With 2026 just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about New Year’s resolutions.
In 2023, 39% of people had fitness as their top goal, and that grew to 48% in 2024, and 60% in 2025.
So, if you’re making fitness your 2026 goal, how do powders and supplements fit in?
If you’re not seeing the results you want in the gym, Cleveland Clinic says creatine can help!
“Creatine is a compound that comes from three amino acids, and it gives our muscle strength and energy,” said Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian from the Center for Human Nutrition at Cleveland Clinic.
And that helps with performance and muscle growth while decreasing muscle fatigue. Zumpano said you also don’t need to take a supplement to get it.
“Creatine is mainly found in animal products. So meat, specifically red meat, fish, specifically fatty fish, and then some dairy,” she told Ivanhoe.
Cleveland Clinic says that people who also take the supplement may gain 2-4 more pounds of muscle in 4-12 weeks than someone not taking the supplement. And there are also some preliminary studies about non-athletic benefits:
“There’s some mental and cognitive benefits, some sleep benefits, bone health benefits,” explained Zumpano.
A 2024 study found that creatine supplements have the potential to help manage depression in women and adolescents, but there was some concern that they increased manic episodes in people with bipolar disorder.
“People with active kidney disease or chronic diseases should be very cautious with the use of creatine. Only use if your medical professional is advising towards it,” said Zumpano.
But for people who qualify, they can see some real results.
Zumpano says that if you’re going to take a creatine supplement, you should verify it has been third-party tested. The best forms she recommends are powder and creatine monohydrate.