Some people are creatine nonresponders, meaning that the creatine that they ingest largely fails to reach their muscles. Alternate forms of creatine, such as creatine ethyl-ester, have been marketed to nonresponders, but they lack scientific support. Currently, the best way to lessen creatine nonresponse is to take 5 grams twice per day, each time with protein and carbs, and preferably close to a time of muscle contraction (i.e., before or after your workout). It was once thought that caffeine inhibits the absorption of creatine, although more recent research fails to support this hypothesis [1]. Still, if you are not getting the response that you want from creatine, try taking it several hours after your last ingestion of caffeine. Note that even if supplemental creatine fails to enter your muscles, it can still benefit you in other ways, such as by improving your body’s methylation status (methylation is a way for your cells to help manage gene expression).
Creatine doesn’t seem to work for me. What should I do?
Written by:
Fact-checked
by:
•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Some people are nonresponders to creatine, meaning that it may not effectively reach their muscles, but taking 5 grams twice daily with protein and carbs near workout times may help. Additionally, although caffeine was once thought to inhibit creatine absorption, recent research does not support this; still, taking creatine several hours after caffeine may be beneficial for nonresponders.