How does creatine work?

Many people take creatine to build strength, increase endurance, enhance their athletic performance, and build lean muscle mass. But it can be taken for other reasons, too.

Oral creatine may help improveTrusted Source brain disorders like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy.

Additionally, it can help improve some muscular disorders.

creatine may improve symptoms of major depression in women, too. Fifty-two women received 5 grams of creatine a day over an 8-week period.

Researchers found that the women who received creatine had improvements in their symptoms in as little as two weeks, with symptoms continuing to improve eight weeks later.