My Doctor Said Stop Creatine, My Lab Results Are High A Guide to Creatinine vs. Creatine

The scenario is frighteningly common You’re feeling great, making progress in the gym, and then a routine blood test comes back with a red flag. Your doctor, a trusted medical authority, points to an elevated creatinine level and tells you to immediately stop taking creatine, warning of potential kidney damage. This creates a stressful conflict between your doctor’s advice and the fitness community’s consensus that creatine is safe.

This article will equip you with the knowledge to understand why this happens and how to have a productive, informed conversation with your doctor. The goal is not to dismiss medical advice but to provide the necessary context so your lab results can be interpreted accurately.

The core concern is the fear that a supplement you believed to be safe is actively harming your kidneys. This fear is amplified because it comes from a doctor interpreting a scientific lab report. The confusion stems from the very similar names of two different, yet related, substances: creatine the supplement you take and creatinine the marker on your blood test. Without understanding their relationship, the doctor's conclusion seems logical, leaving you scared and uncertain about what to do next.

Creatine supplementation will normally and predictably raise your blood creatinine levels. This is an expected and harmless byproduct, not a sign of kidney damage in healthy individuals. The most crucial step you can take is to proactively inform your doctor that you supplement with creatine before they interpret your lab results.

• Renaissance Periodization Dr. Mike Israetel Dr. Mike tackles this issue with his signature bluntness, which many viewers found reassuring. He correctly states that doctors often confuse the two substances and that creatine is good for your health. However, he oversimplifies the science by calling them a totally different thing and not related. This is biochemically inaccurate. As many medically knowledgeable viewers pointed out, creatinine is a direct metabolic byproduct of creatine. While his ultimate conclusion is correct it's not dangerous the flawed explanation created confusion and required correction from his audience.
• ATHLEAN-X Jeff Cavaliere Jeff Cavaliere provides a much clearer and more accurate explanation. He correctly identifies creatinine as the wasteful byproduct of creatine in its breakdown. He explains that supplementing naturally leads to higher levels of creatinin in your blood, which would normally be an indicator of poor kidney function. However, he clarifies that in this context, it's not a sign of decreased kidney function but simply proof that you're supplementing. His explanation successfully bridges the gap for confused viewers.
• Dr. Sten Ekberg Dr. Ekberg offers the most detailed scientific breakdown. He explains that creatinine is a non-enzymatic breakdown product of creatine and that its constant rate of production makes it a useful proxy for calculating the Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate eGFR, a key measure of kidney function. Crucially, he explains that the eGFR is an estimate and can be thrown off by factors like high muscle mass or creatine supplementation, which leads to an artificially depressed filtration value. He also provides the best solution: requesting a cystatin C test, which is a more accurate marker unaffected by these variables.
• Jeremy Ethier Jeremy Ethier covers the essential points. He correctly states that taking creatine will cause your creatinine levels to slightly increase and acknowledges this can be alarming to see on a blood test since high levels can indicate impaired kidney function. He reassures viewers that creatine is safe for healthy individuals and advises them to make their health professional aware of their supplement use. His coverage is accurate but less detailed than ATHLEAN-X or Dr. Ekberg's.
• Jeff Nippard & Myprotein Both of these popular videos completely omit any discussion of creatinine or the potential for confusing blood test results. This is a significant gap in their content, as evidenced by the high volume of questions in their comment sections regarding kidney safety and potential damage. Viewers were left to seek this critical information elsewhere.

• Correction from a kidney doctor, creatinine is used as a filtration marker for kidney function...if you are supplementing with creatine you will see a rise in creatinine due to increased production which will give the impression of worsening renal function.
• My creatinine levels shot up when I started creatine, and Kaiser declared I had Stage 3A kidney disease. When I told my doctor I was taking creatine, he made a note in my file that I was OK.
• Your creatinine blood levels WILL increase when you take creatine, but creatinine itself isn't harmful. It's just an indicator that something might be wrong with your kidneys...Your doctor can do additional tests to verify since creatine levels doesn't tell them squat when you're taking creatine. That's what my doctor did.
• Mostly good info, but one correction needed...creatine doesn't appear to negatively impact kidney function. It will, however, increase creatinine in your blood and your neighborhood nephrologist may interpret that is an issue unless you tell them about it. I know from personal experience. The work around is to request a Cystatine C blood test

Before your next doctor's visit, write this on a sticky note and put it in your wallet I take 5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily. I understand this can elevate my blood creatinine. If my eGFR appears low, can we discuss a more direct test like cystatin C?

• Mistake Immediately stopping creatine out of fear when your doctor raises a concern.
  Fix Acknowledge your doctor's concern, but ask for a moment to discuss the context. Use the information here to explain why your levels might be elevated and suggest a follow-up test before discontinuing a supplement that is benefiting you.
• Mistake Hiding your supplement use from your doctor.
  Fix Never do this. Your doctor can only provide accurate advice with a complete picture of your lifestyle. Transparency is key to your health and safety.
• Mistake Assuming your doctor is an expert on sports supplements.
  Fix Many general practitioners are not deeply versed in the nuances of sports nutrition. Approach the conversation as a collaborative partner, not a patient challenging their authority. Providing context calmly is more effective than arguing.

An elevated creatinine level on a blood test is an expected, normal, and harmless consequence of creatine supplementation in a person with healthy kidneys. It is a false alarm that stems from how kidney function is commonly estimated. The best course of action is to have an informed, proactive conversation with your doctor to ensure your results are interpreted correctly. While you should always follow the guidance of your healthcare provider after a complete evaluation, you are now equipped to provide the context they need to make the most accurate assessment.