What is creatine and where do vegans get creatine from?
Created on: July 28, 2026
Last edited on: July 28, 2026
Creatine is a compound produced by the body that plays an important role in providing quick energy to muscles. While creatine is found almost exclusively in animal products, the human body produces creatine itself daily. Therefore, vegans typically do not suffer from creatine deficiency.
In this FAQ, you'll learn what creatine is, what effects it has, where vegans get creatine, and when a supplement might be beneficial.
What is creatine?
Creatine is an organic compound made from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. The body produces about 1 to 2 grams of creatine itself daily, mainly in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Around 95% of creatine is stored as creatine reserves in the muscles, with the rest located in the brain, among other places.
What are the effects of creatine?
Creatine enables short-term energy provision by rapidly replenishing ATP - the body's main energy currency.
Creatine can:
- increase strength performance
- support muscle growth in conjunction with strength training
- improve performance during short, intense efforts
- support recovery between intense efforts.
Where do vegans get creatine if plants don't contain any?
While animal products contain creatine, it is virtually absent in plant-based foods. However, this does not mean that vegans automatically have a creatine deficiency. The human body produces creatine itself. This endogenous production is usually sufficient for general health. A true deficiency due to impaired creatine production is extremely rare, affecting only a few people per hundred thousand.
Does the absence of creatine say anything about the quality of a vegan diet?
No. The fact that plant-based foods do not contain creatine does not mean that a vegan diet is fundamentally worse or incomplete. Creatine is not an essential nutrient because the human body can produce it itself.
Therefore, whether a diet provides creatine says little about its health quality. A well-planned purely plant-based diet can provide all necessary nutrients - with the exception of vitamin B12, which must be supplemented.
→ You can find more about a sensible vegan diet in our NUTRIENT GUIDE and the VEGAN FOOD PYRAMID.
Should vegans supplement creatine?
The short answer: Not necessarily. The body can produce creatine itself, and a supplement is not fundamentally necessary to stay healthy.
Nevertheless, certain people, including vegans, can benefit from creatine as a dietary supplement, especially in connection with strength training. Creatine can be a useful addition if you want to optimize your athletic performance or muscle strength. This generally applies to people who eat a mixed diet as well. Since vegans do not consume creatine through their diet, their creatine stores are on average somewhat lower. Therefore, they may benefit more from a supplement. Those who do not exercise generally do not need to supplement creatine.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which form of creatine is best?
The most popular and well-researched form is creatine monohydrate.
→ We take the Creatine Powder from our partner NUTRI+ every morning with a little water (-10% with code VEGANIST).
Is creatine vegan?
Yes, creatine monohydrate is almost exclusively produced synthetically today and contains no animal ingredients. Checking the ingredient list or a vegan label provides additional assurance.
Does creatine make you thick?
No, creatine does not lead to an increase in body fat. At the beginning of intake, many people gain 0.5 to 2 kg because more water is stored in the muscles. This often makes the muscles appear somewhat fuller, but not fundamentally bloated. In the long term, creatine can support muscle building - the weight gain then results from more muscle mass, not fat.
Does creatine need to be taken daily?
Yes, if you choose to supplement. To keep creatine stores consistently full, creatine should be taken daily - even on non-training days.
Summary - What is creatine and where do vegans get creatine?
Creatine is a compound produced by the body that helps muscles rapidly provide energy during short, intense efforts. For general health, creatine supplementation is not necessary for healthy vegans, as the body can meet its basic needs itself.
However, anyone who engages in strength training or wants to improve their athletic performance can benefit from a supplement - regardless of their diet.
→ You can find more tips for athletic vegans (and those who want to become one) in our PROTEIN GUIDE.
➡️ Share our answer: