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Which Version Of Creatine Is Best?
If you want to take creatine, you need to know which forms work, which don’t, and which are overhyped and overpriced.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate is the form used in the majority of studies demonstrating creatine’s benefits. It’s the gold standard of creatine and a time-proven winner.
Creatine Citrate
Creatine citrate is creatine bound to citric acid and research indicates it’s more water soluble than creatine monohydrate but no more better in terms of absorption and effectiveness.
Creatine Ethyl Ester
Creatine ethyl ester is a form of creatine that is supposed to convert back to usable creatine in the body.
It’s usually marketed as having better absorption properties than creatine monohydrate, but research shows it’s actually less effective than monohydrate, on par with a placebo.
The reason for this is once creatine ethyl ester enters your body, it’s converted into an inactive substance known as “creatinine.”
Liquid Creatine
Liquid creatine is simply a form of creatine–usually monohydrate–suspended in liquid.
Studies show that it’s less effective than creatine monohydrate because, when suspended in a solution for several days, creatine breaks down into the inactive substance creatinine.
Micronized Creatine
Micronized creatine is creatine that has been processed to reduce the particle size of the powder. The most form most commonly sold as micronized creatine is monohydrate.
Micronization increases water solubility but changes nothing in terms of absorption or effectiveness.
Creatine Nitrate
Creatine nitrate is a form of creatine bound with a nitrate group.
This increases water solubility and nitrates do have ergogenic properties, but no studies have been conducted comparing creatine nitrate to monohydrate, so we don’t know yet if it’s a better choice.
Creatine Magnesium Chelate
Creatine magnesium chelate is a form of creatine bound to magnesium.
Magnesium plays a role in creatine metabolism and thus, theoretically, supplementing with it alongside creatine may increase its effectiveness.
However, one study found that creatine magnesium chelate is more or less the same as creatine monohydrate in terms of ergogenic effects but may result in less water weight gain.
More research is needed on creatine magnesium chelate to determine if it offers any reliable advantages over creatine monohydrate.
Buffered Creatine
Buffered creatine is a form of creatine touted to outperform monohydrate due to a higher pH level.
Research indicates otherwise, however: it’s no more effective than monohydrate.
Creatine Hydrochloride
Creatine hydrochloride is creatine bound with hydrochloric acid.
It’s turned into a basic creatine molecule in your stomach while it may be more water soluble than creatine monohydrate, no research has yet proven it to be any more effective.
Creatine Malate
Creatine malate is creatine bound with malic acid.
While malic acid alone may enhance performance, it hasn’t been researched in conjunction with creatine.
Creatine Pyruvate
Creatine pyruvate is creatine bound with pyruvic acid.
Research shows it may produce higher plasma levels of creatine than monohydrate, but this doesn’t translate into greater muscle absorption or performance enhancement.
The Bottom Line
Creatine Monohydrate remains the most studied and proven of all the various forums. Plus it also happens to be the cheapest version. Until more studies are done, stick with the tried and true.
If you want to take creatine, you need to know which forms work, which don’t, and which are overhyped and overpriced.
Creatine Monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate is the form used in the majority of studies demonstrating creatine’s benefits. It’s the gold standard of creatine and a time-proven winner.
Creatine Citrate
Creatine citrate is creatine bound to citric acid and research indicates it’s more water soluble than creatine monohydrate but no more better in terms of absorption and effectiveness.
Creatine Ethyl Ester
Creatine ethyl ester is a form of creatine that is supposed to convert back to usable creatine in the body.
It’s usually marketed as having better absorption properties than creatine monohydrate, but research shows it’s actually less effective than monohydrate, on par with a placebo.
The reason for this is once creatine ethyl ester enters your body, it’s converted into an inactive substance known as “creatinine.”
Liquid Creatine
Liquid creatine is simply a form of creatine–usually monohydrate–suspended in liquid.
Studies show that it’s less effective than creatine monohydrate because, when suspended in a solution for several days, creatine breaks down into the inactive substance creatinine.
Micronized Creatine
Micronized creatine is creatine that has been processed to reduce the particle size of the powder. The most form most commonly sold as micronized creatine is monohydrate.
Micronization increases water solubility but changes nothing in terms of absorption or effectiveness.
Creatine Nitrate
Creatine nitrate is a form of creatine bound with a nitrate group.
This increases water solubility and nitrates do have ergogenic properties, but no studies have been conducted comparing creatine nitrate to monohydrate, so we don’t know yet if it’s a better choice.
Creatine Magnesium Chelate
Creatine magnesium chelate is a form of creatine bound to magnesium.
Magnesium plays a role in creatine metabolism and thus, theoretically, supplementing with it alongside creatine may increase its effectiveness.
However, one study found that creatine magnesium chelate is more or less the same as creatine monohydrate in terms of ergogenic effects but may result in less water weight gain.
More research is needed on creatine magnesium chelate to determine if it offers any reliable advantages over creatine monohydrate.
Buffered Creatine
Buffered creatine is a form of creatine touted to outperform monohydrate due to a higher pH level.
Research indicates otherwise, however: it’s no more effective than monohydrate.
Creatine Hydrochloride
Creatine hydrochloride is creatine bound with hydrochloric acid.
It’s turned into a basic creatine molecule in your stomach while it may be more water soluble than creatine monohydrate, no research has yet proven it to be any more effective.
Creatine Malate
Creatine malate is creatine bound with malic acid.
While malic acid alone may enhance performance, it hasn’t been researched in conjunction with creatine.
Creatine Pyruvate
Creatine pyruvate is creatine bound with pyruvic acid.
Research shows it may produce higher plasma levels of creatine than monohydrate, but this doesn’t translate into greater muscle absorption or performance enhancement.
The Bottom Line
Creatine Monohydrate remains the most studied and proven of all the various forums. Plus it also happens to be the cheapest version. Until more studies are done, stick with the tried and true.
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