What To Know About Using Creatine While Cutting - Healthline

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Creatine While Cutting: Is It OK?

Medically reviewed by Jared Meacham, PhD., RD, CSCS — Written by Malini Ghoshal, RPh, MS — Updated on September 10, 2025

Adding creatine
Creatine supplements
Benefits
Side effects
Other factors
FAQ
The bottom line

Yes, it is ok to still take creatine while cutting. It can help support and protect your muscles during the cutting cycle and provide a boost in strength.

Cutting refers to eating at a calorie deficit in order to lose body fat while preserving muscle mass.

In the cutting cycle, bodybuilders reduce fat and carbohydrates while increasing protein intake. Carbohydrates are carefully timed to fuel exercise regimens.

However, if you cut too fast or sharply by restricting your diet too much, you’ll end up losing muscle. You’ll also have a slower recovery.

Creatine is a compound naturally produced in the body that can help preserve muscle mass. It can also be found in foods such as red meat and seafood, and supplementation.

Before starting a cutting phase, consider discussing your weight goals with a healthcare professional who specializes in sports medicine to stay within safe deficit levels. They can also help monitor any specific health conditions.

How does creatine fit into your cutting regimen?

Many people take creatine during their cutting regimen to maintain muscle mass and boost strength and energy. It can provide the energy required to power muscles for high intensity exercise.

If you perform high-intensity exercises, you drain your stored creatine faster. You’ll need to take in more to keep your muscles powered. Diets rich in meat and fish have creatine and help with refueling your body’s needs.

What about creatine supplements?

Elite athletes have been using creatine supplements before and after training to improve high-intensity power performance, gain strength, and increase post-exercise recovery for years.

Numerous studies have found that creatine monohydrate (CM) is an effective supplement for increasing muscle size and power.

It is generally recommended that three to five grams of creatine supplements be taken daily to help with muscle maintenance. Higher doses are unlikely to have any benefits.

Benefits of creatine while cutting

Creatine can help support and protect your muscles during cutting by bringing water into your muscles. This helps boost and preserve muscle fibers from damage.

That’s also why drinking plenty of water during cutting is important. It protects muscles from breakdown or injury from dehydration during your cutting cycle.

Considerations and side effects

Negative side effects from creatine supplementation often have to do with cutting too many calories or losing too much fat too quickly.

Rapid weight loss from aggressive cutting can be damaging to the body and the mind. Effects can be different for every person.

Common negative effects include:

Upset stomach. Starting off with a high dose can cause diarrhea and stomach irritation. Taking smaller, divided doses over a longer time (3 to 5 grams) can help avoid these problems.
Weight gain. Cutting too much can also result in rebound weight gain during the recovery phase after competition.

»Learn more:What Are the Pros and Cons of Creatine?

What other factors help with cutting?

There are a lot of factors that play into success in cutting.

Some are your own individual characteristics, like:

genetics
sex
your overall health
mental stamina (drive, determination, focus)
physical stamina and workout load

Other issues that might affect your success can be related to timing and methods. Timing isn’t just about when you train, it also includes diet and nutrition.

When and how much to exercise, how fast or slowly you try to cut fat, and when you add supplements like creatine can all make a difference.

A 2020 study found that adding creatine before and after resistance training had the most effect in increasing lean body mass and increasing strength.

Frequently asked questions

Is it ok to take creatine while cutting?

Yes, it is ok to still take creatine while cutting. It can help support and protect your muscles during the cutting cycle and provide a boost in strength.

How many creatine supplements should you take?

It is generally recommended that three to five grams be taken daily to help with muscle maintenance. Higher doses are unlikely to have any benefits.

The bottom line

There are a lot of factors that go into the best weight loss training regimen. Effectiveness in achieving fat loss without compromising muscle integrity is key.

One important point to keep in mind when you consider cutting is your safety. Rapid weight loss could derail your success, so set long-range goals.

Creatine supplements can be beneficial if you’re looking to increase muscle power and performance. It may also be effective for weight management.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

Antonio J, et al. (2021). Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: What does the scientific evidence really show?https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7871530/
Bonilla A, et al. (2021). Metabolic basis of creatine in health and disease: A bioinformatics-assisted review.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8070484/
Kreider RB, et al. (2025). Safety of creatine supplementation: Analysis of the prevalence of reported side effects in clinical trials and adverse event reports.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/15502783.2025.2488937#abstract
Mills S, et al. (2020). Effects of creatine supplementation during resistance training sessions in physically active young adults.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7353308/
What is creatine? Potential benefits and risks of this popular supplement. (2024).https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/what-is-creatine-potential-benefits-and-risks-of-this-popular-supplement
Wu S-H, et al. (2022). Creatine supplementation for muscle growth: A scoping review of randomized clinical trials from 2012 to 2021.https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8949037/

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Medically reviewed by Jared Meacham, PhD., RD, CSCS — Written by Malini Ghoshal, RPh, MS — Updated on September 10, 2025

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