Does Creatine Increase HGH? Unpacking the Science of Hormonal Influence

October 3, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a study on a high, single dose of creatine, serum growth hormone (GH) levels showed a significant, temporary increase in healthy, resting men. However, the definitive answer to the question, "Does creatine increase HGH?" in a meaningful, long-term way, particularly during a standard exercise regimen, is more nuanced and depends heavily on context.

Quick Summary

Creatine supplementation can cause a short-term, acute spike in human growth hormone (HGH), but its primary anabolic benefits are not hormonally mediated. Research shows the response is highly variable and depends on high doses taken at rest, unlike the significant and sustained HGH increase from exercise. Critically, creatine is not a steroid and works by fueling intense workouts and hydrating muscle cells to boost strength and mass.

Key Points

Limited HGH Influence: Creatine can cause a temporary, acute spike in HGH, but only under specific conditions like high, single doses in a resting state.
Not a Steroid: Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid compound, completely different from anabolic steroids, and works by increasing cellular energy, not by directly manipulating hormone levels.
Enhances Exercise, Not Hormones: Creatine's proven anabolic benefits, such as increased strength and muscle mass, result from enabling more intense training and better cell hydration, not a sustained increase in HGH.
Individual Variability: The hormonal response to creatine is highly variable among individuals, and some studies show no significant effect on HGH, especially when combined with short-term resistance training.
Natural Boosters are More Effective: The most powerful and sustained increases in HGH come from natural lifestyle factors like high-intensity exercise, deep sleep, and managing body fat, not primarily from creatine supplementation.
Safe and Legal: Unlike illegal and dangerous anabolic steroids, creatine is a safe and legal supplement for most healthy adults when used correctly.

The Relationship Between Creatine and Human Growth Hormone

Creatine is one of the most widely researched and effective nutritional supplements for enhancing athletic performance and increasing muscle mass. Its benefits are well-established for high-intensity, short-burst activities like weightlifting and sprinting. Human Growth Hormone (HGH), on the other hand, is a powerful anabolic hormone that plays a crucial role in muscle growth, fat metabolism, and cell repair. The question of whether creatine influences HGH has been a subject of interest and some confusion, with certain studies providing tantalizing but often misunderstood results.

Creatine's Primary Anabolic Mechanisms

Before diving into the hormonal effects, it's important to understand how creatine actually works. Its primary function is to increase the body's stores of phosphocreatine (PCr), which helps regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the main energy currency of cells. This increased ATP availability allows for more intense and sustained muscular contractions during a workout, leading to greater training volume and, over time, more muscle growth. Other mechanisms include:

Cellular Hydration: Creatine pulls more water into muscle cells, causing them to swell. This cell volumization is an anabolic signal that can stimulate muscle protein synthesis.
Satellite Cell Activity: Creatine aids in the activation of muscle satellite cells, which are crucial for repairing and rebuilding damaged muscle fibers after exercise.

The Direct Effect on HGH: Study Findings

Some research has specifically investigated creatine's influence on HGH secretion. A notable 2000 study by Schedel et al. showed a significant, temporary spike in HGH levels after subjects ingested a single, high dose of 20g of creatine while at rest. This acute rise was substantial, averaging 83% higher than baseline, and peaked between 2 and 6 hours post-ingestion. However, this study's findings are important to interpret in context:

The dose of 20g was given all at once, which is not a standard long-term creatine regimen and can cause gastrointestinal issues.
The subjects were at rest, not exercising. Exercise is known to cause a far more robust and significant spike in HGH.
There was high individual variability in the HGH response, meaning not everyone experienced the same level of increase.

Contrastingly, other studies, particularly those using resistance training, have shown no significant change in HGH levels from short-term creatine supplementation. This suggests that creatine does not directly stimulate sustained HGH production in a way that is relevant for muscle growth in a typical training setting. It may, however, amplify the hormonal response that already occurs naturally from exercise, as suggested by some researchers.

Creatine vs. Anabolic Steroids: A Critical Distinction

A common misconception links creatine's muscle-building properties to anabolic steroids, but this is fundamentally incorrect. Creatine and steroids operate through entirely different mechanisms and are not chemically related.

Creatine: A naturally occurring amino acid compound that increases energy production within muscle cells, allowing for more work and better performance. It is legal and not considered a doping substance by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Anabolic Steroids: Synthetic versions of the male hormone testosterone that directly bind to androgen receptors to promote rapid protein synthesis and muscle growth. They have significant side effects and are illegal for non-medical use.

Attributing creatine's gains to an HGH or testosterone-like hormonal boost is a common but unfounded myth. The increase in HGH seen in isolated studies is acute and minor compared to the body's natural exercise-induced response.

Comparison of Anabolic Mechanisms


Feature	Creatine Supplementation	Natural Exercise-Induced Anabolism	Anabolic Steroids (non-prescription)
Primary Mechanism	Increased ATP availability for high-intensity exercise	Systemic hormonal changes, muscle fiber damage/repair	Direct hormonal action and protein synthesis
HGH Effect	Acute, temporary spike with high, resting dose; minimal chronic effect	Significant, pulse-based increase during and after intense workouts	Profound and artificial elevation of anabolic hormones
Safety Profile	Generally very safe for healthy individuals; some side effects like bloating	Safe and healthy; part of a natural physiological response	Significant health risks, including liver, kidney, and heart damage
Muscle Growth Driver	Increased training performance and cell hydration	Hormonal response, muscle repair, and nutrient uptake	Artificially heightened protein synthesis
Legality	Legal and widely available as a dietary supplement	Legal and healthy	Illegal without a prescription

Optimizing Anabolic Hormones Naturally

For those seeking to maximize their body's anabolic potential, focusing on natural methods that influence HGH is more effective than relying on creatine's minor hormonal effects. Creatine is a powerful tool for performance, but it complements, rather than replaces, these fundamental practices.

High-Intensity Exercise: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) and compound resistance movements trigger a significant release of HGH. The benefit of creatine is enabling you to push harder during these workouts.
Prioritize Sleep: The majority of daily HGH is secreted in pulses during deep, non-REM sleep. Ensuring 7-10 hours of quality, uninterrupted sleep per night is one of the most powerful natural boosters.
Strategic Fasting: Intermittent fasting, or simply leaving a longer gap between your last meal and bedtime, can lead to measurable rises in HGH levels. When insulin levels are low, HGH can rise more freely.
Nutrition: Reducing sugar intake and consuming a balanced, protein-rich diet supports optimal hormonal function and body composition, which indirectly impacts HGH levels.

Conclusion: The Final Word on Creatine and HGH

Ultimately, while some acute, high-dose creatine supplementation has been shown to cause a transient spike in HGH in resting individuals, this is not the primary reason for its effectiveness. The evidence suggests that creatine's notable benefits for strength and muscle mass are driven by its direct effects on muscle energy metabolism and cell hydration, which allow for more productive training sessions. Its influence on HGH is temporary, highly variable, and far less significant than the hormonal release triggered by natural, intense exercise. Athletes should view creatine as a powerful ergogenic aid that supports, but is not dependent on, hormonal mediation. For genuinely boosting anabolic hormones, focusing on quality sleep, intense exercise, and proper nutrition remains the most effective and safest strategy.

For further information on creatine and its uses, you can consult reputable sources like Cleveland Clinic.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, you should not. While some studies show a short-term spike in HGH from high, single doses of creatine in resting individuals, this effect is highly variable and is not a sustained or primary mechanism of action for the supplement.

No, creatine is not an anabolic steroid and does not share the same hormonal structure or mechanism of action. Anabolic steroids directly manipulate hormones, whereas creatine boosts energy production in muscle cells.

Creatine aids muscle growth by increasing cellular energy (ATP) for more intense workouts, leading to greater training volume. It also causes muscle cells to hold more water, promoting an anabolic environment for growth and faster recovery.

Yes, much more significant and consistent increases in HGH can be achieved through natural methods such as high-intensity exercise, prioritizing deep sleep, intermittent fasting, and managing body fat levels.

Yes, the studies that observed an HGH spike used very high, single doses (e.g., 20g) on resting individuals, which is not typical for a daily maintenance regimen. Research on standard dosages, especially combined with exercise, often shows no significant hormonal effect.

Exercise, particularly high-intensity training, causes a much larger and more consistent pulse of HGH release than the temporary, highly variable spike seen in some creatine studies. Exercise is the more effective stimulus.

Limited research suggests that females might not experience the same degree of hormonal changes from creatine as males, though creatine is still considered effective for women's athletic performance.