Creatine on Keto: Benefits, Dosage, and How to Use It

The keto diet reduces glycogen stores in the body, which can affect creatine storage. This means you might feel more tired, have lower workout performance, and find it harder to build lean muscle compared to those on a standard diet.

If you're following keto to lose fat, boost performance, or improve health, skipping creatine could hold you back from reaching your goals. So, is creatine really necessary for keto dieters? This article will break it down for you.

What Is the Keto Diet and How Does It Benefit Health?

The ketogenic diet, commonly known as keto, is a way of eating that focuses on cutting down carbohydrates while prioritizing healthy fats and moderate protein [10].

Instead of relying on glucose from carbs, the body is encouraged to use fat as its main energy source. This process, called ketosis, happens when the liver converts fat into ketones, providing an alternative energy source similar to fasting [10].

The keto diet offers many health benefits, making it a popular choice. One key advantage is its ability to support weight loss and manage obesity.

Studies show that very-low-calorie keto diets (VLCKD) are highly effective at reducing visceral fat while preserving lean muscle, leading to better weight loss results compared to low-fat diets [5]. Additionally, keto helps control appetite, which reduces hunger, making it easier to stick to the diet [5].

Read more: Should I Take Creatine On Rest Days?

Moreover, this diet improves blood lipid profiles by lowering bad cholesterol (LDL), increasing good cholesterol (HDL), and reducing triglycerides [5].

For those who love sports or focus on fitness, keto optimizes body composition by reducing fat mass without losing muscle and boosts resting metabolic rate [5]. These benefits enhance physical health, increase energy, and improve mental clarity [5].

The popularity of the keto diet stems from its ability to promote effective weight loss and better hunger control [10, 5]. From athletes to those aiming to improve their physique, many are drawn to its potential to enhance performance and body composition.

However, achieving and maintaining ketosis requires careful attention to nutrient ratios tailored to each person, along with awareness of potential risks from a low-carb, high-fat diet [12].

Is Creatine Compatible with the Keto Diet?

Creatine is fully compatible with the keto diet, supporting strength gains and muscle maintenance without disrupting ketosis.

Many keto dieters share online that adding creatine brings noticeable benefits. In a discussion with around 20 comments, over 70% of participants said they used creatine while on keto and saw positive results, such as improved strength and muscle retention during fat loss.*

For example, one user reported losing 11.3 kg in two months by combining keto with 3–5g of creatine daily, while still improving physical performance.* These experiences suggest creatine is a safe and effective supplement for a low-carb diet.

However, some users noted that creatine may cause constipation or fatigue if water or electrolyte intake is insufficient, as it increases the body’s hydration needs.*

Why Should People on a Keto Diet Consider Taking Creatine?

Creatine is a smart choice for keto dieters due to its ability to boost energy and support muscle health. It enhances workout performance and preserves lean muscle, aligning with keto’s goal of optimizing body composition.

By aiding ATP regeneration, creatine provides quick energy for muscles, helping keto dieters overcome the initial energy dip when starting the diet.

Thomas DeLauer, a well-known nutrition expert on YouTube, confirms that pure creatine monohydrate contains no carbs, ensuring it doesn’t disrupt ketosis while boosting strength for high-intensity workouts. His science-backed advice reassures users about creatine’s effectiveness.*

In practice, many keto followers report benefits from creatine. One user shared that taking 3–5g daily helped maintain strength and muscle while losing 11.3 kg in two months. Creatine also aids post-workout recovery, helping the body adapt to a low-carb diet.*

With clear benefits for performance and physique, creatine is an ideal supplement for keto dieters. The next section will detail the specific advantages creatine offers when paired with keto.

Benefits of Creatine for the Keto Diet

Supports Lean Body Mass

Creatine promotes muscle growth by increasing creatine and phosphocreatine storage, enabling tougher workouts and stimulating muscle growth through osmotic pressure [13]. It also activates growth factors like IGF-1, enhancing lean muscle development [15].

Research shows creatine users, especially vegetarians, gained 2.4 kg of lean muscle after eight weeks of resistance training, compared to 0.6 kg for the placebo group [3]. For keto dieters, creatine helps maintain muscle during fat loss, supporting physique goals.

Enhances High-Intensity Exercise Performance

By providing instant energy through ATP regeneration, creatine boosts performance in intense exercises, from leg strength to sprinting [4]. It increases muscle phosphocreatine by 20-40%, improving power and endurance by 10-20% [7].

A five-day creatine loading protocol showed physically active men achieving superior leg strength and anaerobic power compared to a placebo group [9]. Keto dieters benefit from this energy boost when carbs are scarce.

Aids Post-Workout Recovery

Creatine speeds muscle recovery after intense workouts by reducing damage and soreness [14]. Its antioxidant properties also limit inflammation, lowering creatine kinase levels—a marker of muscle damage [2].

Studies show creatine improves muscle strength after eccentric exercises, helping keto dieters maintain consistent training schedules and reduce fatigue, enhancing overall workout results.

Supports Lipid Profile

Pure creatine monohydrate helps regulate cholesterol and triglyceride levels, improving heart health [4]. Findings suggest creatine aids in managing blood lipids, which may contribute to better cardiovascular function [7]. For keto dieters, who already benefit from improved lipids through the diet, creatine adds extra long-term health value.

Offers Additional Therapeutic Benefits

Creatine supports overall health by maintaining cellular energy and protecting mitochondria [4].

Its antioxidant and neuroprotective properties may help support cellular resilience and energy balance during periods of physiological stress, such as reduced oxygen availability [11].

These benefits offer significant value for keto dieters, optimizing health beyond physique improvements.

How to Take Creatine on a Keto Diet

Getting Creatine from Keto-Friendly Foods

Creatine is naturally found in keto-friendly foods like meat and fish, providing protein-rich nutrition without disrupting ketosis. Meat contains about 3-4 g of creatine per kg, while fish, especially raw fish, offers 3-5 g per kg [13].

However, to reach a typical creatine loading dose of 20 g daily through food, you’d need to eat around 4 kg of meat, which is impractical for daily diets [1].

Thus, while foods like beef, pork, salmon, or tuna are great options for keto dieters, supplementing with creatine is often preferred to effectively increase muscle creatine levels, supporting strength and lean muscle maintenance while adhering to a low-carb diet.

Using Creatine Supplements

With many brands available, choosing the best creatine supplements can be tricky, especially for keto dieters aiming to stay in ketosis. Creatine monohydrate stands out as the best choice due to its high bioavailability, safety, and extensive research, making it the gold standard compared to other forms [8].

Alternatives like creatine ethyl ester, creatine HCl, or creatine nitrate have limited evidence of superior effectiveness, while creatine serum and creatyl-L-leucine show poor or no bioavailability [8].

Keto dieters should opt for products from reputable brands with cGMP or NSF certifications, ideally made in the USA, ensuring purity and no hidden carbs or sugars to maintain ketosis.

Mix 3-5 g of creatine monohydrate with water or a sugar-free drink to support workout performance and muscle health while staying keto-compliant. 

How Much Creatine Should You Take on a Keto Diet?

To boost muscle creatine levels by about 20%, keto dieters can choose two approaches:

• A short-term high-dose method using 20 g daily, split into 4-6 doses of 5 g, for 5-6 days, increasing free creatine by 35% [8, 13].
• Alternatively, a long-term low-dose method uses 2-3 g daily for 4-12 weeks, achieving a 16.7% increase [8]. Older adults may use 0.3 g/kg body weight for 5 days, followed by 0.07 g/kg for 12 weeks, or 20 g/day for 7 days, then 10 g/day for 7 days [13].

A 5 g daily dose is optimal for blood plasma levels, but 2-3 g is also effective [8]. Keto dieters should start with a low dose to test body response, ensuring compatibility with a low-carb diet and avoiding unwanted side effects.

Things to Note When Taking Creatine on Keto

When combining creatine with a keto diet, certain precautions can help maximize benefits and avoid issues, building on the information about usage and dosage already covered. These factors are crucial since the body in ketosis has unique hydration and nutrition needs.

First, prioritize hydration and electrolyte balance. The keto diet often reduces water and minerals like sodium, potassium, and magnesium due to low carb intake, while creatine increases muscle water retention (Kreider et al., 2022).

To reduce the likelihood of cramps, fatigue, or brain fog, drink at least 2–3 liters of water daily and include electrolyte-rich foods like avocados, leafy greens, or lightly salted water—all of which are keto-friendly.

Next, monitor your body’s response when starting creatine. Some may experience bloating or slight weight gain from water retention, which is normal and doesn’t affect ketosis [8]. If discomfort like stomach upset or prolonged fatigue occurs, lower the dose and consult a nutrition expert to adjust usage.

Finally, ensure creatine supplement quality. Choose products free of additives or hidden carbs, as these could disrupt ketosis, especially for those new to keto (Kreider et al., 2022). Opt for brands with cGMP or NSF certifications for purity. These steps ensure safe, effective creatine use, supporting your health and physique goals on keto.

Conclusion

Creatine is not only safe for keto dieters but also a powerful tool to optimize performance and maintain muscle mass. With limited carbs, it’s even more important to maximize every factor to preserve strength and training results. Try adding creatine wisely and feel the difference—your body will thank you.