When it comes to the best gym supplements, there are few that can truly beat the muscle-building power of the best creatine powder.
From preventing dehydration during a tough workout, and assisting in rapid muscle repair, to increased lean muscle mass - creatine is the ultimate pre-workout supplement that you should be taking advantage of. There are mountains of scientific research that have gone into the studies of creatine, and yet there are still many misconceptions about the supplement and any side effects it might cause.
The best creatine powders and supplements at a glance:
Best creatine powder overall: Optimum Nutrition Micronised Creatine Powder - View offer on Amazon
Best creatine powder for beginners: MyProtein Creatine Monohydrate Powder - View offer on Amazon
Best tasting creatine powder: OLIMP Creatine Xplode 500g Orange Flavour - View offer on Amazon
At What's The Best, we aim to give you the straight facts about creatine, its potential side effects and why it is the ultimate workout aid - so you feel as though you can start your exercise journey as knowledgeable and stress-free as possible. From brands you're likely to know well, such as Optimum Nutrition, MyProtein and OLIMP - we've selected the highest quality creatine, varying in flavour and potency, so your workout is the best it can possibly be.
What's more, we've also included some alternatives to the often bloat-inducing creatine powder just to give you that extra freedom of choice when looking for the best gym supplements for you.
The best creatine powders and supplements:
Best creatine powder overall
Description
Optimum Nutrition's micronised creatine powder is one of our favourite creatine supplements – and it isn't difficult to understand why. This pure, potent supplement is made of micronised creatine monohydrate, which is easily dissolved and consumed. It is easy to digest and provides a rapid burst of energy at the gym.
At a whopping 634g with around 186 servings – at its price, Optimum Nutrition's micronised creatine powder is one of the best value options on the fitness supplement market.
While we've noted the lower serving sizes in our 'Pros' and 'Cons' list, some may think otherwise. A smaller serving size can reduce the risk of the dreaded post-workout (or intra-workout) bloat, which often scares gym-goers away from creatine for good. With Optimum Nutrition's micronised protein powder, a smaller dose means you can experience the benefits of excellent quality creatine without gut pain.
Pros
- A high number of servings
- Easily incorporated into a workout routine
- Mixes well into water
Cons
- Serving sizes are fairly small
Best creatine powder for beginners
Description
MyProtein is a household name, so it is no surprise that they've made our list of the best creatine powders. It's incredible value for money, for around £16 you're getting a whole 250g of creatine powder, with 3g of creatine per serving. It's also unflavoured and vegan, which suits most people's needs.
Pros
- Great value creatine
- Pure creatine monohydrate - perfect for muscle-building
Cons
- Some graininess
Best budget creatine powder
AmazonDescription
Warrior Creatine Monohydrate Powder is a premium creatine supplement, suited for athletes and fitness enthusiasts who look to improve their strength, endurance, and muscle recovery.
This 300g pack contains pure, micronized creatine monohydrate for optimal absorption and effectiveness, ensuring your body receives the highest quality support for intense workouts.
Regular use can significantly improve explosive power, increase muscle mass, and quicker recovery times, making it an ideal choice for anyone serious about their fitness journey. Easy to mix and with no added fillers, it's the perfect addition to your training regimen to help you achieve your performance goals faster and more efficiently.
Pros
- Great value
- Reputable brand
- #1 best seller
Cons
- Certain flavours could be too sweet for some
Best creatine powder to buy in bulk
AmazonDescription
MuscleTech CellTech Creatine Monohydrate Powder is a scientifically engineered formula designed to maximise those gains.
This advanced, multi-stage supplement contains pure creatine monohydrate and is also enriched with carbohydrates to increase absorption and enhance overall effectiveness.
Ideal as a bulk buy for athletes and bodybuilders, it promotes faster recovery, explosive energy, and significant muscle growth. With CellTech, you can push your limits and transform your performance in every workout.
Pros
- Full of electrolytes and BCAA's
- Great bulk buy option
- Quality supplement brand
Cons
- Could have more flavours available
Best tasting creatine powder
Description
If you're not a fan of the unflavoured creatine powders and prefer one that has some kick to it, then we cannot recommend OLIMP's creatine powder enough. Bursting with fresh, citrusy orange flavour, not to mention its fantastic 5g dose of creatine monohydrate and added magnesium for muscle repair - this is one pre-workout supplement that you simply cannot pass on.
Pros
- Great value
- Explosive pre-workout
- Solid orange flavour - easy to drink
- Good 5g serving
Cons
- Not a huge amount of servings for the price
- Isn't suitable for vegetarians
Best Creatine Monohydrate powder
Description
Bulk's mammoth 1kg bag of creatine monohydrate is simply excellent for the gym-prepper type of person. Creatine is the lifeblood of a great workout, and keeping on top of true muscle saturation is necessary for terrific progress - enter, Bulk.
Bulk's pure creatine monohydrate is simply one the most effective ways of quickly absorbing creatine before a workout - simply grab yourself a fantastic protein shaker, add a single 5g scoop of Bulk's creatine to 150-200ml of water, and (ensuring the lid is well and truly fastened tight), give it a good shake.
Pros
- Has an enormous number of servings per bag
- Pure creatine monohydrate - no additional chemicals
- Dissolves well into water
Cons
- A fairly large investment in pre-workout powder
Best pure creatine powder
Description
Vegan, soy-free, milk-free, GMO-free, palm oil free, and gluten-free - Protein Works' 100 per cent pure creatine powder is about as high quality as creatine gets, and that's no exaggeration.
Shake with 150-200ml of water, neck your potent pre-workout concoction and start training within 25-30 minutes.
Pros
- Ultra-high quality creatine
- Very easy to dissolve
- Excellent available flavours
- Good amount of creatine per serving
Cons
- Some users found the taste to be bitter - but this was rare
Best creatine supplement
Description
For those that aren't particular fans of chugging creatine moments before a workout, save yourself the bloating and try some creatine capsules.
Take 6-8 capsules per day and all the creatine to do its magic - train harder, build muscle, boost motivation - creatine is the be-all-end-all supplement, and ILN's creatine capsules are some of the best on the market.
Pros
- Fantastic alternative to powder
- Perfect for all-day use
- Excellent workout boost
Cons
- Not as instantly effective as creatine powder
Best chewable creatine
Description
Save yourself from swigging creatine on the way to the gym and save yourself from taking several trips to the bathroom - ILN's chewable creatine tablets are the perfect way to boost your drive, enhance your pump and break through your exercise thresholds.
Take at least six tablets per day and give them a good chew - don't worry they're delicious. ILN also recommends taking them with a glass of water so you can absorb the creatine much faster - refreshing. ILN's chewable creatine tablets are among some of the best pre-workout supplements, whilst also being a particularly excellent post-workout supplement too, so no more post-workout bloat.
Pros
- Excellent flavour
- Rapid workout boost
- Perfect for pre-workout snack and boost
Cons
- Creatine per serving is less than both pills and powder
FAQs:
What is the difference between creatine powder and protein powder?
Protein powder can be useful for increasing your daily protein intake to aid things like muscle gain, recovery, weight loss and overall performance.
While creatine powder increases exercise capacity and is especially great for short intense workouts such as weight lifting or sprinting, as it can help you produce quick bursts of energy and speed.
There are several forms of creatine supplements out there: powders, capsules, or even liquid creatine. There are also many different types of creatine, with creatine monohydrate being the most popular and proven to deliver the best results.
The wonder of creatine also lies in its manufacturing process - creatine can, and often is derived from natural, vegan or vegetarian sources (much like our favourite vegan protein powders), so anyone can experience the incredible benefits of regular creatine intake.
What are the benefits of creatine?
Creatine monohydrate is a form of amino acid found in the skeletal muscles and is essential for energy production in muscles.
Consuming creatine assists in the maintenance and energy upkeep in muscles - while training, muscles begin to tear (don't worry, this is both safe and natural) - muscles use energy to repair these tears, which over time causes your muscles to become much stronger.
Creatine supplements massively boost this repair cycle - making it decisively the greatest workout supplement of all, without contest.
What is creatine loading?
Creatine loading is a process of intaking large quantities of the supplement for roughly a week. In your regular routine, you should consume around 5-7g per day to upkeep creatine saturation in your muscles, but during a loading phase, you can consume up to 20g per day throughout the day.
Loading is important because it saves gym-goers from waiting for weeks for full muscle saturation - loading ensures that you feel the effects of creatine as quickly as possible.
Of course, this isn't without its side effects - bloating and some feelings of nausea are fairly common, after which you should absolutely cut back - a nauseous workout is among one of the worst gym experiences to have, and your health and wellbeing are far more important than total muscle saturation.
Is taking creatine safe?
Taking the recommended creatine dose for your body is safe, the only danger with it comes when people overdo it. Despite plenty of reputable research proving that it is indeed safe to take, plenty of people avoid it due to concerns over kidney damage, as well as weight gain and cramps. Some have even falsely claimed that it is a steroid, however, despite this negative press, creatine in moderation is indeed safe.
The only caveat with creatine is that you should take a week's break from taking it after 6-8 weeks, this is due to the fact that taking the supplement for an extended period of time lessens its effect on your body.
What are the different types of creatine?
There are about 10 different types of creatine, the most popular being creatine monohydrate. This is the creatine most proven to improve and enhance your training sessions, although some research and evidence demonstrate that creatine magnesium chelate is as effective as creatine monohydrate, however, information on this is limited.
Ryan Houghton is a tech writer and reviewer for What's The Best, specialising in PCs and gaming. He is a keen PC gamer and an avid reader.
Subscribe to the What’s The Best Newsletter to keep up to date with more of the latest reviews and recommendations from the rest of the What’s The Best team.