Smash Your Workouts With The Best Creatine Supplements In 2022

Why Trust Us

We're a pretty active bunch and some of us are into pretty extreme outdoor activities. Our team is regularly engaged in a variety of strenuous outdoor and indoor pursuits and when we're out conquering mountains or hitting the gym for an intensive workout and our muscles need a bit of a boost, that's when we reach for creatine supplementation. Our team of athletes, gym junkies and climbers has tried various creatine supplements over the years so we know a good creatine product when we see one.

Who This Is For

If you regularly work out or you're into high-intensity sports and activities, this guide to the best creatine powders is for you. Whether you're considering taking creatine supplements in powder form, creatine capsules or tablets, or perhaps liquid creatine, knowing which formulas can best suit your needs is essential. Use this guide to help you choose the right creatine formula for you and you'll get the most out of your workouts and outdoor pursuits. Whether you want more explosive power, muscle mass, or want to cut down on recovery time, we have a selection of the best creatine supplements for you.

How We Picked

There is not a lot separating the top creatine supplements but even so, they do differ from one brand to the next. We looked at creatines that are made with clean, filler-free ingredients and that are easy to mix with water, protein shake, or juice. To make the cut in our selection, the creatine had to be of good quality, fast-acting, and easily absorbed. We also made note of the quantities and how many doses you can get out of each pack.

How We Tested

We tested creatines by taking them before strenuous activities like rock climbing, skiing, and weight training to see how well they could help us before, during and after activities. Consumers of creatine monohydrate supplements are also a great source of information so we read dozens of reviews to see which ones were the most popular and for what reasons.

Features To Look For In Creatine

Ingredients - When looking for the best creatine supplement, we recommend looking at brands that use 100% pure, unadulterated creatine monohydrate. While there are other forms of creatine, including creatine magnesium chelate (creatine chelated with magnesium), creatine hydrochloride (bound with hydrochloric acid for enhanced solubility), creatine malate, and many more, this type of creatine is studied the most and practically anyone can consume it.

Effectiveness - The purer the content, the higher the efficiency. Some brands of creatine monohydrate may require a loading phase for a week or two before resuming with regular daily consumption. Doing this may provide you with gains at a faster rate which most athletes are aiming for. Creatine supplementation has a lot of benefits, but all bodies respond differently, so give yourself time to adjust to a new supplement before deciding if it's beneficial or not.

Pill/powder/liquid - This is purely a matter of personal choice. Some people prefer the convenience of creatine pills or tablets as they're the easiest to take while others prefer powdered creatine supplements that can easily be mixed with juice, shakes, or smoothies. Liquid creatine is also an option; easy to take but slightly less effective than creatine monohydrate powder. The main thing you need to consider is how easy or tricky consuming your creatine of choice will be.

Solubility - Pure micronized creatine is highly soluble and this means it dissolves quickly when mixed with a liquid such as water or juice. The best creatine supplements will be easily soluble and absorbed by the body.

Price per dose - Creatine supplements are available in a variety of forms and sizes so you can expect considerable differences in the number of doses or servings per pack. Most creatine supplements offer 5-gram servings though so you will need to do a few calculations to see how many servings are contained in each pack and then compare the cost. The good news is that you are certain to find affordable creatines. Keep in mind that some creatine pills require you to take multiple doses to achieve the same results as a scoop of powdered creatine.

Types Of Creatine

There are many types of creatine available on the market, but the most common ones include:

Creatine Monohydrate - Creatine monohydrate is the most common form of creatine and for good reason. For one, it's the most widely studied form of creatine and one that's been on the market for decades. It's also cheap and highly effective, not to mention, most of the benefits of creatine are attributed to creatine monohydrate in particular. On the flip side, it can be tricky to dissolve in water which is why many people prefer a micronized creatine monohydrate formula.

Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL) - Creatine hydrochloride, or HCL for short, is creatine bound with hydrochloric acid. Some studies show that this form of creatine has superior solubility and absorption compared to creatine monohydrate, however, the jury is still out on that one. But given that HCL is more expensive than creatine monohydrate, yet creatine monohydrate is the one with a large amount of data supporting its benefits, we're of the opinion it's best to stick to tried and true.

Creatine Ethyl Ester - This type of creatine is bound to ester salts, which according to some manufacturers makes it more bioavailable than creatine monohydrate. However, a study from 2009 comparing creatine ethyl ester to creatine monohydrate found that creatine ethyl ester did not show any additional benefit to increased muscle strength or performance when compared to creatine monohydrate.

Buffered Creatine - Buffered creatine, also known as Kre-Alkalyn, has a higher pH level than regular creatine. The buffering process is supposed to enhance its uptake and effectiveness and reduce stomach discomfort and bloating. Still, it's good to know that a study from 2012 comparing buffered creatine to creatine monohydrate found no differences in regards to both effectiveness and side effects.

Creatine Magnesium Chelate - This type of creatine is chelated with magnesium, which supposedly increases its bioavailability by protecting it from the digestive tract. Unlike HCL and creatine ethyl ester, creatine magnesium chelate does have data supporting its benefits, particularly for Repeated Sprint Ability. However, other studies show that when it comes to improved bench press strength and endurance, there is no difference between this type of creatine and creatine monohydrate.

Effervescent Creatine - Effervescent Creatine is creatine combined with other chemical compounds, usually citric acid and bicarbonate, that give it its effervescent quality. It's supposedly more soluble and absorbable as well as better tasting, however, since it contains sugar and sodium, it's not ideal for most athletes. Additionally, it's much more expensive than equally effective creatine monohydrate.

Benefits Of Using Creatine

Studies show that creatine supplementation can boost muscle strength, muscle mass, and athletic performance. It can provide additional explosive power, especially for those with lower creatine stores like vegetarians. Creatine is also believed to help muscles recover faster during exercise, as well as after injury.

The majority of creatine’s benefits are believed to be solely due to the boost in electric energy, a result of increased PCr in muscles. Its organic origin - the fact that it's naturally found in our muscles and brain - also makes creatine supplementation safe in recommended doses.

Animal studies also show that creatine supplementation may help in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other cognitive issues, as well as prevent bouts of depression since its consumption enhances cognitive function and memory. As a nice bonus, some evidence shows that creatine supplementation might help with skin health and in particular help prevent sagging.

Q: What is creatine?

A: Creatine is an organic molecule found in our brain and muscle cells, as well as naturally in fish, meat and milk. It is made from three amino acids: L-arginine, glycine, and L-methionine. Because vegetarians and especially vegans tend to have lower intramuscular creatine storage, they may benefit the most from creatine supplementation, however, both professional and amateur athletes at all levels can benefit from taking creatine in recommended dosages.

Creatine is safe and widely studied sports supplement that is shown to improve athletic performance and boost muscle mass, strength and growth, as well as speed up muscle recovery.

Q: How does creatine work?

A: Creatine works by helping produce adenosine triphosphate - or ATP for short - which is your cells' most basic form of energy that's used for all types of processes, including muscle contraction, nerve impulse propagation, and more. ATP, in turn, helps increase your energy production during training, leading to improved athletic performance, increased strength, and speedier muscle recovery.

Q: How much creatine should I take and when do I take it?

A: The amount of creatine you need depends on several factors, including your diet, sports needs, and the type of creatine you are taking. It's best to stick with the recommended 5g dose of creatine monohydrate per day, although other types of creatine like creatine HCL may only require a 3g dose. Always check the bottle as most creatine supplements should have instructions for both creatine loading and maintenance dosing.

As for when you should take creatine, it's recommended to supplement shortly before or after training. Around 30 minutes maximum before or after exercise seems to be the sweet spot for many athletes.

Q: Does creatine have any side effects?

A: Studies on creatine monohydrate show that creatine supplementation is very safe to consume for most people. The International Society of Sports Nutrition writes: "There is no compelling scientific evidence that the short- or long-term use of creatine monohydrate (up to 30 g/day for 5 years) has any detrimental effects on otherwise healthy individuals or among clinical populations who may benefit from creatine supplementation."

The only common side effects noted by consumers are mild bloating and water retention with some also complaining about digestive issues when taking high doses of creatine. Different types of creatine may abate these side effects or have other side effects.

If you suffer from any side effects, you can try to push through them and hope they disappear as your body gets used to creatine supplements. However, if the side effects persist or you feel worse, you should stop taking them immediately and seek medical advice before proceeding with your creatine intake.

Q: How long is creatine stored in the body?

A: Once ingested, creatine will be stored for up to three hours, with 50% of a dose being cleared approximately three hours after consumption.

Q: Should I take creatine if I want to lose weight?

A: Since creatine draws water into the muscles, you may experience some water retention of around 3 to 5 pounds. However, this is only a short-term effect and one that occurs when an individual is taking a higher creatine dosage. Once you stop taking creatine, any water retention in your muscles should disappear.

So yes, if your goal is long-term fat loss, you can take creatine freely. However, if your focus is on short-term weight loss and every single pound counts, you may want to skip this supplement.

Q: Should I mix creatine with other supplements?

A: Creatine can be taken in conjunction with other supplements, provided you have consulted with your physician. Take protein powder as an example. The best time to consume both protein supplements and creatine powders is after or before a workout so this means mixing them is an ideal option. However, some forms of creatine should not be mixed. For example, mixing creatine HCL and caffeine should be avoided. You should also keep in mind that caffeine is present in many pre-workout supplements.

Q: Does caffeine make creatine less effective?

A: Before deciding to mix your supplement with caffeine, you must consult a doctor. Generally, however, most forms of creatine can be taken with caffeine only on days where you need to perform at a higher rate. According to research, caffeine has no direct effect on most forms of creatine so, in most cases, both can be consumed together.

Sources:

1. Creatine And Creatine Supplements - Cleveland Clinic
2. When Is The Best Time To Take Creatine? - Healthline
3. An Overview Of Creatine Supplements - Webmd