A 2025 study published in Frontiers in Nutrition has found a significant inverse relationship between dietary creatine intake and overall cancer risk in U.S. adults. Drawing on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2007 and 2018, the researchers analyzed a population of 25,879 individuals aged 20 and older.
The results are striking: for every additional 0.26 grams of creatine consumed per day — equivalent to one standard deviation in intake — there was a 5% drop in the prevalence of cancer. The effect was more pronounced in certain subgroups. Among men, risk dropped by 7%. Overweight individuals saw an 8% decrease, while adults over 60 experienced the most benefit with a 14% reduction.
The study did not explore specific cancer types, instead looking at total cancer prevalence across the group. Still, the results support the idea that creatine, long known for supporting muscular health and athletic performance, might also provide protective effects at the cellular level — potentially through its impact on energy metabolism, mitochondrial function or antioxidant defenses.
This new research adds to growing evidence pointing to the broader health benefits of creatine outside of gym use. While the study was observational and can’t prove cause and effect, it opens the door for future clinical trials to examine creatine’s potential as a cancer-preventive dietary supplement.
Until more targeted research becomes available, the findings further support the safety and possible long-term benefits of moderate creatine intake in the general population — especially for older adults and those at increased risk.
References
- Chen, X., Wang, Y., Zhang, H., & Lee, J. (2025). Association between dietary creatine intake and cancer prevalence among U.S. adults: Results from NHANES 2007–2018. Frontiers in Nutrition, 12, 39867555. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2025.39867555
- Bender, A. & Klopstock, T. (2016). Creatine for neuroprotection in neurodegenerative disease: end of story? Neurochemistry International, 89, 47–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuint.2015.07.003
- Gualano, B., Rawson, E. S., Candow, D. G. & Chilibeck, P. D. (2016). Creatine supplementation in the aging population: effects on skeletal muscle, bone and brain. Amino Acids, 48(8), 1793–1805. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-016-2188-1
- Allen, P. J. (2012). Creatine metabolism and psychiatric disorders: Does creatine supplementation have therapeutic value? Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(5), 1442–1462. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.03.005
