Research
Mixed
Co-ingestion of caffeine with creatine may blunt the ergogenic effects of creatine on performance, although it does not appear to alter creatine uptake into muscle.
If you use both caffeine and creatine, consider taking them at different times. Caffeine might cancel out the strength benefits of creatine, even if it doesn't stop your muscles from absorbing it. Try taking caffeine before your workout and creatine after.
ModerateQualifiesMEDIUM confidence
Overall, it appears that caffeine co-ingested with creatine does not alter creatine uptake or creatine kinetics. However, there is some evidence that caffeine may blunt some of the ergogenic effects of creatine supplementation.
Why this rating
Mixed findings; some studies show interference, others show no difference.
Source
Creatine O'Clock: Does Timing of Ingestion Really Influence Muscle Mass and Performance?
Darren G. Candow et al. · Frontiers in Sports and Active Living · 2022
DOI 10.3389/fspor.2022.893714
narrative_reviewCited 19×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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