You may have heard your gym buddy, a co-worker or family member talking about taking a supplement called creatine. It is a billion-dollar supplement that is exploding in popularity, but should you take it?

Grand View Research expects sales of creatine to explode to over $4 billion at the end of the decade. Sales have more than doubled in the last five years.

“There’s a number of things that I think are pushing creatine,” said Michael Rivas, dietitian and specialist in sports dietetics with the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Creatine is something your body is creating and naturally storing, according to Rivas.

“When you are supplementing it, all you’re doing is encouraging the body to store more of it,” Rivas said.

Creatine gives muscles extra energy, including your brain. Traditionally, supplements allow athletes the ability to do more exercise and add lean muscle mass.

Popularity of the supplement, specifically creatine monohydrate, has grown outside the gym because of new studies that show its benefits.

“We are testing creatine for everything from, you know, the sports performance as we were before, to cognitive benefit. I’ve actually seen a couple studies lately for creatine and menopause as well,” Rivas said. “We’re looking toward creatine either delaying or helping with Alzheimer’s and cognitive decline.”

Many of these studies showing the cognitive benefits of creatine are early and based on relatively small samples, but Rivas hopes in the next decade definitive research will emerge touting its benefits

Is it safe for you to take?

“For your average individual with healthy kidney function, perfectly fine,” Rivas said.

Talk to your doctor about a recommended dose.