Best Creatine Supplements Explained

Creatine is one of the most popular and effective additives in power sports. Creatine is found naturally in some foods - beef, herring and salmon, all of them with high concentration. For example, one-kilogram beef contains about 4 grams of creatine. The intake of creatine provides additional power to athletes.

It contributes to more intense workouts, training weights increase, and hypertrophy. Weight gain also increases as a result of the above-mentioned facts. Creatine was first discovered in 1832 by the French scientist Michel Eugène Chevreul. He found that the creatine in our body was formed by the arginine, glycine, and methionine amino acids.

Taking creatine as a supplement increases the concentration of creatine phosphate in the body. As a consequence, the adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) in the body increases its concentration. It can quickly be restored and it can deliver the energy to the muscles for a long time.

Top 10 Creatine Supplements Reviewed

What Is Muscletech Platinum 100% Creatine

Muscletech Platinum 100% Creatine contains pure micronized creatine monohydrate with high quality, scientifically proven to be safe and effective. 

Creatine monohydrate supplement is one of the most studied supplements. Its usage has a huge impact on strength and muscle size.

Muscletech Platinum Creatine Can:

• Build and maintain lean muscle mass;
• Supply additional energy during series and increase the recovery time between them;
• Hydrate the muscle cells;
• Increase in strength;
• Boost stamina.

Usage

For the first 3 days (loading phase): Mix 1 heaping scoop with 8 oz. of water and consume 4 times daily. After day 3 (maintenance phase): Mix 1 scoop with 8 oz. of water 1 to 2 times daily. For more impressive results, replace water with a carbohydrate beverage or sports drink.

What Is NOW Foods Creatine Monohydrate

NOW Foods Creatine is perhaps the most widespread and effective supplement. It is used to increase muscle mass, strength, and endurance. The main reserves of creatine in the human body are found in the skeletal muscles. 

The main sources of Creatine in nature are fish and meat but large quantities are needed in order to obtain the required dose of creatine (there is 5 gr. of creatine in 1 kg of beef meat).

People, who do not eat meat and fish (and don’t have sufficient stocks of creatine in their bodies), feel the most tangible effects of the creatine supplements. 

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is converted to ADP (adenosine diphosphate) during the short and explosive muscle contractions and thus, energy is released.

Creatine supplement helps with the re-conversion of ADP into ATP and with the most available ATP for energy. Cells can retain creatine and use it later, if necessary.

The Main Benefits of Creatine Usage Are:

• Muscle mass gaining;
• Strength increasing;
• Endurance-boosting;
• Vegetarian formula.

Usage

Dissolve the product in about 300-400 ml of fluid, whether water, tea, coffee, juice or other beverage. You can take it at any time of the day as the intake before training is a little risky because it causes dehydration, so try to avoid it.

It is recommended that you increase your daily fluid intake during the administration of creatine. 3 liters of water would be quite sufficient for the majority of people.

What Is Dymatize Nutrition Creatine Micronized

Dymatize Creatine is micronized creatine monohydrate with easy digestibility, fast effect, and maximum results. Dymatize Creatine is high-quality micronized creatine monohydrate, which ensures maximum quality of raw material and efficiency.

The micronized creatine has far more advantages than the regular creatine monohydrate. The micronized creatine has up to 20 times smaller particles, which guarantees qualitative solubility in water and the gastric environment.

It has a higher digestibility and does not have a negative impact on the kidneys and liver. In addition, the micronized creatine is maximally purified and contains no pollutants that often cause nausea and water retention.

The Benefits of Dymatize Creatine:

• High level of micronization, which ensures full digestibility;
• Easy solubility in water or juice;
• Lack of pollutants. Maximum purity;
• Rapid saturation in the body;
• More strength and strength;
• Better recovery.

Dymatize Creatine is a supplement for increasing muscle power, strength, endurance, and explosiveness. Creatine supplements also reduce recovery time and muscle fatigue.

Usage

Dissolve the product in about 300-400 ml of fluid, whether water, tea, coffee, juice or other beverage. You can take it at any time of the day as the intake before training is a little risky because it causes dehydration, so try to avoid it.

It is recommended that you increase your daily fluid intake during the administration of creatine. 3 liters of water would be quite sufficient for the majority of people.

What Is Universal Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate

Universal Nutrition Creatine used to increase muscle mass, strength, and endurance. The main sources of creatine in nature are fish and meat but large quantities are needed in order to obtain the required dose of creatine (there are 5 grams of creatine in 1 kg of beef meat).

People who do not eat meat and fish (and don’t have sufficient stocks of creatine in their bodies) feel the most tangible effects of creatine supplementation. 

ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is converted to ADP (adenosine diphosphate) during the short and explosive muscle contractions and thus, energy is released.

Creatine supplements help with the re-conversion of ADP into ATP, and with the most available ATP for energy. Cells can retain creatine and use it later if necessary.

The Benefits of Universal Nutrition Creatine:

• Muscle mass gaining;
• Strength increasing;
• Endurance-boosting;
• Vegetarian formula.

Usage

Dissolve the product in about 300-400 ml of fluid, whether water, tea, coffee, juice or other beverage. You can take it at any time of the day as the intake before training is a little risky because it causes dehydration, so try to avoid it.

It is recommended that you increase your daily fluid intake during the administration of creatine. 3 liters of water would be quite sufficient for the majority of people.

What Is Optimum Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate

Optimum Nutrition Creatine Powder is a creatine supplements product in the form of creatine monohydrate, designed to make you stronger, with greater power of endurance and explosiveness. Creatine Powder is available in two kinds of packaging, each one containing respectively 300 grams or 600 grams of creatine monohydrate.

The product is micronized, which means no more difficult dissolution, which is the common and non-micronized creatine powder known for. Creatine Powder by Optimum Nutrition is pure and of very high quality, with no unpleasant taste or odor.

How Does Creatine Powder Benefit Me

The idea of taking creatine as a nutritional supplement is related to increasing the quantity of creatine phosphate, stored in the muscles. This can be done through a diet but the problem is, unfortunately, unachievable for many people.

In order to get five grams of creatine, for example, as it is the quantity in one dose of Optimum Nutrition Creatine Powder, one should eat more than one kilogram of beef meat. Could you cope with such a quantity of meat on a daily basis? 

Taking creatine as a supplement can gradually saturate the muscle cells with creatine phosphate. After several weeks of daily intake, they get completely saturated and the more saturated your muscles are, the more work can be carried out before that muscle fatigue. 

Creatine monohydrate is perhaps the most researched sports supplement on the market. Dozens of scientific studies have shown that creatine works. It will make you stronger and more tenacious. More strength and endurance mean more work is done in the gym and that further stimulates the muscle growth.

Usage

Dissolve the product in about 300-400 ml of fluid, whether water, tea, coffee, juice or other beverage. You can take it at any time of the day as the intake before training is a little risky because it causes dehydration, so try to avoid it.

It is recommended that you increase your daily fluid intake during the administration of creatine. 3 liters of water would be quite sufficient for the majority of people.

What Is Jarrow Formulas Creatine Monohydrate

Jarrow Formulas Creatine Monohydrate is a creatine monohydrate that has the purest raw material - patented Creapure. Jarrow Formulas’s product is basically standard creatine monohydrate. 

Creatine is probably the most effective, yet economical and safe supplement for increasing strength and explosiveness. It is present in the supplement plans of all serious athletes that pursue serious results.

There are some things that distinguish Jarrow’s product from the other products on the market. First, the product contains not any type of creatine, but the patented Creapure. This patented material is the purest and most qualitative one on the market.

Jarrow Formula’s product is definitely worth it. If you are looking for something different, yet effective - you have found it.

Usage

Stir one scoop (6 g) of Creatine Monohydrate into 20 oz. of water or fruit juice (Glucose, as found in certain fruit juices, enhances uptake and utilization of creatine monohydrate); for higher intakes, consult your qualified healthcare professional.

What Is Musclepharm Creatine Monohydrate

Musclepharm Creatine is a creatine matrix that encourages muscle mass gain and strength. Musclepharm Creatine Monohydrate is a multi-component creatine matrix that includes five different forms of creatine. 

Each of these forms gets absorbed in a different way, which increases the amount of assimilable creatine.

MusclePharm Creatine Includes:

• Creatine Monohydrate;
• Creatine AAB;
• Di-Creatine Malate;
• Creatine Nitrate;
• Creatine HCL;
• Cinnulin PF cinnamon extract.

MusclePharm creatine supplements enhance the creatine status in the body by enhancing the uptake and bioavailability. 

The clinically proven ingredient Cinnulin PF (cinnamon) accelerates the absorption so that all 5 clean and diverse complexes of creatine can directly stimulate the muscles in the fastest way possible.

MP Creatine increases the explosive power, the ATP energy, and the overall stamina. If you want maximum durability, strength and muscle growth, then look no further and choose MP Creatine – the optimal creatine!

Usage

As a dietary supplement, mix three scoops (5 g) in 8 oz juice, water, or your protein drink of choice daily. Drink immediately. 

To maximize results, drink 8 to 10 glasses (8 oz) of water once daily. A loading phase is not required or recommended with this product.

ALLMAX Nutrition Micronized Creatine Overview:

• Improves performance in short-burst, high-intensity strength training;
• Increases muscle mass, strength, and size;
• Muscle volumizing effects;
• 100% quality and potency guaranteed;
• cGMP certified facility;
• Gluten-free;
• Vegetarian;
• Vegan;
• Kosher certified;
• Informed-choice certified - tested for banned substances.

What Is ALLMAX Nutrition Micronized Creatine Supplement

ALLMAX Nutrition Micronized creatine supplement is made with PharmaFuse technology, which helps micronize the product.  You can rest assured that this is the highest grade creatine monohydrate out there, and hundreds of studies have taken a look at pure creatine monohydrate.

It is safe to say that creatine is one of the most popular nutritional supplements out there, and it is known for increasing strength and endurance levels by up to thirty percent.

Creatine also provides energy in interval sports or sports that require short bursts. There are over 20 types of creatine, and each one claims they have improved on the original.

However, it's worth pointing out that there is not much science-backed research that shows that this is the truth. In fact, there are not many studies that show that those products improve performance in any way, shape or form.

Consuming creatine also can improve recovery time and lead to higher endurance levels. The best brand of creatine in the world is Creapure, which is unique because potential impurities have been eliminated in its creatine. These potential impurities are often found in other brands of creatine. 

Creapure adheres to strict requirements. Every lot of Creapure creatine is tested for impurities. This is done via high-pressure liquid chromatography. Furthermore, creatine has been studied in over 50 clinical trials.  

How to Take ALLMAX Nutrition Micronized Creatine Supplement

Take 1 rounded tsp daily (total of 5 g/day) with water or juice upon waking and post-workout, or on non-training days, after a meal.

Overview:

• Provides explosive power;
• Increases muscle mass and strength;
• Well adapted to the body and muscles;
• Tested in a high-tech environment;
• Improves recovery.

What Is Creatine Monohydrate

MyProtein Creatine Monohydrate is ideal for a wide range of athletes - from bodybuilders to sprinters. It is most suitable for those who want to increase their strength, speed, and lean muscle mass.

Creatine Monohydrate Benefits

Creatine monohydrate increases the physical strength in a series of short, high-intensity exercises and sports that are characterized by explosive movements like weight lifting and sprint disciplines.

Who Can Use Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate supplements are harmless and suitable for anyone who trains long intensive sports and wants to increase their physical strength.

How Should You Take Creatine Monohydrate

We recommend that you consume 3-5 grams of Creatine Monohydrate immediately after a workout with a mixture of whey protein and carbohydrate in order to optimize the recovery procedures to their maximum. Creatine Monohydrate can be consumed both after and before training for maximum strength.

What I California Gold Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate

California Gold Nutrition Creatine gives maximum results in terms of optimum strength and durability for your intense and power workouts.

Some of the advantages are:

• Top-quality German creatine;
• Increases strength and endurance;
• Increase the number of repetitions;
• Excellent mixing.

How This Product Will Help Me

Creatine is among the most popular and effective nutritional supplements with proven properties for increasing the size, strength and lean muscle mass. California Gold Nutrition Creatine is the preferred patented form of creatine with 99.95% purity, each dose providing 5 g of the active ingredient. 

Creapure is produced in German laboratories through a process of microfiltration. In the short term, creatine supplements significantly increase the maximum strength and endurance, increases concentration and help the body recovery. 

It helps stimulate brain activity and memory, participates in the formation of bones and cartilage, supports the immune system and protects the cells from damage. The formula is free from impurities and contaminants such as creatinine, dicyandiamide or dihydrotriazines.

Suggested Use

Combine 1 level scoop (equivalent to approximately 5 grams) of powder with 6 - 8 oz. of the liquid of your choice, preferably 100% fruit juice (as glucose found in many fruit juices may enhance uptake and utilization of creatine). Mix well and drink or as directed by your qualified healthcare professional or athletic trainer. For best results use a blender-type bottle or shaker cup.

What Is Creatine

Creatine was first discovered in 1832 by the French scientist Michel Eugène Chevreul. He found that the creatine in our body was formed by the arginine, glycine, and methionine amino acids. 

The average content of creatine in our body is about 120 grams in the form of creatine phosphate (CP) and its main function is to assist in the energy production for cells.

Purpose and Benefits

The intake of creatine provides additional power to athletes. It contributes to more intense workouts, training weights increase, and hypertrophy. Weight gain also increases as a result of the above-mentioned facts.

All these things have a motivating effect, as a reward for hard training. The creatine benefits apply mostly to power and hypertrophic training style. Creatine is also found naturally in some foods - beef, herring and salmon, all of them with high concentration.

For example, one-kilogram beef contains about 4 grams of creatine. As you know, in order to achieve an effect, one would have to consume several kilos of these foods per day and for weeks. This, of course, is practically impossible. That is why the intake as a dietary supplement has been so popular.

How Does Creatine Work

Taking creatine as a supplement increases the concentration of creatine phosphate in the body. As a consequence, the adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) in the body increases its concentration. It can quickly be restored and it can deliver the energy to the muscles for a long time.

Here's how it works: our muscles use adenosine triphosphate in order to get creatine. During their shortening, the ATP is degraded to adenosine diphosphate (ADP). For the continuation of the work of muscles, ADP should become ATP again by attaching a phosphate molecule. 

This molecule can be taken from the compound, called creatine phosphate (CP), which as we said above, circulates in our body. This is the way for the ATP recovering and thus we have energy in our bodies.

Proven and Potential Benefits for People

• Increase of the amount of total creatine in the body;
• Rise in strength and the working loads respectively;
• Increase of muscle mass (hypertrophy);
• Weight gain due to an increase in lean body mass, as well as water retention in the muscle cells (not to be confused with subcutaneous retention);
• A mental motivating effect which also contributes indirectly
• Benefits to sarcopenia;
• Less fatigue and more endurance during intense workouts;
• Fights inflammation after intense workouts;
• A number of benefits in adults;
• Potential use in Huntington's disease;
• The potential benefit in Parkinson's disease;
• Helps muscular dystrophy;
• Reduction of cholesterol levels when combined with exercise;
• Improvement of cognitive abilities.

Available Forms of Creatine

The variety is immense. Creatine is one of the most effective and tangible acting supplements ever created, and therefore; the market is flooded with choices.

Here are just a few examples:

• creatine monohydrate;
• creatine pyruvate;
• creatine gluconate;
• creatine malate;
• dicreatine malate;
• tricreatine malate;
• creatine citrate;
• creatine ethyl ester (CEE);
• buffered creatine (Kre-Alkalyn);
• creatine alpha-ketoglutarate;
• creatine-6, 8-thioctic Acid-ketoisocaproic Acid Calcium (Creakic);
• creatine pyroglutamate;
• conjugated creatine (Con-Cret);
• magnesium creatine chelate;
• disodium creatine phosphate.

This is only a small part of all the available forms. Creatine has been successfully sold in a mixed-creatine matrix in the last several years. These matrixes are a combination of several forms (most often three or more).

What Is the Most Appropriate Form

With such a variety, it is not easy to decide which is most appropriate at first glance. But there is one simple answer and that is creatine monohydrate (CM). The specially micronized CM is preferable as it is easier for the stomach and can be dissolved in liquid better. The best choice is called Creapure.

This is micronized creatine monohydrate with the highest purity possible, manufactured in Germany. The other kinds are occasionally contaminated with impurities during the manufacturing process. The brand does not matter as long as you use Creapure as raw material, and if so, this is always indicated on the label with a logo.

Why Should We Choose Creatine Monohydrate

There are several main reasons:

• Almost all studies ever made, have used creatine monohydrate (this includes those cited in the article). All positive effects have been demonstrated only for CM. This does not mean that other forms do not act, but keep an eye on them.
• This form has been proven safe.
• Some of the other forms, although still authorized for sale, have been proven ineffective and even harmful to a certain degree. A good example is Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE).
• Creatine monohydrate is the cheapest form on the market.
• In comparative research between CM and other forms, the latter most often have less, rarely equal, and sometimes no effect.
• Read the previous statement again. No form has yet proven a better effect than CM. Purely physiologically, this is quite logical if we look at the definition and principles of action in our bodies.
• The above-mentioned forms, except for only a few, have no valid evidence that they act, i.e. that increase the concentration of creatine phosphate in the body. The fact that they are presented in a form for oral intake does not mean that they will change anything in the body.

Are There Side Effects of the Intake of Creatine Monohydrate

As we already mentioned, it is believed that creatine monohydrate is safe under the recommended dosages. Scientific review, done in 2004, shows that it cannot cause damage to the cardiovascular, renal, hepatic, musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal functions. Another study observed the daily intake of several groups of athletes.

One group took 5 grams daily for 21 months, and at the end of the period, there was not reported a negative effect on the health status. Other studies specifically monitor kidney function and health and found that both short-term and long-term oral use of creatine monohydrate has a negative effect.

Some people just create a problem, distribute it among the audience and then argue that the new additive has no relevant "side effect." Of course, this chain reaction gets powered by uninformed users and the placebo effect (if one expects a certain side effect of something - then he is finally convinced that he has seen in himself at the end).

What Doses Are Recommended

Creatine monohydrate is recommended to be taken at 3-5 grams per day, every day. It can be taken at any time - morning, noon, evening, between meals, after training, etc. The exception is only before а training session. It is recommended that this should be avoided. Any other time is appropriate - this should not be a problem.

The most convenient time for the intake would be every morning with breakfast. It is convenient and you don’t need to think about it throughout the day. It can be taken with water, juice, milk, protein shake, gainer, coffee, etc. Before, coffee and caffeine drinks were believed that could negatively affect and weaken the effect.

This is not true and has been proven repeatedly. Another common idea is that the mandatory intake should be together with some highly insulinogenic foods/ingredients.

It is not necessary, but if in case the person does not respond to the monohydrate, there is this evidence that by adding as dextrose (another name for glucose) absorption gets improved by these people. The second option of intake is the so-called "loading phase". The principle is to drink 5 g, four times a day (total of 20 g per day) for 5-7 days.

The only plus is that the effect will occur faster as the saturation of the body with creatine phosphate will happen faster. This is especially recommended by manufacturers, as this increases their profits repeatedly.

For the first 5-7 days, you will drink 100-140 grams, which otherwise would have gone for almost a month. If you decide to take a break from creatine, you repeat the same thing for the net intake.

By this, you will take a very large quantity for a short period of time and this, of course, brings revenues. In both cases, the net effect will be the same. The difference will be mainly in the time of achieving the goal and the money spent.

Some people can feel mild discomfort while charging, so I strongly recommend to always use the first way. Clinical research in 1996 was done with similar doses, for the establishment of the recommended minimum standards.

The intake of the 20 g of creatine for 6 days in a row increased the concentration of total creatine in the body by about 20%. They continued to maintain the same concentration with 2 grams a day for the next 30 days. An alternative route of intake was given to men. They were given 3 grams per day and on the 28th days, the muscle biopsies showed an overall increase (20%).

The same study shows that the body can be "loaded" for 6 days with 20 grams and then can be maintained with 2 grams a day, or every day 3 grams can be taken. The end result is exactly the same. Given that CM is so cheap, a person can intake 5 grams every day.

How Long Should We Consume Creatine

The most common practice is by periods. For example, two months of intake, one month break. Intervals may vary according to the plans of the athlete, but the rest period must be at least 30 days.

This is the time for which the creatine levels in the body return to their normal level. There is no scientific evidence that can require dose interruption, i.e. you can drink it without а break. However, if taken at intervals, you will feel the rise in power and operating loads each time after a new "cycle." Moreover, you will save money.

You will always be more healthy and secure if you choose to rest at intervals. The easiest option by users is this: after the purchase, finish the package and then make the desired break (minimum 30 days).

In Which Other Sports Supplements Can We Find Creatine

Creatine can be added in recovery formulas, protein powders, post-workout powders, gainer, amino acid formulas, and most of all: in nitrogen boosters and pre-workout products.

Creatine is also known as creatine monohydrate, creatine 2-oxopropanoate, a-methylguanidinoacetic acid.