Should you be mixing your creatine with coffee?

People online are posting their ‘gym hack’ of mixing their creatine with coffee, but can you reap any additional benefits from doing so? The jury’s out.

Words by Sarah Mitchell for BodyandSoul.com.au

A plain black coffee is rare in 2025.

Why stop at mixing with just milk when there are sugar, sugar substitutes, syrups, powders and creams to sweeten your morning pick-me-up. On top of simply flavouring our coffee, some people also add protein or butter (yes, really), to try to maximise the benefits.

While a few of these feel like sacrilege, people do swear by them.

Creators online are now claiming to boost their gains by mixing creatine with their morning coffee. Both can affect our energy levels pre-workout, but should we be mixing the two?

How creatine works

Neither are new additions to our diets.

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound consisting of three amino acids. It’s found in our muscles and our brain, and according to dietitian Susie Burrell, “increases phosphocreatine stores, facilitating the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) – your body’s primary energy source.”

She said that even though we can consume it via animal-based foods, some people supplement their diet with creatine for “energy regulation, cognitive function and even mood”.

How caffeine works

Caffeine is also naturally occurring and works as a stimulant, speeding up the brain and nervous system.

Because of its energising effect, caffeine plays a role in many athletes’ pre-workout routines.

Mixing creatine with coffee

Because both compounds affect our energy, some people online believe mixing the two can improve their workouts, but the jury’s out on whether this could be effective.

Some claim mixing the two can decrease the effectiveness of creatine.

This is based on a short study with a small sample group, so the findings are taken with a grain of salt.

A review from 2015 found no physiological interaction between the two compounds, while another suggested that creatine may not affect the potential benefits of caffeine during exercise, though caffeine may impact the effect of creatine.

So, findings are very much mixed, and another study saw no interaction between the two compounds in any sense.

If you are still weighing up adding some creatine to your coffee, you may want to keep in mind the potential discomfort that can come from the intake of either.

According to Healthline, creatine may cause temporary weight gain due to due to water retention, but caffeine is a diuretic, increasing the body’s production of urine – so your hydration can be affected by consuming either.

Creatine and caffeine can also cause some gastrointestinal problems, so taking them together may be particularly uncomfortable if you’re prone to GI issues.