Potential interactions between creatine supplementation and prescription drugs: a narrative review and evidence-mapping perspective
Abstract
Background: Creatine is one of the most widely used dietary supplements worldwide and is increasingly consumed by non-athletic populations, including older adults and individuals with chronic metabolic, neurological, and musculoskeletal conditions. Given the high prevalence of prescription drug use in these populations, concomitant use of creatine and medications is common. Several biological pathways suggest potential creatine-drug interactions, particularly related to renal handling and biomarker interpretation; however, the clinical relevance of such interactions remains unclear.
Methods: A PRISMA-aligned narrative and evidence-mapping review was conducted. PubMed (MEDLINE), Scopus, and the Cochrane Library (CENTRAL) were searched without date restrictions for human studies evaluating oral creatine supplementation in the context of concomitant prescription drug use, pharmacokinetics, or interaction-related safety outcomes. Title and abstract screening was performed using predefined eligibility criteria. In parallel, major drug-drug interaction databases (UpToDate, DDInter, Medscape, DrugBank, Drugs.com, the Merck Manual, and the FDA Drug Development and Drug Interactions resource) were queried to contextualize potential interaction signals.
Results: Database searches identified 270 records, of which 132 unique articles remained after deduplication; none met inclusion criteria for full-text evaluation as human studies directly assessing creatine-drug interactions. Across…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Biportal endoscopic versus microscopic lumbar decompressive laminectomy in patients with spinal stenosis: A randomized controlled trial
- A whey protein-based multi-ingredient nutritional supplement stimulates gains in lean body mass and strength in healthy older men: A randomized controlled trial
- Supplement-based nutritional strategies to tackle frailty: A multifactorial, double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial
- A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept trial of creatine monohydrate as adjunctive treatment for bipolar depression
- Creatine supplementation (3 g/day) and bone health in older women: a 2-year, randomized, placebo-controlled trial
- A Multi-Ingredient Nutritional Supplement in Combination With Resistance Exercise and High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Cognitive Function and Increases N-3 Index in Healthy Older Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.