Does creatine affect lipid profile? a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
PubMed 42180567 · doi:10.3389/fnut.2026.1787009
What was done
A systematic review and meta-analysis conducted under PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO CRD420251025690) searched seven databases (EMBASE, Lilacs, CINAHL, MEDLINE/PubMed, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science) through June 2025. It included randomized clinical trials comparing oral creatine supplementation to placebo in adults, assessing total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides. Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane RoB 2 and certainty of evidence using GRADE.
What was found
Based on 8 included RCTs, pooled analyses showed no statistically significant effects of creatine supplementation on lipid profile parameters: - Total cholesterol: MD 2.9 mg/dL (95% CI: -7.44 to 13.24; I² = 46%) - LDL-C: MD 4.08 mg/dL (95% CI: -2.55 to 10.70; I² = 8%) - HDL-C: MD -0.68 mg/dL (95% CI: -3.94 to 2.59; I² = 0%) - Triglycerides: MD 7.95 mg/dL (95% CI: -13.73 to 29.63; I² = 55%) Evidence certainty was rated very low for total cholesterol and triglycerides, and low for LDL-C and HDL-C.
Why it matters
This meta-analysis indicates that oral creatine supplementation has no clinically meaningful effect on blood lipid profiles in adults.
Limits
The total number of participants was not reported in the abstract, and only 8 RCTs were identified. The included trials had methodological limitations in randomization and reporting of results, along with moderate heterogeneity for triglycerides and total cholesterol.
Cited by
- supports Studies investigating the cardiometabolic effects of creatine show mixed findings, with some reporting decreases in triglycerides and LDL cholesterol while others show no effect.