Can you take creatine while breastfeeding?
What LactMed says
The National Library of Medicine’s own summary, quoted in full. We do not write a verdict of our own on this question, and we do not compress theirs into a label.
Creatine is used as a dietary supplement to increase muscle mass and improve exercise performance. Creatine is a normal component of human milk, supplying about 9% of the infant’s daily requirements, although the amount varies by country and ethnicity. Creatine levels are highest in colostrum, with levels decreasing over the first 2 weeks postpartum before stabilizing. Milk levels of creatine have not been measured after supplementation in humans. Creatine blood levels are lower in vegan than omnivorous mothers. Some authors speculate that creatine supplementation of nursing mothers might help avoid creatine deficiency syndromes, but no studies are available that test this hypothesis. Creatine is converted into creatinine in the mother's and infant's bodies. It can increase the infant's serum creatinine, which may alter estimations of the infant's kidney function. Until more data are available, it is probably best to avoid creatine supplementation unless it is prescribed by a healthcare professional.
Quoted from Creatine — Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®), National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, revised July 15, 2025.
How much creatine gets into breastmilk
Creatine is a normal component of human milk. Milk levels of creatine have not been measured after exogenous administration in humans.
Maternal Levels. North American and European milk creatine values average about 10.5 mg/L with a range of 9 to 12 mg/L. This value translates into about 7 mg daily for intake via milk for exclusively breastfed infants, or 10% of an infant’s daily requirement for 0- to 6-month-old infants. Adequate daily intake of creatine for 7- to 12-month-old infants is estimated to be 8.4 mg. Creatine levels might be elevated in the Indian population, reaching 38 mg/L at 6 months of lactation in one study.
Infant Levels. Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
What has been seen in breastfed infants
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Effects on milk supply
Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.
Frequently asked questions
Can you take creatine while breastfeeding?
Creatine is used as a dietary supplement to increase muscle mass and improve exercise performance. The full record is quoted on this page, and the decision is one to make with the person who prescribed it — LactMed itself states it is not a substitute for professional judgement.
Does creatine pass into breastmilk?
LactMed's measured drug levels for creatine are quoted in full on this page, under "How much gets into breastmilk".
Do I need to pump and dump after taking creatine?
LactMed does not frame its records that way — it reports measured drug levels in milk and what has been observed in breastfed infants, which is what this page quotes. "Pump and dump" advice for a specific drug and dose should come from your clinician or a pharmacist, not from a general rule.
More on creatine
LactMed states that the information it presents is not a substitute for professional judgement, and that you should consult your healthcare provider for breastfeeding advice related to your particular situation. Nothing on this page is medical advice.