Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid in our body. It is found in muscles and the brain. Our body uses creatine as a source of energy. In addition, people take creatine in the form of supplements to improve their athletic performance and increase bone density and strength.
Creatine is one of the most popular workout supplements currently. This is because of its well-proven benefits, such as sprint performance, maximal strength, and enhanced power output.
Well, the brand name is not everything. However, by purchasing a reputable, long-standing business, you can ensure the quality and safety of the products. Moreover, since reputable businesses continue to make the most purchase, they go above and beyond to employ premium ingredients and guarantee product safety.
Our Top 3 Best Creatine Supplements In 2023
- Promix – Overall Best Creatine Supplement, Editor’s Choice
- Optimum Nutrition – Best Pure Creatine Supplement
- Cellucor COR-Performance Creatine – Best Budget Creatine Supplement
#1. Promix Creatine Supplements – Overall Best Creatine Supplement, Editor’s Choice
Not only is this creatine supplement gluten-free, but it is also made without any genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and developed in a GMP-certified facility. This creatine monohydrate is the only third-party certified creatine that the USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) recognizes.
If you are an athlete or simply trying to improve your muscle mass, this creatine supplement is for you. Its formula helps musclebuilding, power, athletic performance, and mental health.
It has micronized creatine, which means that the creatine is broken down and processed to be 20 times smaller than pure creatine monohydrate. This helps to increase the water stability of creatine powder. Enhanced water stability helps to increase the absorption of creatine in the circulatory system. It also reduces stomach discomfort.
When consumed as recommended, creatine supplements are safe. The International Society of Sports Nutrition ensures no scientific proof that either short- or long-term use of creatine has adverse effects on healthy people. Promix has an active customer services portal. Therefore, you can get in touch with them if you have any additional queries or speak to your doctor to find out if micronized creatine supplements are appropriate for your fitness demands and objectives.
Promix makes it simple to support your goals with the world’s cleanest snacks and supplements. This is regardless of your level of fitness or training routine, all without compromising quality, safety, efficacy, or performance. For 90 days, try Promix micronized creatine risk-free. If you are not satisfied with your product, this supplement offers you to contact them within 90 days of the purchase and get a 100% refund back.
Highlights
Non-GMO certified: Promix is the only non-GMO-certified micronized creatine monohydrate supplement tested by USADA ((United States Anti-Doping Agency).
Backed Up by Various Testings: Other than USADA, it is also testing for aflatoxins, FDA toxicology, label claims, and facility audit. Its testing complaint includes PGA, NFL, Ironman, NASCAR, and NBA.
Gluten and Soy-Free: It is gluten and soy-free, ensured by third-party testing.
Unflavored: It has no flavor, so you can pour it in anything you want, and it will complement it.
Servings: It has 120 servings per container and comes with a scoop for proper measurements.
Guarantee: It has a 90-day back guarantee (100% refund).
Free Shipping: It has no extra charges for shipping.
Pros
- Ultra-fine consistency due to micronized creatine
- Flavor-less creatine supplement goes with every dish
- High-quality creatine that mixes easily
Cons
- It may make you feel full for 2-3 hours after you take it.
=> Click here to visit the official website of Promix
#2. Optimum Nutrition Creatine Supplements – Best Pure Creatine Supplement
It is one of the best creatine monohydrates, which offers muscle strength, power, and size. It comes in the form of creatine monohydrate, which is safe for everyone to consume as it has a great safety profile.
One of the plus points of Optimum Nutrition that makes it different from other creatine supplement companies is that these creatine monohydrate products undergo third-party testing for prohibited ingredients. This offers an advantage over rival products that forego this commitment to purity.
It also used German-manufactured Creapure as its creatine monohydrate source, which is an expensive and branded source of creatine.
Its production follows strict quality control measures that guarantee each batch is pure and of the highest caliber.
Optimum Nutrition offers two products of creatine: gold standard pre-workout and optimum nutrition creatine. Optimum Nutrition’s gold standard pre-workout is suited for maintaining performance, energy, and focus. It features 175 mg of caffeine per serving, which is a product of natural sources, and it also has 1.5 grams of beta-alanine per serving. Optimum nutrition gold standard pre-workout comes in four flavors: blueberry lemonade, green apple, fruit punch, and watermelon. A standard gold pre-workout package offers 30 servings.
Optimum Nutrition’s micronized creatine is one of the best choices for creatine monohydrate pills, as it is flavorless and easily blends with every one of your drinks. If you prefer capsules over powder, Optimum Nutrition is the one for you. Third-party testing ensures that this supplement does not have any fillers and is suitable for every dietary restriction.
Optimum Nutrition creatine contains 5g of pure creatine monohydrate, with no additives such as caffeine, green tea extract, or other pre-workout stimulants. It has zero calories and zero carboydrates. This pure micronized creatine monohydrate comes in three sizes featuring 100, 200, and 300 capsules.
Highlights
Supports regular diet and weight training: When regularly used over time in conjunction with a healthy, balanced diet and frequent weight exercise, Optimum Nutrition’s creatine monohydrate shows increased muscle growth, strength, and power.
Pure Creatine Monohydrate: Optimum Nutrition’s micronized creatine has pure creatine powder. Even one spoon of it is enough to support your creatine need for the whole day.
Quality Products: For more than 30 years and in more than 90 countries, Optimum Nutrition has been relied upon to deliver the greatest quality in on-the-go sports nutrition. It maintains the highest production standards so that you can realize the full potential of your body.
Pros
- Micronized creatine allows better mixing of the product in liquids
- Free from harmful additives
- Supports muscle growth, lean muscle mass, and muscle recovery.
Cons
- Causes temporary water retention
=> Click here to visit the official website of Optimum Nutrition
#3. Cellucor Creatine Supplement – Best Budget Creatine Supplement
Cellucor is a Texas-based leading sports nutrition company that features many award-winning top-quality products. This supplement company has the mission of supporting every customer’s journey of evolution and improvement.
Cellucor is one the best creatine supplements that provide muscle endurance with improved muscle mass and growth. A daily intake of this creatine powder ensures an increase in muscle cells and fast production of cellular energy.
It has micronized creatine powder that promotes the body to restore its optimum ATP levels. ATPs are energy providers for our bodies. Micronization lets the creatine supplement break down into the smallest particle size, which in turn increases the water solubility and absorption of this creatine supplement. One scoop of Cellucor creatine contains five grams of creatine. The best way to take this supplement is to mix one scoop of it in 8-10 oz of water or a beverage of your choice.
Cellucor Creatine supplements, named COR-Performance Creatine, comes in unflavored option only. It allows you to mix this creatine powder in any liquid of your choice without worrying about intermixing different flavors. You may also mix it into your pre-workout or amino acids recovery products to enhance its results.
Highlights
Expertise in Sports Nutrition: Cellucor has 20 years of experience in manufacturing sports-nutrition-enhancing supplements. It has shown 100% customer satisfaction.
Gluten-Free: Cellucor monohydrate supplements are gluten-free.
Zero Caffeine and Zero Calories: Cellucor creatine supplement has zero caffeine and calories. It is perfect to be used in balanced diets or to be paired up with your favorite pre-work.
Premium Creatine Monohydrate: Cor-Performance Creatine from Cellucor is made with premium creatine monohydrate, which boosts lean muscle mass, increases strength, and enhances power and endurance.
Excellent Solubility: Due to the micronization of the creatine, this supplement has excellent solubility and mixes nicely with any beverage, and it comes unflavored.
Reasonable Price: Cor-Performance Creatine is one of the more reasonably priced brands on the market, with 72 servings per container.
Pros
- Unflavored
- Good powder form promotes easy mixing and solubility
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Poor customer services portal
=> Click here to visit the official website of Cellucor
How We Chose The Best Creatine Supplements?
Our criteria for compiling this list went past internet searches. It is common to fall prey to illegal and counterfeit products. Therefore, we considered the top-rated supplements on the market and narrowed down the list to our most preferred.
Ratings were not the only determining factor for our selection. We ensured that all the supplements on our list were genuine and conducted research from actual users and buyers for credibility.
We went a step ahead and looked at the manufacturing procedures, ingredients used, and the overall process of creating creatine supplements. To break down our selection method for creatine supplements, we considered several determinants.
What We Looked For
- Quality of Ingredients: Companies offering creatine supplements vary in terms of quality. Supplements with lesser prices are usually of lower quality. All the ingredients from our selected products are top-quality from reputable companies.
- Lack of Additives: All our chosen products are free of any harmful additives, fillers, or artificial colors.
- Third-Party Tested: Our chosen products are third-party tested. We have ensured that these products do not contain any lawfully prohibited substances or harmful contaminants.
- Good Manufacturing Process: We have done proper research and confirmed that the companies we have selected for creatine supplements adhere to good manufacturing practices.
Buying Guide: Things To Consider When Choosing The Best Creatine Supplements
Here is a detailed buying guide to help you guide through the process of getting yourself one of the best creatine supplements.
Creatine Supplement Formulation
Creatine formula comes in different types. Different forms of creatine include creatine alpha-ketoglutarate, creatine ethyl ester, creatine gluconate, creatine malate, creatine citrate, creatine methyl ester, creatine monohydrate, creatine phosphate, creatine HCL, creatine nitrate, creatine magnesium chelate, among others.
Even though you would feel that all this option makes the selection of the best creatine supplements even more difficult, only one of these formulations is said to have importance in the supplements industry. That form of creatine is creatine monohydrate.
Additionally, there is no credible evidence that the other creatine formulations are more effective than or better than creatine monohydrate. Furthermore, the others are typically more expensive.
Creatine Monohydrate is the best creatine supplement, and you can back this fact with scientific evidence. The king of creatine supplements is creatine monohydrate. It has undergone extensive research and is the most affordable type of creatine. It works and is therefore well-liked. Creatine monohydrate is the most powerful legal non-hormonal supplement available for bodybuilding or sports. You can link 88% of pure creatine to 12% of water in creatine monohydrate.
The second best type of creatine that is relatively new is creatine ethyl ester (CEE). It is only second to creatine monohydrate in terms of popularity. Creatine is given an ester by scientists, which makes it much easier for it to pass through cell membranes. As a result, creatine ethyl ester penetrates muscle cells more quickly.
Forms of Creatine Supplements
Creatine supplements are available in four types. These are powder form, liquid creatine, micronized creatine powder, and creatine pills.
Liquid Creatine: We would not recommend you to buy liquid creatine monohydrate, as creatines are usually unstable and less effective in liquid form. When stored in a liquid form, the creatine transforms into useless creatinine. Also, liquid creatine is very expensive as compared to other forms of creatine.
Creatine Powder: The most popular form of creatine monohydrate is powder. It receives no particular treatment. But it does, in a nutshell, work.
Micronized Creatine Powder: The creatine particles in micronized creatine monohydrate are smaller than those in conventional creatine powder. They are identical in every other respect, including pricing. Since the small microsized particles of micronized creatine allow it to mix more quickly in your beverage, it may even have a slight advantage over powdered creatine.
Claims that it also absorbs better and more effectively in your body, however, are not much scientifically supported and overly optimistic. Large, difficult-to-digest particles were present in early creatine products. These older supplements frequently resulted in digestive problems. The majority of contemporary creatines are 20 times smaller and micronized. The intestinal adverse effects of earlier creatines are typically absent in modern creatines.
Creatine Capsules: Capsules containing creatine monohydrate are the last option. Both the conventional powder and the micronized forms of creatine monohydrate are present in these capsules. As a result, the form of creatine in capsules is not special.
The capsule merely serves as a container for the creatine. For people who are constantly on the go and don’t have the time or want to mix creatine in their beverage, this is convenient.
However, as you may anticipate, the cost of capsulated creatine monohydrate is higher.
Some will contend that the inability of capsules to allow the creatine to dissolve in water renders them ineffective.
However, there is no evidence to support this. Furthermore, it’s safe to assume that stomach acid dissolves creatine just as effectively as any drink might.
We will recommend you to go for micronized creatine monohydrate. This one ensures fast and effective mixing. If you are always on-the-g0, you may also go for the capsule form.
Blends
Sometimes, a creatine monohydrate supplement contains additives as the carbohydrate source. Such a mixture is effective if you need to use the supplements for pre- or post-workouts. But this adds more price to the supplements. Instead of that, you may also choose a pure creatine monohydrate supplement and additionally add sugar or other carb sources.
But, in some cases, creatine blend with other ingredients proves fruitful too. Some of such examples are:
Pre-Workout Supplements and Creatine: Nitric oxide(NO) in some form is present in most pre-workout supplements. Creatine and nitric oxide combine to form an incredibly potent pre-workout mix. There will be intense pumps and energy. You will be able to aggressively push deeper through sets, optimizing creatine and compelling your body to respond with fresh muscular growth thanks to the elevated mental and physical state brought on by NO.
Proteins and Creatine: According to research, the best combination for efficient and effective creatine absorption is creatine combined with a 1 to 1 ratio of simple carbohydrates (dextrose) to protein. Effectiveness-wise, this mixture is almost on par with taking creatine and dextrose separately. As a result, creatine blends well with protein powders, bars, and waxy maize. Creatine, waxy maize, and whey protein are excellent pre- and post-workout combo for boosting exercise and recovery.
Fat Burners And Creatine: Since creatine is a natural fat burner, you will burn more calories if you add additional fat burners with creatine. It aids in energy mobilization and enables you to train harder, longer, and with greater weight. You can take your fat reduction to a new level by combining both supplements together.
Where To Buy Creatine Monohydrate Supplements?
We recommend you buy from Amazon, as it is one is the most trusted online marketplaces. Amazon also features the best prices and free shipping on most of its products. You can also check the company’s website to see if they provide shipping and home delivery.
FAQs On Best Creatine Supplement
How much Creatine Monohydrate should I take?
Dosage varies by fitness level and goals. Taking nutrient supplements can take up to two weeks. When taking a high dose of creatine monohydrate to get a good result, you should consider increasing your doses. Athletes should take 5 grams a day.
What are the benefits of using creatine supplements?
Creatine supplements have many benefits. Some of them are:
- When you use creatine supplements, you increase your energy levels allowing you to exercise or compete longer, harder, and with greater intensity. Your body uses a substance called ATP when you need immediate energy (adenosine triphosphate). After 10 to 15 seconds, ATP stores deplete due to rapid burnout. To get you ready to work hard once more, creatine acts to assist ATP storage.
Is creatine monohydrate better than creatine hydrochloride?
Creatine monohydrate means one molecule of creatine attached to one molecule of water. This form is 88% creatine by weight. On the other hand, creatine HCL is a creatine molecule attached to hydrochloric acid. This form is 72% creatine per weight. Creatine HCL form of creatine is more water soluble and potentially absorbs faster. But creatine HCL is potentially effective only in small doses. Literate supports creatine monohydrate more as the best creatine supplement choice.
Does creatine improve my performance as an athlete?
Some of the benefits of creatine for performance are:
- With the help of creatine supplements, you can exert more effort during sets or sprints, which can enhance the quality of your training and result in greater improvements in strength, muscle mass, and/or performance. As only 5% of creatine reaches the brain, you store the other 95% of creatine in muscles.
- You don’t get tired as quickly because creatine supplementation with glucose or a combination of carbohydrate and protein produces greater muscle glycogen storage than carbohydrate supplementation alone.
What is creatine monohydrate?
Creatine monohydrate provides energy for your cells and is a key component of muscles. This is naturally found inside the body and is available to consume with certain foods and supplements. It is commonly believed to improve performance during exercise or help develop a stronger muscle mass.
Can creatine monohydrate cause side effects?
Creatine was once a natural steroid, which led many athletes to wonder about its potential health effects in athletes. Unlike anabolic substances, creatines are natural, and you can take them safely. Several decades of scientific research have revealed that the only known adverse effects to people who are allergic to creatine monohydrate are: The side effect usually disappears within a day of taking the supplement.
Who can use creatine monohydrate?
Creatin monohydrates have been used extensively by sportspeople and athletes to improve their strength and endurance during intense workouts. Creatine is for athletic performance as well as muscle strength, and the drug is cheap. You can use creatine every day to help you gain weight.
How much creatine monohydrate should I take?
Dosage varies by fitness level and goals. Taking nutrient supplements can take up to two weeks. When taking a high dose of creatine monohydrate to get a good result, you should consider increasing your doses. Athletes should take 5 grams a day.
Conclusion: What Creatine Is Best For First Time Users?
Creatine supplements are available in different types, flavors, and forms. Many sports-nutrition brands offer these supplements. Make sure to check the ingredient label, ensure third-party testing, and correct dosage carefully while selecting the supplement for yourself.
You can also buy the creatine supplements from our listed companies, as we have made sure to do thorough research on these brands and provide you with the best creatine monohydrate supplements available in the market.
