Six things to know about creatine monohydrate supplements

Creatine has long been the most popular supplement in the fitness and bodybuilding communities to support muscle growth and increase strength when exercising regularly. However, not all forms of creatine are equally effective or safe.

Creatine monohydrate is recognised as the best choice when supplementing because of its proven safety, especially when used in the right dosage, almost all of the research that supports creatine supplementation involves the use of creatine monohydrate, it’s associated with enhanced performance, and it’s also the easiest to find.

All of this said, there are still a few things that you should keep in mind to help you choose the best creatine monohydrate supplements.

What to look for in a creatine monohydrate supplement

1.   Don’t cheap out

When it comes to any kind of nutritional supplement, creatine monohydrate included, remember that the market is poorly regulated and less-known brands with significantly cheaper products may not be the best idea.

Cheaper products can be of poor quality or contaminated, putting your health at risk, which will ultimately cost you a lot more. Look at expert recommendations and reviews from health and fitness experts to learn more about the products you’re considering. If there’s no info available for a particular, you would do well to skip it.

2.   Look for creatine monohydrate powders

Powders are the best way to get your creatine monohydrate as it’s a lot more convenient and easier to mix with your shakes or smoothies. Just make sure to mix them well and take into account your total calorie intake.

While the capsule form is no less effective than the powdered form of creatine monohydrate, most people don’t like taking capsules, especially when you consider that you’d need to take quite a few to get your required dose.

3.   Choose powders with micronised monohydrate creatine

Although shakes and smoothies may be the most popular drinks to mix creatine monohydrate powder, they don’t blend very well as creatine does not dissolve easily. Micronised creatine is a more broken-down form of creatine in smaller crystals that will mix well with liquids, making the supplement a lot more palatable.

4.   Check the certification

Although the supplement market is not subject to FDA regulations, there are other certifications to help ensure that products meet quality standards. This is important as unregulated supplements from unscrupulous manufacturers can contain contaminants and additives that are not mentioned on the label, some of which may even be harmful to your health.

You can look for the NSF International “Certified for Sport” label or a GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) certification.

5.   Pick creatine monohydrate powders with high purity

In the context of creatine powders, high purity doesn’t refer to the absence of impurities. Instead, it means that the supplement is almost exclusively creatine and doesn’t contain any other nutrients or additives.

Some creatine monohydrate supplements come with added carbohydrates (like dextrose), electrolytes like sodium or magnesium, and vitamins (such as B vitamins). In most cases, you’ll end up paying a lot more for your supplement even though you probably don’t need the other nutrients.

6.   How to use creatine monohydrate supplements

When you first start using creatine monohydrate, it would be a good idea to adopt what is known as a creatine loading phase. As the term suggests, this means that you ingest a rather large amount of the supplement during a short period to raise levels in your muscles rapidly for quicker and more visible results.

To do this, you would need to consume at least 20–25 g of creatine every day for about 5 to 7 days. This will raise muscle creatine levels by up to 40 percent. After this, make sure to cut back on your dose, moving to about 3 to 5 g a day.

Opinion on the timing of creatine supplementation is mixed, with some experts recommending pre and post-workout supplementation, while others suggest that it’s best taken only after workouts.

However, what everyone agrees on, is that consistency is way more important than timing. Muscle stores of creatine keep declining over time and will fall to pre-supplementation levels rapidly. This is why it’s important to take a daily dose to keep muscle creatine levels elevated and maintain the benefits of supplementation, ensuring optimal performance and recovery.

The editorial unit