The Best Budget Creatine Monohydrate Supplements

With research on creatine now spanning several decades, there's a wealth of high-quality evidence that creatine supplementation can increase muscle mass (Aguiar et al., 2013) and enhance athletic performance (Chwalbińska-Moneta, 2003), muscle strength (Chillibeck et al., 2017), muscle recovery (Santos et al., 2004), and even cognitive function (Avgerinos et al., 2018) and mental health (Kious et al., 2019). Below, we look at the best budget creatine supplements before examining the evidence on the benefits of creatine and answering some common questions about its use.

The Best Creatine Supplements in Powder Form

According to consumers, the micronized creatine powder from Nutricost may be the best creatine powder available. However, its perfect score is based on a small number of reviews, whereas the scores for the other creatine products in the table below tend to be based on hundreds or thousands of reviews. If you're concerned about artificial sweeteners or other additional ingredients (e.g., heavy metals), check out one of the unflavoured powders in the table. 

Table 1. Top-Rated Creatine Monohydrate Powders

If you're interested in how supplement form can affect use, you might like my articles comparing creatine pills and powders and comparing branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) pills and powders. You might also be interested in my article comparing creatine and BCAA supplements. 

The Best Creatine Supplements in Pill Form

The ratings indicate that the micronised creatine capsules from Myprotein are the most popular dietary supplements in this category. However, they're currently only available on the Myprotein website, whereas the other high-quality supplements in the table can all be purchased on Amazon.co.uk. 

Table 2. Top-Rated Creatine Monohydrate Pills

Due to the third-party certifications of well-established brands like Myprotein, their products are a good choice for professional athletes who need to ensure that they only consume high-quality ingredients and nothing else. 

The Best Creatine Gummies

Gummies can be a great option if you're looking for a high-quality creatine supplement that you can enjoy consuming. The gummies from Recalibrate Me have the most grams of creatine monohydrate per gummy and have a solid rating of 4.5 out of 5. However, the gummies from RX Performance currently have the highest rating (4.7 out of 5). 

Table 3. Top-Rated Creatine Monohydrate Gummies

You might also like my articles comparing creatine and glutamine and creatine and whey protein. 

Creatine and Muscle Growth

A study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that women who took creatine during resistance training experienced significantly greater increases in muscle size compared to those given a placebo (Aguiar et al., 2013).

If you're interested in how creatine can promote muscle gain in competitive athletes, check out my article on how creatine benefits athletes. 

Creatine and Strength

A meta-analysis of 22 studies by Chillibeck et al. (2017) showed that creatine supplementation during resistance training significantly improves body composition by increasing lean tissue mass and strengthens both upper and lower body muscles in adults.

To learn more about the potential benefits of creatine and other supplements, take a look at my article on the best supplements for developing strength. 

Creatine and Exercise Performance

A study on elite rowers by Chwalbińska-Moneta (2003) demonstrated that creatine supplementation significantly enhanced exercise performance by increasing endurance, improving the lactate threshold, and boosting anaerobic capacity, enabling athletes to maintain longer efforts without reducing maximal power output.

If you'd like further guidance on supplements, working with an online certified personal trainer is an excellent choice. 

Creatine and Recovery

A study by Santos et al. (2004) discovered that five days of creatine supplementation before a 30-km race significantly decreased post-race inflammation and muscle damage compared to the control group, with no reported side effects.

How creatine can influence recovery is also discussed in my article comparing creatine and beta-alanine supplements. 

Creatine and Cognitive Function

A systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) by Avgerinos et al. (2018) concluded that creatine supplementation may improve short-term memory and cognitive functions, such as intelligence and reasoning, in healthy individuals.

The potential cognitive benefits of supplements are also considered in my article comparing creatine and L-carnitine. 

Creatine and Mental Health

A review article published in Biomolecules suggests that creatine supplementation may offer a novel antidepressant strategy by improving brain energy production and addressing physiological disruptions linked to depression (Kious et al., 2019). 

Common Questions About Creatine

Q. ​How much creatine should I take?

A. It depends on factors like your body weight and goals. However, Myprotein recommends taking 2.8 grams of micronized creatine monohydrate (a type comprised of smaller particles, which is thought to help with absorption [Hezave et al., 2010]). In one of the studies above (Santos et al., 2004), male endurance athletes took 20 grams per day, whereas the female participants in another of the studies had a lower dose (Aguiar et al., 2013). Specifically, women saw significant increases in strength when taking a daily dose of 5 grams. 

Q. How does creatine work?

A. Creatine supplements enhance high-intensity exercise performance by increasing the availability of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in muscle cells, providing more energy for short bursts of intense activity.

Q. Is creatine safe?

A. Clinical research consistently shows that creatine supplementation is safe and well-tolerated, even at high doses over long periods, with benefits extending beyond exercise performance to include injury prevention, rehabilitation, and potential clinical applications in various health conditions (Kreider et al., 2017). There were once suggestions that creatine might increase the likelihood of muscle cramps, though this does not appear to be the case (Dalbo et al., 2008). 

Q. What is a creatine loading phase and is it necessary?

A creatine loading phase entails taking high doses (≥20 g/day) for 5–7 days to quickly raise muscle creatine levels, but a 2021 meta-analysis found no significant difference in strength gains between those who followed the loading phase and those who took smaller daily doses, suggesting the loading phase is unnecessary for long-term benefits (Forbes et al., 2021).

Q. ​What different types of creatine are there?

A. There are various forms of creatine. For example, creatine ethyl ester is a modified form of creatine designed for better absorption (Gufford et al., 2013), creatine magnesium chelate combines creatine with magnesium to improve stability (Brilla et al., 2003), and creatine hydrochloride (creatine HCL) is a form known for increased solubility (Gufford et al., 2010). However, creatine monohydrate (comprised of creatine and a water molecule) is the type of creatine most research focuses on and is considered the gold standard (Escalante & St Mart, 2023). 

Q. ​Does creatine promote weight loss?

A. ​One of the potential adverse effects of creatine is water retention, so it can actually lead to weight gain. 

About the Author

Dave Robinson is a co-founder of ukfitness.pro and has a background in psychology (BSc) and neuroscience (MSc, PhD). As well as strength training, he enjoys endurance challenges and has completed marathons and ultramarathons, cycled across several countries, and completed the Three Peaks Challenge. When writing, he draws on scientific evidence to understand the pros and cons of different diets, supplements, and training regimes. 

As an Amazon Associate, the site earns from qualifying purchases.

References

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• Avgerinos, K. I., Spyrou, N., Bougioukas, K. I., & Kapogiannis, D. (2018). Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Experimental Gerontology, 108, 166–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exger.2018.04.013
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