Vegans are often said to be the group that should benefit most from creatine. A new human randomized trial put that to the test and found a split verdict: jump performance improved, but sprint and strength tests did not. The study was small, only 20 people, and it ran for just four weeks.
This is human research, a randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology (López-Moreno et al., 2026; PMID 42390589; registered as NCT06483321). Here is what it found and what it can't tell you.
Why Vegans Are the Creatine Test Case
Creatine is found mainly in meat and fish, so people on plant-based diets typically eat almost none. The body makes some on its own, but the common expectation is that vegans start with lower muscle creatine stores and therefore have more room to gain from supplementing.
This trial didn't test that expectation directly. It had no omnivore comparison group, and the abstract doesn't report muscle creatine measurements. So the study can say what happened in vegans on creatine versus vegans on placebo. It can't say creatine "hits harder" in vegans than in meat-eaters.
How the Study Was Run
- Participants: 20 physically active vegan adults aged 18-45.
- Groups: 10 received creatine monohydrate (5 women, 5 men) and 10 received placebo (5 women, 5 men).
- Dose: 0.1 g per kg of body weight per day, about 7 g for a 70 kg person.
- Duration: 4 weeks, on a normocaloric vegan diet.
- Measured before and after: body composition, countermovement jump (CMJ), sprint, repeated jumps, handgrip strength, isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), and renal biomarkers.
What Improved
The clearest gains came in lower-body explosive performance. The creatine group improved CMJ performance, plus maximal height and flight time during repeated jumps (p < 0.001-0.04). Body composition also shifted compared with placebo (p < 0.05):
- Skeletal muscle mass: +0.3 kg
- Total body water: +1.4 kg
- BMI: +0.3 kg/m²
- Body fat: -1.4 kg
Serum creatine and creatinine also rose significantly in the creatine group (p < 0.001-0.03). That is the expected signature of supplementing, and it confirms the creatine was being absorbed.
What Didn't Change
This is where the headlines can overreach. Sprint performance, handgrip strength and the isometric mid-thigh pull showed no changes. The authors' conclusion says creatine "enhances muscle strength and lower-body muscular power," but the strength tests reported here didn't move. The supported claim is more specific: jump-based explosive power improved.
About That +1.4 kg of Body Water
Creatine pulls water into muscle cells, and the 1.4 kg rise in total body water is consistent with that. Skeletal muscle mass rose only 0.3 kg, so most of the scale change was fluid, not new tissue. The 1.4 kg fat loss is eye-catching, but in a 20-person, 4-week trial it should be treated as a preliminary signal and not a fat-loss promise. The abstract doesn't explain a mechanism for it.
What About the Kidneys?
The researchers did measure renal biomarkers, which is a point in the study's favor. Serum creatinine rose in the creatine group. That is a known effect of creatine supplementation, since creatinine is a breakdown product of creatine, and it doesn't by itself show kidney damage. But the abstract doesn't report kidney function outcomes in detail, and the authors explicitly call for longer-term studies to confirm effectiveness and safety in this population. Four weeks can't answer long-term questions.
Limitations You Should Know
- Tiny sample: 10 people per group limits how far the results generalize and increases the chance of misleading findings.
- Short duration: four weeks says nothing about months or years of use.
- No omnivore group: the "vegans benefit more" idea remains untested here.
- Mixed performance results: gains in jump tests, but none in sprint, handgrip or IMTP.
- Conflicts of interest: one author reported consulting fees from Danone and Foods For Tomorrow, and another is a scientific advisor to a creatine gummy company and received donated creatine (Creapure) for research. The study was still triple-blind and placebo-controlled.
Practical Takeaways
Dose: The trial used 0.1 g/kg/day. That's roughly 7 g for a 70 kg person and 8 g for an 80 kg person. It was a daily dose with no loading phase mentioned in the abstract.
Timing: The abstract doesn't specify timing, and nothing here suggests a particular window matters. The practical approach is to take it every day, including rest days, so stores stay topped up.
Product: Creatine monohydrate is typically made synthetically, so it is vegan-friendly. Check that capsules aren't made with gelatin, and choose a third-party tested product.
Who it may suit: Active vegans interested in jumping, plyometric or other explosive lower-body work, and those who want to make up for a creatine-free diet.
Who should skip it or talk to a doctor first: People with kidney disease or reduced kidney function, anyone on medications that affect the kidneys, and anyone with a medical condition. Pregnant or breastfeeding people should also check with a clinician. Also be aware that early water weight gain is normal and may matter if you compete in a weight class.
Realistic expectations: Expect small, specific gains in explosive power, not a guaranteed boost in sprinting or maximal strength.
The Bottom Line
In 20 active vegans, four weeks of creatine monohydrate improved jump performance and shifted body composition, with no change in sprint, handgrip or mid-thigh pull results. It's a promising early signal for plant-based athletes, not proof of a special vegan advantage. Larger, longer trials that include omnivore comparisons and muscle creatine measurements are needed.
