Last updated: October 19, 2026
Creatine usage is climbing, and the fastest growth is in groups the supplement used to skip. A University of Michigan study of US adolescents found that past-year creatine use rose 168% among girls and 90% among boys (University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, 2026). A 168% increase means about 2.7 times the earlier rate, not triple, and 90% means 1.9 times. In stores, SPINS data showed creatine sales up 71.9% in the mainstream performance category over the 52 weeks ending November 30, 2025 (Nutritional Outlook, 2026), or about 1.7 times the prior year.
This page collects creatine statistics and protein supplement numbers from primary sources: federal surveys (CDC/NCHS), peer-reviewed papers, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, SPINS data as reported by the trade press, retailer figures, a market-research estimate and two independent contamination tests. Every number links to the page where we checked it. Where a figure comes from a brand, a retailer or an advocacy group, we say so. Where no good number exists, we say that too.
Key creatine and protein statistics
- +168% growth in past-year creatine use among US teen girls, versus +90% among boys (University of Michigan, Annals of Epidemiology, 2026). Source
- +71.9% creatine sales in the mainstream multioutlet performance category, 52 weeks ending Nov 30, 2025 (SPINS). Source
- 30% of creatine purchases at GNC were by women in 2025, up from 18% in 2020 (GNC figures reported by Bloomberg). Source
- 28% of 399 adult non-athletes in a 2021 online survey reported current or past creatine use; the sample was not representative (Nutrients, 2021). Source
- 57.6% of US adults used any dietary supplement in the past 30 days in 2017-2018 (CDC/NCHS). Source
- 75% of US adults use dietary supplements, per a 2024 survey of 3,194 adults by Ipsos for the Council for Responsible Nutrition. Source
- $29.8 billion global protein supplements market in 2025, with powders at 48.8% of revenue (Grand View Research estimate). Source
- More than two-thirds of 23 protein powders and shakes tested by Consumer Reports had more lead per serving than its daily safe level (2025). Source
How Many People Take Creatine?
No recent nationally representative survey of US adults gives a clean answer, and the published estimates run from about 3% to 28% depending on who was asked.
The only federal number we could trace is old. A 2021 paper reports that the 2007 National Health Interview Survey found a 3% overall prevalence of creatine use, with no breakdown by sex (Benton et al., Nutrients, 2021, citing the NHIS; we did not see the NHIS table itself). At the other end, the same paper surveyed 399 adult non-athletes online in 2021 and found 28% had used creatine, now or in the past. The sample was recruited through email and Facebook by snowball sampling, 65% were women, and the authors note it limits representativeness. Use is steeply tied to age in that sample: 46% of ages 19 to 35, 32% of ages 36 to 65 and 6% of ages 66 to 89.
| Adult non-athletes reporting current or past creatine use | Share |
|---|---|
| Ages 19-35 | 46% |
| Ages 36-65 | 32% |
| Ages 66-89 | 6% |
Source: Benton et al., Nutrients, 2021 (n = 399, snowball sample, not nationally representative).
Treat the 28% as a ceiling for a gym-adjacent, mostly female, online crowd and the 3% as a stale floor. The real current figure for all US adults is somewhere in between and nobody has measured it well. Federal surveys are the likeliest place for a good answer to appear.
Creatine Usage Among Teens
The clearest recent trend is in adolescents. A University of Michigan team analyzed Monitoring the Future survey data on US students in grades 8, 10 and 12 from 2001 to 2024. Its release says girls' creatine use increased 168%, compared with 90% for boys, though boys still made up the largest share of users. Source: University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, 2026; paper: Veliz et al., Annals of Epidemiology, 2026. The release does not state the exact years behind each percentage, so we use only the percent changes.
| Increase in past-year creatine use among US adolescents | Percent increase | Multiple of earlier rate |
|---|---|---|
| Girls | 168% | about 2.7x |
| Boys | 90% | about 1.9x |
Source: University of Michigan Institute for Social Research release on Veliz et al., Annals of Epidemiology, 2026 (Monitoring the Future). The multiples are our arithmetic: 1 + percent increase.
The same release notes that pediatric guidance recommends adolescents avoid these products because evidence on safety and efficacy in youth is limited. The lead author said teen creatine use is not necessarily cause for alarm, but can be a signal that someone is chasing muscularity or performance and may add energy drinks or other supplements.
Creatine Sales Statistics and Women Buyers
Sales data tell a similar story. SPINS tracks retail scanner and natural-channel data. For the 52 weeks ending October 6, 2024, creatine grew 46.5% in the performance category of the mainstream multioutlet channel (MULO). For the 52 weeks ending November 30, 2025 it grew 71.9% in MULO performance and 48.9% in the natural channel's energy support category. Source: Nutritional Outlook, quoting SPINS. The two periods use different channel definitions, so do not compare them as one series. We could not find a public SPINS release, so these figures are as reported by the trade press.
| Creatine sales growth (SPINS) | Growth |
|---|---|
| MULO performance, 52 weeks to Oct 6, 2024 | 46.5% |
| MULO performance, 52 weeks to Nov 30, 2025 | 71.9% |
| Natural channel energy support, 52 weeks to Nov 30, 2025 | 48.9% |
Source: SPINS data as reported by Nutritional Outlook, 2026. Periods and channels differ.
On who is buying, retailer figures reported by Bloomberg in September 2025 say women made up 30% of creatine purchases at GNC, up from 18% in 2020, that the average buyer's age rose from 30 to 35, and that creatine sales at GNC were up 75% from 2020 (Bloomberg via Medical Xpress, Sept 2025). These are company statements, not audited data, and GNC is one chain. A 75% rise over five years is 1.75 times the 2020 level, which is modest next to the one-year SPINS jumps.
One brand's customers point the same way. Supplement brand Puori surveyed its own US customers by email: 16.1% of its women buyers had bought its creatine product in Q1 2025 versus 28.7% in Q2 2026, and women were 62.8% of its creatine buyers. Women are about 69% of Puori's buyers overall, so that share mostly reflects who shops there. Source: Puori customer survey, 2025 to 2026 (brand data, about 800 to 900 respondents per wave).
You may see a "320% growth in women's creatine sales" figure online. We could not trace it to a report, so we do not use it. For reference, 320% growth would mean 4.2 times the earlier level, not triple.
Supplement Use Among US Adults
Creatine is one product inside a very large habit. In 2017-2018, 57.6% of US adults aged 20 and over used any dietary supplement in the past 30 days: 63.8% of women and 50.8% of men. Source: CDC/NCHS Data Brief No. 399, 2021. A newer NHANES analysis of 63,442 adults found overall use rose from 51% in 1999-2000 to 60% in August 2021 to August 2023 (Lam et al., JAMA Network Open, 2026).
Industry surveys run higher because they ask about regular use over a longer window. The Council for Responsible Nutrition's 2024 survey, run by Ipsos among 3,194 US adults in August 2024, found 75% use dietary supplements. Source: CRN, October 2024. CRN is a supplement trade group. Its public release does not break out creatine or protein.
Protein supplements have the same gap: we found no national prevalence figure for protein powder use in a federal survey, so we do not give one.
Protein Powder Market Statistics
The protein powder market is big, but the dollar figures depend on the firm doing the estimating. Grand View Research, a market-research company, values the global protein supplements market at $29.8 billion in 2025, projects $63.2 billion by 2033 at a 10.3% compound annual rate, and says powders were the largest product segment at 48.8% of 2025 revenue. Source: Grand View Research, June 2026. These are market-research estimates, not audited sales. Other firms publish very different totals for the same category because they define "protein supplement" differently, so compare only numbers from one firm.
Do you need the powder? The International Society of Sports Nutrition says an intake of 1.4 to 2.0 g of protein per kg of body weight per day is sufficient for most exercising people. It calls supplements a practical way to get enough, and also advises focusing on whole-food protein sources. Source: Jäger et al., ISSN position stand on protein and exercise, 2017. Work out your own calories and protein with the calorie calculator.
What the Safety Research Says About Creatine
Popularity is not evidence, but the evidence for creatine monohydrate is unusually deep. The International Society of Sports Nutrition's position stand calls it the most effective ergogenic nutritional supplement currently available for high-intensity exercise capacity and lean mass during training. It found no compelling evidence of harm in healthy people at doses up to 30 g a day for 5 years, and suggests 3 to 5 g a day to maintain muscle stores. Weight gain was the only side effect it consistently reported. Source: Kreider et al., ISSN position stand on creatine, 2017.
Two caveats. The paper discloses funding from the Council for Responsible Nutrition and ties between several authors and supplement companies. And it covers healthy adults, which is why the teen guidance above is more cautious. If you have kidney disease or take medication, ask your doctor first. For how much strength and muscle this buys you, see our guide to building muscle vs getting stronger.
Contamination: What Independent Testing Found in Protein Powder
Consumer Reports tested 23 protein powders and ready-to-drink shakes for lead. For more than two-thirds of them, a single serving contained more lead than its food safety experts consider safe to consume in a day. Plant-based products averaged about 9 times the lead of dairy-based ones, and dairy-based products generally had the lowest amounts. Source: Consumer Reports, published October 14, 2025, updated January 8, 2026. It is a small sample, and its threshold is a daily limit set by its own experts, not a legal one.
The Clean Label Project, a nonprofit advocacy and certification group, tested 160 protein powders from 70 brands. It reports that 47% exceeded at least one federal or state limit, including California's Prop 65, and 21% were over twice the Prop 65 level. For lead, 77% of plant-based powders were over the Prop 65 level versus 28% of whey and 26% of collagen. Its page does not disclose who funded the study, and the results have not been peer reviewed. Source: Clean Label Project, January 2025.
| Protein powders over California Prop 65 level for lead | Share |
|---|---|
| Plant-based | 77% |
| Whey | 28% |
| Collagen | 26% |
Source: Clean Label Project, protein powder study, January 2025 (160 products, 70 brands). Advocacy group data, not peer reviewed.
Both tests point the same way: type matters, and plant-based powders did worst. Consumer Reports also quotes a nutrition scientist who says you can meet your protein needs entirely from whole foods. If you do use powder, pick products with third-party testing and do not stack several servings a day.
What These Numbers Mean for You
- Creatine usage is rising fast from an unmeasured base. Growth rates are real; the share of adults who take it is not well known.
- Creatine monohydrate has the stronger evidence. Protein powder is convenient but optional if you eat enough protein.
- Check the product, not the category. Contamination testing varies sharply by powder type.
- Supplements do not replace training. Your calorie target and a plan you follow matter more. See how many people lift weights and progressive overload.
If you start creatine, the useful question is whether it changes your results. We build GymGod, a workout tracker for iPhone and Apple Watch, with PR detection and your last session on screen for each exercise, so you can see whether your lifts actually go up after a few weeks. Your first 3 workouts are free, with no account needed. See the features and pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people take creatine?
There is no recent nationally representative figure for US adults. A 2021 paper cites a 3% prevalence in the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, while a 2021 online survey of 399 non-athletes found 28% had used it, in a sample that was not representative.
Is creatine use increasing?
Yes. A University of Michigan study reports past-year creatine use among US teens rose 168% for girls and 90% for boys, and SPINS data show creatine sales up 71.9% in the mainstream performance category in the 52 weeks to November 30, 2025.
Is creatine safe?
The International Society of Sports Nutrition found no compelling evidence of harm from creatine monohydrate in healthy people, at doses up to 30 g a day for 5 years. Weight gain was the only consistent side effect. Pediatric guidance advises teens to avoid it because evidence in youth is limited.
How big is the protein powder market?
Grand View Research estimates the global protein supplements market at $29.8 billion in 2025, with powders at 48.8% of revenue. Estimates differ between market-research firms, so compare numbers from one source only.
Does protein powder contain lead?
Some does. Consumer Reports found that for more than two-thirds of 23 products tested, one serving had more lead than its daily safe level, with plant-based powders averaging about 9 times the lead of dairy-based ones.
Cite this page
Feel free to quote any number on this page. Please link back:
Source: GymGod, "Creatine Usage Statistics for 2026: Teen Girls' Use Is Up 168%, Sales Up 72%", https://gymgod.app/blog/creatine-and-protein-statistics.html (October 14, 2026)
<a href="https://gymgod.app/blog/creatine-and-protein-statistics.html">GymGod: Creatine Usage Statistics for 2026: Teen Girls' Use Is Up 168%, Sales Up 72%</a>
Please also cite the original source listed below for any individual number.
Sources
- University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, "Steroid use falls, but creatine use climbs rapidly," 2026 (on Veliz P et al., Ann Epidemiol 120:110107, 2026). https://src.isr.umich.edu/news-events/news/steroid-use-falls-but-creatine-use-climbs-rapidly/
- Veliz P et al., "Recent trends in past-year steroid use, past-year creatine use, and attitudes toward steroid use among US adolescents," Annals of Epidemiology, 2026 (PubMed record). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42092721/
- Nutritional Outlook, "Strong tailwinds on creatine as a broader range of consumers recognize its many benefits," 2026 (SPINS data). https://www.nutritionaloutlook.com/view/strong-tailwinds-on-creatine-as-a-broader-range-of-consumers-recognize-its-many-benefits
- Brown R, Bloomberg News, "Women and older adults are driving sales of creatine higher," September 2025 (via Medical Xpress). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-women-older-adults-sales-creatine.html
- Puori, "Who Buys Creatine Now? Puori Customer Data 2025 to 2026" (brand customer survey). https://puori.com/blogs/puorilife/creatine-buyers-data-2026
- Benton MJ, Spicher JM, McCormick S, "Community-Based Survey Exploring Use of the Dietary Supplement Creatine by Adult Non-Athletes," Nutrients 13(8):2529, 2021. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8401943/
- CDC National Center for Health Statistics, "Dietary Supplement Use Among Adults: United States, 2017-2018 (NCHS Data Brief No. 399)," 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db399.htm
- Lam CS et al., "Emerging Patterns in Dietary Supplement Use Among US Adults, 1999-2023," JAMA Network Open 9(6):e2619291, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42295756/
- Council for Responsible Nutrition, "CRN Survey Shows Consistent Supplement Usage with Increase of Specialty Product Use Over Time," October 29, 2024 (Ipsos, n = 3,194). https://crnusa.org/newsroom/crn-survey-shows-consistent-supplement-usage-increase-specialty-product-use-over-time
- Grand View Research, "Protein Supplements Market" report page, June 2026 (market-research estimate). https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/protein-supplements-market
- Jäger R et al., "International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise," J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14:20, 2017. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5477153/
- Kreider RB et al., "International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine," J Int Soc Sports Nutr 14:18, 2017. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5469049/
- Consumer Reports, "Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead," October 14, 2025 (updated January 8, 2026). https://www.consumerreports.org/lead/protein-powders-and-shakes-contain-high-levels-of-lead-a4206364640/
- Clean Label Project, protein powder study, January 9, 2025. https://cleanlabelproject.org/protein-study/
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Statistics were checked against the linked source pages on October 14, 2026. If you spot an error or a newer figure, please contact us.
