In short, yes. This is because vegetarian diets lack the main dietary source of creatine — meat. With this in mind, and considering that around half of the daily need for creatine is obtained from the diet in omnivores,[1] it’s no surprise that the muscle creatine content of individuals eating a vegetarian diet tends to be lower compared to individuals eating an omnivorous diet.[2] Supplementation with creatine appears to close this gap.[3] It’s worth noting that the levels of creatine in the brain are similar between vegetarians and omnivores.[4][5]
Do vegetarians get less creatine from their diet?
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•Last Updated: May 16, 2025
Yes, vegetarians get less creatine from their diet because their diets lack meat, the primary source of creatine. Consequently, people who are on vegetarian diets tend to have lower muscle creatine levels than omnivores, although supplementation can help bridge this gap.