Fact-check
Has FSSAI banned creatine?
Last checked 19 September 2026. A few details are still being checked against the original document.
Creatine is not banned in India as of 19 Sep 2026; the claim traces to 2018 enforcement against unlicensed supplement sellers and a debate over whether creatine products are foods or drugs, and no prohibition on the substance exists.
- Classification
- No ban or recall found in official records
- Decided by
- FSSAI; CDSCO (jurisdiction question)
- Reference
- No prohibition on record; 2018 enforcement actions against unlicensed sellers (details:, being verified
- Latest action
- 1 January 2018
- Last checked
- 19 September 2026details being verified
Photo: Whey Protein Scoop (49935767168).jpg by Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA (CC BY 2.0). All photo credits.
Is creatine banned in India?
We have not yet found this action in a published government document. Treat it as reported, not confirmed. If you have the order, send it to us.
Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.
Below: Blacklisted's explanationWe explain what has been reported. The report above is the best source we hold.
Key facts
- Is creatine banned?
- No
- Origin of claim
- 2018 actions against sellers without FSSAI licences; debate over whether creatine is a food supplement or a drug
- Current position
- Sold as a nutraceutical/food for special dietary use by FSSAI-licensed businesses
- Source quality
- Secondary (industry blog); primary 2018 documents not located
Where the claim comes from
'fssai banned creatine' is a persistent Google India autocomplete. The claim appears to originate in 2018, when enforcement against supplement sellers operating without FSSAI licences was reported as a ban on creatine, and when there was public debate about whether creatine products should be regulated as foods or as drugs. Industry blogs have repeated and rebutted the claim since.
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most-studied sports supplements and is sold across India by licensed manufacturers and importers. No FSSAI order, regulation or notification prohibits it, and no CDSCO instrument schedules it as a controlled drug.
The rumour appears to date from 2018. Enforcement actions that year against supplement sellers operating without FSSAI licences were reported in some outlets as a crackdown on creatine itself, and a parallel debate about whether creatine and similar products should be regulated under the Food Safety and Standards Act or the Drugs and Cosmetics Act was read as the substance being outlawed. The primary documents from that period have not been located for this record, and the account here rests on secondary industry sources.
The current position is that creatine is a nutraceutical ingredient sold under FSSAI's Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals and Food for Special Dietary Uses regulations. FSSAI has been preparing tighter rules for protein and supplement products since 2024, but none of the proposals reported would prohibit creatine.
What this means for you
Buy from licensed sellers
The 2018 issue was licensing, not the substance. A pack from an FSSAI-licensed manufacturer or importer is lawful.
Ask about dose if you have kidney concerns
Creatine's legal status says nothing about suitability. That is a question for a doctor.
This is a record of official orders, not medical advice. Do not stop a prescribed medicine without asking your doctor or pharmacist.
Official sources and primary records
- Is creatine banned in India?NewsWhey2Much (blog, secondary)
- FSSAI prepares tighter rules for protein supplements over health risksNewsBusiness Standard · 29 June 2024