Can You Get Enough Creatine from Food?

Since creatine is found in beef and fish, why can’t I just eat a lot of these foods instead of spending my money on supplements?

Answer: I hope you have a large appetite, my friend. Yes, it is true creatine is found in some foods, such as meats and fish. But, according to Nottingham University researcher Dr. Paul Greenhaff, probably the world’s foremost authority on creatine supplementation, to increase athletic performance and boost lean body mass, creatine must be taken in concentrations that are not reasonably obtained from a whole-food diet.

“The fish herring has a very high creatine store (about 3 grams of creatine per pound),” says Dr. Greenhaff. “That is probably the highest of the food stuffs I know, but creatine is degraded during cooking.” Thus, you would have to consume just less than 7 pounds of raw herring a day for five days to load your body with creatine. “I’d say you would struggle to get a large dose of creatine from foods,” says Dr. Greenhaff.