Is Creatine Bad for You because It’s 100% Synthetic and Not Natural?

Have you ever considered if taking creatine monohydrate is bad for you?

Virtually all of the science supports taking creatine monohydrate for everything from boosting muscle mass, improving brain function, enhancing workout recovery, benefiting osteoporosis, to regulating blood sugar. The research is impressive, has spanned nearly a 100 years and the benefits seem clear.

But… if you watched this viral lnstagram post about creatine, you hear me share some of my concerns that this ‘too good to be true’ wonder powder may NOT be completely safe.

Whether the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks, I’ll leave you to pray about. Personally, I’ve never take it, nor plan to because there are two critical details that most people don’t know.

1. Creatine monohydrate supplement is 100% synthetic—it’s made in a lab and has fossil fuel products and petrochemicals as its raw materials. It’s not natural or naturally-derived at all.
2. Creatine monohydrate has not been proven safe long-term—yes, it has been studied since the mid-1920s, but none of the studies last decades. That is be BIG issue, and should be a public health concern.

Unlike drugs that are constantly under scrutiny by the FDA and insurance companies, no one is monitoring the manufacturing process and long-term use, safety and side effects of supplements (including creatine). Sadly, health influencers, experts and doctors praise it, basing their recommendation on short-term studies and a misunderstanding of how the product is made.

This fact is worth repeating: The longest creatine monohydrate clinical trial lasted only a few years, and we really don’t know what will happen to someone who consumes bioidentical petrochemical-based synthetic compounds over the course of their life.

With all of the petrochemical exposure through plastics everywhere, rubber, synthetic clothing, building materials, personal care items, supplements and cleaning products—humans in the 21st century are living, breathing science experiments.

And I can’t help but wonder if these petrochemical-based supplements will turn out to be like the dozens of drugs that get recalled decades of use and after millions of people take them.

Damage done. Repercussion paid. Profits made. On to the next product.

Am I speculating? Yes.

Am I questioning the science. Yes.

Am I going against the status quo? Yes.

And that’s exactly what researchers SHOULD be doing!

In my opinion, like pharmaceutical drugs, synthetic products are GUILTY until proven innocent, and the onus is on manufacturers and researchers to validate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of these products before allowing them to be put on the market.

Sadly, most people just follow the advice of their favorite influencer and (possibly) do a quick Google or ChatGPT search and take what people say about at face value. I’m not built that way, and if you want to go down the bunny trail with me, read on…

[Please note that this paper is still under review and I welcome fact-checking. I am continuing to update it as I finalize my research on this topic]

Creatine Internet Myths

There are 3 Internet myths that have circulated about creatine for years that need clarification.

1. “Creatine is the most studied supplement on the planet.”

This is false, and it’s one of the arguments influencers use to explain why they recommend creatine monohydrate.

Yes, creatine is one of the most popular and well-studied supplements on the market with more than 1,300 studies published to date. Just do a Google or ChatGPT search and ask what the #1 studied supplement on the planet is, and AI will confidently answer creatine.

But it is not the #1 researched supplement and I’m calling this out because creatine has been deified to be something it’s not and so to put things into prospective…

Vitamin D, omega-3s and probiotics have been studied more often, and for longer periods of time. Vitamin D supplementation, for example, has been evaluated in volunteers for up to 5.3 years and the longest creatine trial known to date is 19 months. More on that below.

Regarding quantity of studies, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) are widely considered the gold standard for assessing the effectiveness of interventions, particularly in healthcare, and this is what we see from research reviews and database searches (e.g., PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov):

• Vitamin D= 1,500+ RCTs
• Omega-3s = 1,200 RCTs
• Probiotics = 1,000+ RCTs
• Creatine = 600–800 RCTs
• Multivitamins = 400-600 RCTs

2. “Long-term research proves creatine is safe.”

This is false, and something we need to clarify.

Yes, there are clinical studies and observational follow-ups spanning up to 5 years, and even as long as 8 years in clinical contexts (such as Parkinson’s disease) where creatine supplementation continued without major adverse effects. However, the longest published human study evaluating creatine supplementation lasted 21 months.

In this study, 98 college football players took creatine monohydrate daily as part of their regular training, and comprehensive blood and urine markers of health were monitored throughout the period. The results showed no adverse effects on health markers compared to non-supplementing athletes. Current clinical literature does not document any randomized controlled trials or cohort studies of creatine supplementation in humans that extend beyond this 21-month duration.

Note, the CREST-E trial for Huntington’s disease enrolled 551 participants and was designed for a treatment duration of 36 months, with an optional extended follow-up of up to 48 months for some participants, but because of low enrollment the time period for creatine treatment was reduced to 12 months.

There’s another claim about an alleged 14-year study, but according to everything that I’ve searched, it doesn’t exist other than a reference to it in a couple of papers. One of most recent literature reviews, for example, references a 14-year study, but it does not provide the actual citation which is a big no no in published research. (PMID: 40198156)

3. Creatine is clean and regulated.”

Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, supplements are not regulated by the FDA or governing agencies before it’s allowed to be marketed. Thus, 3rd party evaluations and self-regulation is key for supplement companies.

Creatine purity and contamination are legitimate concerns, as manufacturing processes can introduce unwanted by-products such as dicyandiamide [DCD], dihydrotriazine [DHT], creatinine or contaminants. Many creatine products have in some cases been found to exceed recommended safety limits.

However, if the product is labeled as Creapure®, it is manufactured exclusively in Germany under strict safety and quality controls.

• Creapure® is produced by Alzchem Trostberg GmbH in a dedicated GMP- and FSSC 22000-certified facility, following food safety and pharmaceutical industry standards.
• Every batch of Creapure® is tested for purity and contaminants; typical purity is 99.99%, significantly higher than most creatine products (98–99%).
• Stringent protocols (including HACCP) and regular independent audits ensure minimal levels of undesirable by-products: DCD, DHT, and creatinine levels are kept well below the thresholds set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and no doping substances are present.
• Analytical comparisons show that generic creatines often exceed the recommended limits for DCD (50 mg/kg) and DHT (3 mg/kg), and can contain over 1% creatinine, reflecting poor manufacturing or storage.
• In contrast, Creapure® regularly tests far below these limits, and its purity is verified by the Cologne List®, minimizing risk of contamination or doping substance presence.

Bottom line,  Creapure® is widely recognized in the supplement industry as the gold standard for creatine purity and safety, making it the recommended choice for those looking to avoid contaminants and ensure consistent, “pharmaceutical-grade” creatine.

4. “Creatine is safe because it’s bioidentical to naturally-occurring creatine.”

This is correct, but that’s not a guarantee that it is safe. Look at all of the potential side effects of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and synthetic fragrances. I understand that the metabolic pathways of these products are different than creatine, but the question remains…

Is lab-engineered ‘bioidentical’ inherently safe?

Or, are we playing with fire trying to biohack God’s design?

I don’t have an answer to this. And that’s OK. This is part of the public health research process: to question the science!

Just because something is bioidentical (chemically identical to what your body makes) doesn’t mean it’s without risk. The body doesn’t always respond to synthetic compounds the way we expect, especially when they’re manufactured from petrochemical sources.

And, like I mentioned above, synthetic ‘bioidentical’ products are GUILTY until proven innocent, and the onus is on manufacturers and researchers to validate the safety and therapeutic efficacy of these products before allowing them to be put on the market.

5. “Creatine is natural.”

Most people assume it’s “natural” because it’s found in meat, fish, poultry and made by the body. That part is true, but the creatine you buy in powder form is not extracted from food. And it’s not fermented.

The creatine monohydrate you see on the market is manufactured in a lab using synthetic chemicals. That’s a fact, not an opinion. And it’s backed by patents, chemistry textbooks, and industrial manufacturing data.

Let’s break it down.

How Creatine Supplements Are Really Made

The most common form of creatine, called creatine monohydrate, is produced by reacting cyanamide with sodium sarcosinate in water. The reaction happens at a controlled temperature and pH, and the end product is crystallized and purified before being dried into powder.

This process is detailed in US Patent 5,719,319, which has served as the foundation for creatine manufacturing worldwide since the 1990s.

Here’s what they don’t usually tell you:

The raw materials—cyanamide and sodium sarcosinate—are both made from petrochemical feedstocks.

• Cyanamide is made by heating urea. Urea itself comes from ammonia and carbon dioxide, both of which are derived from fossil fuels.
• Sodium sarcosinate is the sodium salt of sarcosine. Sarcosine is made by reacting monochloroacetic acid (from chloroform or acetic acid and chlorine) with methylamine (from ammonia and methanol). This reaction happens in an industrial reactor, not in a plant or a fermentation tank.

Tracing the Raw Materials to their Root Ingredients

Let’s look further into those ingredients that are used to make sodium sarcosinate and cynamide, because here’s where we see cause for potential concern.

Sodium sarcosinate comes from chloroacetic acid and methylamine.

• Chloroacetic acid is made from acetic acid and chlorine gas through high-energy industrial processes that rely on petrochemicals.
• Acetic acid is typically produced from methanol and carbon monoxide via carbonylation, making it entirely petrochemical-based.
• Methylamine is manufactured from methanol and ammonia, where methanol is derived from natural gas and ammonia is produced from nitrogen and hydrogen from fossil fuels.

Cyanamide is created from calcium carbide (limestone combined with coal) and nitrogen gas through energy-intensive industrial

The Bottom Line: The key raw materials for creatine monohydrate; methanol, ammonia, acetic acid, and carbon sources like coal, are primarily derived from petrochemical or fossil fuel sources.

From what I can tell, no company on the planet uses natural sources to create creatine monohydrate. It’s just too cost-prohibitive.

Quality and Contamination Concerns: Like I mentioned above, during industrial production, variable amounts of contaminants are generated, including dicyandiamide, dihydrotriazines, creatinine, and various ions. Even premium brands like Creapure® (made in Germany under strict controls) are still 100% synthetic, they just have better quality control.

Interestingly, even French authorities temporarily banned creatine in 2001 when their Agency of Medical Security for Food (AFSSA) published a report claiming it could lead to cancer and cause digestive, muscular, and cardiovascular problems. The ban was lifted years later as hundreds of studies suggested no immediate risk, but concerns about long-term use, especially of lower quality creatine supplementation products persist.

In short, the creatine you’re taking is a synthetic compound that’s manufactured using industrial chemicals. It’s not “natural” in any meaningful sense of the word.

Reported Benefits of Creatine

Let’s start with the facts, the research is impressive and spans back to the mid 1920s. As someone who’s spent 20+ years studying natural therapies and their impact on human physiology, I’m impressed by the creatine research overall.

Do the risks outweigh the benefits? Are we better off getting creatine the way God created our bodies to process it? I’ll leave that you to pray about.

Supplementing with creatine monohydrate supports creatine levels, and creatine benefits everything from muscle growth and exercise capacity to bone health and insulin sensitivity. While it’s popular in athletic performance circles, the benefits of creatine appear to go far beyond athletes.

Whether you’re looking to preserve lean muscle mass, support your brain through a demanding season, or simply age more gracefully, the research suggests that creatine has something to offer.

These benefits are apart from creatine supplementation using synthetic creatine though so let’s explore this topic with discernment.

If you choose to supplement with it synthetically, here’s what the research suggests…

Supports Lean Muscle & Strength

Creatine helps your muscles perform better during resistance training and recover faster afterward. Supporting muscle strength is huge for athletes and resistance training exercises, of course. It’s especially helpful for preserving lean muscle mass and preventing loss of muscle mass as we age.

This is a key factor in avoiding weakness, muscle disorders, falls, and metabolic decline. This makes creatine supplements a go-to for people focused on muscle health and physical performance.

Boosts Brain Function & Mental Clarity

Creatine doesn’t just fuel your body…it fuels your brain’s cognitive functions. Research shows healthy brain creatine levels may improve memory, cognitive performance, and mental clarity, especially during sleep deprivation, mental fatigue, or high-stress periods. Brain health and executive function improve as ATP levels in the brain become more readily available.

Speeds Muscle Recovery & Reduces Inflammation

By pulling water into muscle cells, creatine supports tissue repair and reduces post-exercise soreness. It also helps your body regulate inflammation from workouts or physical stress, supporting energy levels and muscular strength.

And of course if you feel better after you exercise, you’re more likely to stick with it to boost muscle performance! It’s part of the reason why creatine supplementation is on the rise. We just need to ask ourselves if muscle protein synthesis can be supported in other ways.

Supports Hormonal Balance & Bone Health

Proper creatine levels may help maintain bone density and lean muscle mass in women, especially during menopause or postpartum recovery. Strong muscles and bones support better balance, energy, and hormonal health.

While creatine alone may not increase bone mineral density, it enhances muscle strength and coordination, which reduces fall risk and supports bone stability.

Improves Glucose Metabolism & Heart Health

Creatine is linked to improved insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake, helping regulate blood sugar. It may also support heart function and circulation, though more research is still emerging. These effects of creatine supplementation may make it beneficial for both metabolic and cardiovascular health.

Why It’s Trending (Especially for Women): Women naturally have lower creatine levels than men, which means supplementing can make a noticeable difference in health. This is thought to be most important during times hormonal health is challenged such as during menstrual cycles, postpartum, and menopause.

• More women are lifting weights – creatine supports resistance training and muscle strength goals without making you bulky.
• Stimulant-free energy – no caffeine, no hormones, gentle on adrenal function
• Muscle equals metabolism – more skeletal muscle improves fat­ burning and metabolic health
• Hormonal resilience – helps buffer transitions during cycles, postpartum, and menopause
• Mood and mental health support – emerging studies show benefits for emotional well-being
• Fits the strong-not-skinny mindset – promotes muscular strength and definition without bulk
• Perinatal support – early research suggests benefits during pregnancy and postpartum but this is still emerging and not yet complete

Your body naturally makes creatine from three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine. This happens in your kidneys, liver, and pancreas. You also get a fair amount from eggs, red meat and fish which is why a high-protein diet can be important.

Reported Side Effects of Creatine

Creatine is touted as one of the most effective supplements available, but we know that people react differently to substances, especially when they are synthetic. Let’s take a look at commonly listed side effects of creatine monohydrate, and anecdotal reports of those who tried creatine supplementation.

Common Clinical Side Effects:

The most commonly reported side effect is temporary water retention, especially during the first few days of use. This isn’t fat gain, but intracellular water. This means the water retention is water being stored inside your muscle cells, which is part of the mechanism that enhances muscular strength and exercise performance.

Some people may experience mild bloating or notice the scale move up a pound or two, but this is usually not harmful and typically resolves with regular use and adequate hydration. Some people however find that this water retention is highly uncomfortable and never seems to subside for them.

Another occasional effect is mild digestive upset, such as nausea, diarrhea, or stomach discomfort. These symptoms are more likely to occur with large dose creatine supplementation or when taken on an empty stomach. Other reported effects include dizziness, excessive sweating, and rarely, muscle cramps, though controlled studies don’t support a higher risk of cramping.

Longer-term observational have found no serious adverse effects when taken within recommended guidelines. Concerns about renal dysfunction (kidney damage) and liver problems have not been supported by controlled research in healthy users.

But anecdotal reports continue to trickle in. Especially when underlying health concerns may not be evident and creatine supplementation isn’t well monitored across the board.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dr. Z & Mama Z | Natural Living Family (@naturallivingfamilyofficial)

Real User Experiences from Our Community:

While clinical studies show general safety, I’ve been collecting real experiences from our lnstagram community and some of these reports are concerning. Head over to our lnstagram @naturallivingfamilyofficial and share your own creatine experience in the comments!

This is just a snapshot of the dozens of comments we’ve received from people on social media:

• @aheartsatisfied: “I took creatine because you’re right, it’s highly recommended and seemingly proven safe with many benefits. It made me so SICK. Yet everything online tells you it’s fine and there aren’t side effects. I found Reddit’s where people were discussing this very issue. Many have had the same symptoms I did: nausea, dizziness, headaches, stomach aches, bloating despite how much water you drank for long periods. I stopped taking it because clearly it was hurting me. I also felt convicted. Our body naturally produces creatine. The stuff in a jar is synthetic and unnecessary. Now I understand whatever synthetics it’s made of made my body ill. My training is going amazing without it.”
• @steffanymcgee: “My husband took it and started experiencing cramps in his legs, and I started breaking out with huge acne lesions. I will never touch creatine again. Our ancestors lived without taking this “miracle” supplement, and so will I.”
• @preshlidash: “The best part- it made me gain 10 lbs in 2 weeks😭”
• @karla.texas: “I tried creatine without knowing what you just taught me, but I had to stop after a few days because it made me sick every time I took it. Thank you for letting me know the truth. God bless you.”
• @roseanne.razzano: “My son took it years ago during football. It dehydrated his muscles so badly that he had several hamstring cramps during the game. The same with [the other] players.”
• @finsta_nikki555: “@drericz made my hair fall out.”
• @ave_maria315: “I took it as well and experienced many gastro-related side effects. I’m done!”
• @insta_ashleyeverly: “Someone I know started taking creatine last year because of all this content saying it’s amazing and it affected them negatively, not right away. Took a couple of months. They got off of it, and their symptoms went away. A year later they tried it again and this time it almost immediately caused health issues, again.”
• @tra561: “Was not a good fit for us created elevated psa and hair loss.”
• @lauras_healthy_style: “My gut rejected it on the first dose! It’s taken me four weeks to get my digestion back. Thanks for sharing I didn’t know that it is synthetic. I avoid all synthetic foods.”

Should You Take Creatine Monohydrate?

The Critical Question: Are these side effects from creatine monohydrate itself, or from the synthetic manufacturing process and potential contaminants like dicyandiamide, dihydrotriazines, creatinine, and various ions that are produced during industrial synthesis?

We simply don’t know. While over 1,300 studies support creatine’s safety at 3-5 grams daily, there are no studies evaluating long-term use (10+ years}, and we don’t know the long-term ramifications of taking bioidentical synthetic chemicals as we age.

Your body naturally synthesizes creatine from amino acids that it gets from eating animal protein.

My Personal Approach: I don’t take anything to artificially replace creatine. I eat a well-balanced, high-protein diet. The healthiest people I know don’t take any supplements at all.

If You’re Currently Taking Creatine: 

1. Don’t stop abruptly – your body has adapted to the extra creatine
2. Gradually reduce dosage while increasing high-quality protein intake
3. Focus on creatine-rich foods: red meat, fish, eggs, and dairy
4. Monitor your energy and performance during the transition
5. Consider timing – don’t make changes during high-stress periods

Just as you go through a a creatine loading period when you begin creatine supplementation, I recommend weaning off slowly and adding extra protein-rich foods to your diet.

Natural Creatine Optimization:

Eggs are one of the most complete sources of protein you can consume so even added 2 eggs to your daily meal plan could make a big difference in optimizing creatine levels naturally.

• Consume 6-8 ounces of red meat or fish daily for natural creatine
• Include eggs and dairy for amino acid building blocks
• Ensure adequate protein (0.8-1g per pound of body weight)
• Stay hydrated – your body needs water for natural creatine synthesis
• Get adequate sleep – creatine synthesis happens during recovery

Foods Highest in Natural Creatine:

• Beef: 5g per 3.5 oz serving
• Salmon: 45g per 3.5 oz serving
• Tuna: 4g per 3.5 oz serving
• Lamb: 35g per 3.5 oz serving
• Chicken: 25g per 3.5 oz serving

Supporting Natural Production:

• Glycine: Found in bone broth, gelatin, and connective tissue
• Arginine: Found in red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy
• Methionine: Found in eggs, fish, and meat

My Recommendations: Unless someone has been diagnosed with a creatine deficiency by a qualified healthcare professional, I encourage:

1. Food first: Focus on a nutrient-dense, high-protein diet
2. Research thoroughly: If you choose to supplement, dig deep into manufacturing processes
3. Pray for discernment: Ask God to guide your health decisions
4. Think long-term: Consider the cumulative effects of synthetic compounds
5. Stay hydrated: If you do supplement, creatine increases your body’s water needs

Ask yourself what you’re trying to accomplish through taking synthetic creatine monohydrate?

• Are you looking for better sleep?
• Are you trying to balance hormones?
• Are you desiring more muscle mass, help with osteoporosis and prevent sarcopenia?
• Are you trying to boost brain function or balance blood sugar?

I think it’s fair to take a second and ask ourselves whether there is a better way to achieve that goal through other lifestyle changes, without using creatine monohydrate.

What About “Plant-Based” or “Natural” Creatine?

Contrary to popular belief, there’s no evidence that any creatine on the market is made from plants or fermented sources. While it’s theoretically possible to create a bio-based version, it hasn’t been done at scale. If a brand claims their creatine is “natural,” ask them to show you a Certificate of Analysis or patent proving the raw materials are plant-derived. You won’t find one.

Even the patent itself acknowledges that creatine can be extracted from meat waste, but that it’s too expensive and poses hygiene risks. That’s why the synthetic method became the standard.

Are There Any Newer or Cleaner Methods?

A few newer patents offer slight variations:

• US 6,326,513 outlines a method using methylisothiourea instead of cyanamide. It still uses synthetic sarcosinate and industrial chemicals.
• CN 219898110U is a 2023 Chinese patent that updates the equipment used in the traditional cyanamide-sarcosinate process, but the chemistry is the same.

Other patents focus on creatine esters or delivery systems, not manufacturing changes.
So far, no company has commercialized a truly natural or fermentation-derived form of creatine.

Why This Matters

Calling creatine “natural” is misleading. It’s synthetic. That doesn’t mean it’s inherently dangerous, but it does mean we should be honest about how it’s made.

That’s not fear-mongering. That’s just the chemistry.

Here’s the manufacturing reality most people don’t know: every creatine supplement on the market is 100% synthetic and made from petrochemical compounds.

“Are we just replacing Big Pharma with Big Supplement?”

This discussion isn’t just about creatine monohydrate. It opens up Pandora’s box about so many areas of the entire supplement industry. Truth be told, this is really no different than vitamin D, vitamin B, and dozens of other supplements people take daily.

People unknowingly consuming synthetic compounds without asking deeper questions about their origins or long-term effects.

Other Synthetic Supplements with Petrochemical Origins:

• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
• B12 (cyanocobalamin)
• Vitamin E (di-alpha tocopherol)
• Folic acid
• Niacinamide
• Melatonin
• Vitamin D

I’ve personally walked this path with vitamin D supplementation. When a follower asked me about vitamin D alternatives for long autumn and winter seasons, I shared my own journey. It really all depends on what you would be taking vitamin D for.

Personally, I live in Georgia and we get a fair amount of sun so I don’t suffer from vitamin D deficiency. And I stopped taking it for immune health a while ago because there are other supplements like beta glucan that is 100% natural and MUCH more effective at modulating the immune system.

This decision came from the same concerns I’m raising about creatine supplementation.

Why consume synthetic, petrochemical-derived compounds when there are natural alternatives that work with God’s design? My experience with stepping away from synthetic vitamin D reinforced my belief that we need to question all bioidentical supplements, not just accept them because they’re “chemically identical.”

What about bioaccumulation?

We do not have long-term studies of people taking synthetic creatine for decades. We literally have no idea about the potential bioaccumulation and any potential harm to the body. Creatine bioavailability is going to be better utilized by the body when we consume foods as God intended.

Are we living science experiments?

It’s like death by a thousand cuts. Not one thing will kill us, but the cumulative effect of synthetic chemicals in our food, supplements, and environment. It’s concerning enough to me, to want to stop and have this conversation.

Is History Repeating Itself?

Before you dismiss this as another “fear-mongering” post, hear me out. I’m not here to attack any company or influencer. I’m simply asking questions that deserve answers. Questions about what we’re putting in our bodies and whether we’ve just swapped Big Pharma for Big Supplement.

I can’t help but think of microplastics. Guaranteed to be safe and a positive solution for humanity, since becoming mainstream during the post-war WWII boom in the 1950s, we’re now

The initial vision for plastics painted them as revolutionary materials that would solve multiple global challenges simultaneously. Beyond simply substituting for rare materials like ivory, plastics were positioned as environmental protectors – ironically, they would safeguard endangered species by eliminating the need to harvest natural resources from vulnerable ecosystems. The manufacturing sector embraced plastics as a gateway to unprecedented design freedom, enabling the creation of products that were previously impossible or prohibitively expensive to produce.

The economic promise was equally compelling: plastics democratized access to durable goods by making them affordable for ordinary consumers. Their remarkable versatility meant a single material could serve countless purposes, from household items to industrial components. The durability that plastics offered seemed like an unqualified benefit – products that would last longer, perform better, and require less frequent replacement.

This optimistic narrative positioned plastics as a triumph of human ingenuity, a synthetic solution that would harmonize economic growth with environmental stewardship while improving living standards across society. The materials promised to be both a technological marvel and a moral good, offering abundance without the guilt of depleting nature’s finite resources.

Now, look at what we’ve seen with plastics…

Detected in human, blood, hearts, testicles and brains. Indicted as being linked to Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, diabetes and God only knows what’s next.

Will we discover the same thing after an entire generation of children are raised on synthetic vitamins and foods?

The Bigger Picture: Supplement Industry Reform

As consumers, we deserve complete transparency about raw material sourcing, including detailed information about where and how ingredients are obtained. We should have access to full disclosure of manufacturing processes, understanding exactly how products are made and what conditions they’re produced under. Third-party testing for contaminants and byproducts should be standard practice, providing independent verification of product safety and quality.

Additionally, we need long-term safety studies that extend beyond the typical 5-year timeframe to truly understand potential health impacts over decades of use.

Finally, comprehensive research on bioaccumulation effects is essential to determine how these substances might build up in our bodies and environment over time.

Questions Every Supplement Company Should Answer:

1. What is the exact source of every raw material?
2. What contaminants are produced during manufacturing?
3. How are these contaminants removed or minimized?
4. What are the long-term studies on your specific product?
5. Are you invested in developing more natural alternatives?

Don’t be afraid to ask the company of any supplement you’re considering taking, whether it’s creatine monohydrate or not, for answers to these questions. And then…pray about it!

A Biblical Perspective on Health

As believers, we’re called to be wise stewards of our bodies. “Everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial” (1 Corinthians 10:23).

We’ve been told all of these synthetic compounds were safe, and look what’s happened after 10, 20, 30 years of use with plastics, phthalates, and other “safe” chemicals. I just wonder if our body will experience a tipping point. Will we one day find out that whoops…creatine monohydrate isn’t as safe as we thought? Maybe. It’s worth pausing to ask ourselves some questions as faithful believers.

Important Questions for Believers:

• Are we trying to biohack the human experience at the cost of long­ term health?
• Should we be consuming synthetic, petroleum-based compounds when God designed our bodies to make creatine naturally?
• What does it mean to trust in God’s design versus relying on lab­ created solutions?

We are not supplement deficient. We’re nutrient-deprived because of poor choices.

While creatine monohydrate is bioidentical and is considered safe and effective in the short term, it’s still a fully synthetic product made from fossil fuels and chemical intermediates. For those who value creation­ based nutrition and Biblical stewardship, that’s worth prayerful consideration.

Join the Discussion!

What’s your take on this? I want to hear from YOU. Are you comfortable with synthetic, petrochemical-derived supplements, or do you prefer to get your nutrients from the foods God designed for nourishment?

Share your perspective:

This opens Pandora’s box to why we need to investigate all bioidentical compounds more thoroughly. We deserve transparency about what we’re putting in our bodies and the right to make informed decisions based on complete information.

I’m not stating anything as fact. I’m proposing questions and concerns that deserve consideration. The more I look into things, the simpler it all becomes. We shouldn’t need to biohack our bodies with synthetic compounds to be healthy.

• Have you experienced any side effects from creatine supplementation?
• Do you prioritize natural sources over synthetic supplements?
• How do you balance modern research with Biblical stewardship?

Drop a comment on our instagram post and let’s keep this important conversation going. Spiritual discernment is everything.

References: