The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) released an updated scientific assessment on November 5, 2026, reaffirming the safety of creatine monohydrate after reviewing 162 clinical studies in which no serious adverse events were attributed to supplementation in adults. The assessment also raises the highest observed intake (HOI) for supplemental creatine monohydrate in adults from 5 grams to 10 grams per day, doubling the level at which no serious adverse events were observed.
CRN Reaffirms Creatine Safety, Updates Intake Level
The announcement, made in Washington, D.C., positions the review as the most current scientific benchmark for a supplement whose consumer base is widening well beyond athletes and fitness enthusiasts. CRN, the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry, framed the update as a foundation for evaluating creatine safety as usage expands.
"The science is clear: creatine has a strong safety record backed by decades of rigorous clinical research," said Andrea Wong, Ph.D., senior vice president and chief science officer at CRN. "The latest findings reinforce its strong safety record and demonstrate just how far the science has advanced, providing a solid foundation for evaluating creatine safety as its use expands beyond sports nutrition."
Decades of Research Support Creatine Monohydrate's Safety
The updated review's scope is substantial: 162 clinical studies were included, and across that body of evidence, no serious adverse events were attributed to creatine monohydrate supplementation. The finding pertains specifically to serious adverse events in adults, the population that anchors the reviewed research.
The headline change for consumers is the doubling of the HOI from 5 grams to 10 grams per day for supplemental creatine monohydrate in adults. The HOI represents the highest intake level at which no serious adverse events were observed in the reviewed studies; it is not a recommended dose. Many common supplementation protocols use lower amounts, and the new figure functions instead as a safety boundary grounded in the accumulated clinical record.
Trade coverage of the release, reported by Mass Market Retailers on November 5, characterized the review as citing decades of clinical research while consumer interest expands beyond traditional sports nutrition markets. That framing matches CRN's own emphasis on the breadth of the underlying evidence base.
