Creatine is a compound your body naturally makes from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. Around 95% of the creatine in your body is in skeletal muscle, where it helps produce energy during high-intensity exercise. Creatine is found in meat and seafood. It is also a key ingredient in many sports supplements.
Many athletes take creatine to increase exercise performance and build muscle mass. Early research suggests it may also help with fat loss and support brain function.
Herring is rich in creatine, omega-3 fatty acids, and other essential vitamins and minerals.
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Creatine content: 0.7–1.1 grams per 4-ounce serving
Herring is one of the best food sources of creatine, supplying up to 1.1 grams per 4-ounce raw serving. It’s also rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, along with:
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin D
- Iodine
- Iron
- Selenium
Pork is an excellent source of protein and vitamins and minerals.
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Creatine content: 0.6 grams per 4-ounce serving
Pork offers creatine along with protein, phosphorus, zinc, selenium, and B vitamins. A 4-ounce serving provides around 0.6 grams of creatine. If you’re eating pork to boost your creatine, choose lean cuts like pork tenderloin, which are better for heart health.
Veal is a good source of creatine, phosphorus, B vitamins, and zinc.
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Creatine content: 0.6 grams per 4-ounce serving
Veal, the meat of calves, is another good source of creatine. It has a tender texture and provides important nutrients like protein, phosphorus, B vitamins, and zinc.
A 4-ounce serving provides 25 grams of protein and 0.6 grams of creatine.
Beef is high in protein and iron. The amount of creatine per serving may depend on the beef cut.
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Creatine content: 0.5–1.07 grams per 4-ounce serving
Beef is another source of creatine, with around 0.5 grams per 4-ounce serving. It’s also high in protein and covers around 14% of your daily iron needs. When possible, opt for leaner cuts of beef (93% lean meat/7% fat) for less saturated fat.
The exact amount of creatine in meat can vary depending on the cut and how it’s prepared. Raw beef may contain as much as 0.7 grams or more per 4-ounce serving.
Like beef, the amount of creatine in lamb may depend on the cut of meat.
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Creatine content: 0.5–2.1 grams per 4-ounce serving
Lamb is another good source of creatine. Some studies suggest it may have more creatine than beef, depending on the cut.
A 4-ounce serving of raw lamb can have anywhere from 0.5 to 2.1 grams of creatine. Like other meats, cooking lamb can lower its creatine content. A 4-ounce serving of cooked lamb may contain about 0.3 to 1.3 grams of creatine, depending on how it’s prepared.
Lamb is also a good source of protein, iron, and B vitamins, which support muscle health and energy levels.
Salmon is an excellent source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
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Creatine content: 0.5 grams per 4-ounce serving
Salmon is a popular fish packed with health-promoting nutrients. One 4-ounce cooked serving provides 29 grams of muscle-building protein and over 15% of your daily needs for:
- Potassium
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Selenium
A 4-ounce raw serving provides 0.5 grams of creatine.
Salmon is one of the best dietary sources of omega-3 fatty acids. These fats can help reduce inflammation, support immune function, and lower blood pressure.
Tuna is a good source of creatine, omega-3 fats, vitamin D, and selenium.
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Creatine content: 0.3–0.7 grams per 4-ounce serving
Like salmon, tuna is a good source of omega-3 fats. It also has important nutrients like vitamin D, vitamin B12, and selenium, which many people don’t get enough of. A 4-ounce serving of bluefin tuna can give you up to 0.7 grams of creatine. This same serving size covers 27% of your daily vitamin D and 64% of your selenium needs.
Cod is high in protein and provides some vitamin D.
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Creatine content: 0.3–0.5 grams per 4-ounce serving
Cod provides up to 0.5 grams of creatine per 4-ounce serving. This amount also provides 20 grams of high-quality protein and covers 5% of your daily vitamin D needs.
Chicken is high in protein. Steaming or broiling chicken may help preserve its creatine content.
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Creatine content: 0.3–0.5 grams (g) per 4-ounce serving
Chicken is a good source of high-quality protein. It is also a good source of creatine, but the amount can differ depending on the cut.
A 4-ounce serving of raw chicken breast contains around 0.3 to 0.4 grams of creatine. Chicken thighs may be slightly higher, with about 0.3 to 0.5 grams per 4-ounce serving. Chicken juices also contain creatine, so cooking methods that retain juices, like steaming or broiling, may help preserve the creatine content.
Opting for skinless chicken can cut down on the amount of saturated fat you consume.
Turkey provides essential nutrients like zinc and B vitamins.
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Creatine content: 0.3 grams per 4-ounce serving
Like chicken, turkey is a good source of protein and a decent source of creatine. It also offers many other important nutrients, like phosphorus, zinc, and B vitamins.
A 4-ounce serving of turkey contains around 0.3 grams of creatine.
There is no official recommended daily creatine intake because your body naturally makes it. However, research shows that most healthy adults may benefit from getting about 3 to 5 grams of creatine daily. You can reach this amount through food or by taking a supplement.
On average, most people’s bodies make 1 gram of creatine daily from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine. These amino acids are abundant in animal foods like fish and meat, but they’re also found in some vegetarian sources like eggs. For example, although eggs aren’t high in creatine, they are rich in arginine, glycine, and methionine, which can boost your body’s creatine production.
People who eat meat typically get another gram of creatine daily from their diet.
Since creatine is found in animal foods, people following vegetarian or vegan diets may have lower creatine levels. Research suggests that vegetarian athletes, in particular, may benefit from creatine supplementation.
Creatine supplements are generally considered safe and well-tolerated. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate dietary supplements as strictly as medications. For this reason, it’s best to choose a creatine supplement verified by a third-party lab for purity.
Creatine is a compound your body makes from amino acids. It helps with energy production. Creatine is found in animal foods like herring, salmon, beef, and poultry. It is also available as a supplement.
Athletes often use creatine supplements to improve muscle growth and exercise performance. You can easily boost your creatine intake naturally through your diet by eating more creatine-rich foods. If you are considering a creatine supplement, talk with a healthcare provider for guidance.
