Best Daily Supplement for Health

One question we often get asked at Shanti-Som: do supplements actually work? Generally, we believe that if you’re eating a well-balanced diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, supplements aren’t necessary. A well-balanced diet emphasises whole, minimally processed foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and healthy fats such as olive oil. It includes moderate amounts of fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs, with red meat eaten rarely. However, if you follow a specific diet—like vegetarian—there may be certain vitamins and minerals missing that you could benefit from supplementation, like vitamin B12. That said, there is one supplement we truly believe can make a big difference for almost anyone: creatine.

What is Creatine

Creatine is kind of like your body’s natural battery booster. It’s a substance your body makes (you also get a bit from foods like red meat and fish), and it helps your muscles and brain produce quick, usable energy. When you’re doing something intense—like lifting weights, sprinting, or even just powering through a long day—creatine steps in to recharge your energy stores fast.

That’s why so many people take creatine as a supplement. It helps you feel stronger during workouts, recover faster, and lately, it’s even being looked at for how it might help with things like focus, brain function, and sleep. If you’re feeling drained or want to bring more energy to your training (or just your day), creatine might be your new go-to.

On average, you make 1-2 grams of creatine per day, which is stored primarily in your skeletal muscles. The compound is also found in food, predominantly animal products like beef, chicken, pork, and fish. A typical, omnivorous diet provides 1-2 grams of creatine per day.

Aside from being naturally found in many foods, creatine is available in supplement form.

Although there are several forms of these supplements available, creatine monohydrate is the most well-studied, effective, and inexpensive form.

Evidence Based Reasons Why Creatine as a Supplement Should be Part of your Wellness Routine

We’re breaking down 4 compelling evidence-based reasons why creatine deserves a spot in your wellness routine.

1. Creatine improves strength, muscle mass and body composition – Creatine is a top go-to supplement for anyone looking to boost their workout performance, build strength, and gain muscle. It works by helping your muscles produce more ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy they need to power through intense exercise. With more energy available, you can push yourself harder during workouts, whether it’s lifting heavier weights, doing more reps, or powering through those extra sets. This added energy helps you make better gains in strength and muscle mass over time. Creatine can be seen as an amplifier to your resistance training. According to the International Society of Sports and Nutrition “Creatine monohydrate is the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available to athletes in terms of increasing high intensity exercise capacity and lean body mass during training.”
2. Improve Brain functioning – In the ’90s, creatine gained massive popularity among bodybuilders, largely due to its ability to boost muscle mass, with scientific studies backing up these claims. While the research on creatine’s impact on muscles is well-established, newer studies are uncovering additional benefits, especially for brain function. The brain, like muscles, relies heavily on ATP for energy, which is where creatine comes in. Creatine helps replenish ATP stores, providing the brain with the energy it needs to think, process information, and manage stress. When creatine levels are low, brain cells can struggle to keep up with these demands. Research has shown that supplementing with creatine can improve cognitive function, particularly in stressful situations or when sleep-deprived. This makes sense, as the brain’s need for energy doesn’t stop just because we’re tired—it needs ample fuel to perform at its best, and creatine can help provide that boost.
3. Healthy Ageing in Menopause – As women enter menopause and beyond, many face challenges like muscle and bone mass loss, as well as cognitive issues such as brain fog. Creatine, often associated with strength and muscle growth, has become a key supplement for supporting healthy aging in middle-aged women. Doctors commonly recommend it for women in perimenopause, as it helps mitigate the loss of muscle and bone mass, and can improve brain function. Creatine doesn’t just boost exercise performance; it also targets critical changes in energy metabolism, inflammation, and oxidative stress, which are linked to lower estrogen levels during this stage of life. Listen to this great podcast which explains the benefits of creatine in women: The Metabolism & Menopause Podcast – Build Muscle, Lose Fat and Improve Energy over 40.
4. Reduce Fatigue and Tiredness– Creatine may also reduce fatigue and tiredness. Creatine helps by boosting a substance called phosphocreatine, which the brain uses to quickly make more energy (ATP). When you don’t get enough sleep, your brain struggles to keep up with its energy demands. That’s where creatine can help—it supports the brain’s energy levels, which may reduce how tired you feel and help you think more clearly, even when you’re sleep-deprived. Some research even shows that creatine can help people fall asleep faster and feel less of the negative effects of poor sleep.

The Importance of Exercise When Taking Supplements

Supplements like creatine, protein, vitamin D3, calcium, omega-3s, and fibre are great for supporting muscle, bone, and brain health, but they can’t replace the need to work out. Strength training is what really gets muscles to grow and adapt. While creatine and protein give your body the raw materials to repair muscles, it’s actually exercising—like lifting weights or doing resistance training—that tells your body to build and strengthen them.

To keep your muscles strong, improve bone health, and boost metabolism, try to do resistance training two to three times a week, whether it’s with weights, resistance bands, or just bodyweight exercises. Plus, regular exercise helps your body better absorb and use nutrients, making supplements work even better. For example, creatine helps with strength and performance, but you’ll see the best results when you pair it with resistance training.

Let’s delve into some science of Creatine as a Supplement:

A recent study found that women who took creatine experienced longer total sleep duration on days they did resistance training compared to rest days. This suggests that creatine doesn’t just support your workout—it may also help your body recover more effectively by improving sleep after training. Better sleep means better recovery, which can lead to greater gains in strength, endurance, and overall well-being. If you’re doing resistance training, creatine could be a simple yet powerful addition to help you train harder, recover smarter, and sleep deeper.

How to Take Creatine

The clinically effective dose that doctors usually recommend is 3 to 5 grams a day. Some choose to start with a loading phase—typically 20 grams per day, divided into four doses—for about a week to speed up the process, though this step is optional. Consistency matters most, as with anything in life.

Taking more than necessary doesn’t offer extra benefits and can lead to minor side effects like bloating, stomach cramps, or digestive discomfort, particularly if too much is taken at once.

Conclusion: The Case for Creatine as a Daily Supplement

In short, creatine supplementation is a flexible and valuable addition to almost anyone’s routine—whether you’re focused on building strength, boosting brain function, or supporting joint health. As research continues to reveal the wide-ranging benefits of creatine beyond just athletic performance, it’s becoming clear that this supplement has something to offer for various health needs and lifestyles. The bottom line? If you’re looking to enhance both your mental and physical strength, giving creatine a try could be a great move.