effect of Creatine Monohydrate on Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Can J Psychiatry 2026 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-22.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.