When you spend your time at the gym, you may come across creatine supplements, and people love them. They use such creatine because of what it promises to do to their bodies. The biggest upside of using the best creatine supplement is to improve exercise performance. Some people also claim better recovery time after an intense workout.
So, should you get such best supplements for your workout routine too? We look at the best creatine brands and their products to see where you should buy the supplements to improve your workouts. Learn more below.
Editor’s Choice
- It has zero colored dyes and artificial sweeteners
- It contains natural ingredients
- Can help decrease fat mass and build endurance
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Top 5 Best Creatine Supplements
1. Transparent Labs Creatine - Best for Muscle Building
2. Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine - Best Improved Strength
3. Onnit Creatine Monohydrate - Best for Natural Ingredients
4. Naked Creatine Monohydrate Powder - Best for Muscle Recovery
5. Elm - Best for Lean Muscle Mass
Highlights
- It has no artificial sweeteners
- Creatine, and HMB combination improves performance
- Can help prevent muscle loss
- Bioperine can improve bioavailability and absorption
Pros
- Features science-backed ingredients
- Can support lean muscle growth
- It is easy to use and follow the dosage
Cons
- It can get expensive without a subscription
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The Transparent Labs creatine HMB is one of the best muscle and strength building formula you can get right now in the market. It is geared towards helping you build your muscles and achieve lean muscle mass simultaneously. The best part is how the product is available in different flavors, including blue raspberry, watermelon, orange, Hawaiian splash, and more.
As for ingredients, it is all about ensuring the product does its job well. It features ingredients such as creatine monohydrate, HMB, Bioperine, and Vitamin D. As you can see, these are all natural ingredients vital for making the product good at its job. There is enough research on the ingredients to show how they can help with improving your energy.
It might not be in capsule form, but this creatine powder is still highly potent. You are required to use it by mixing one level scoop with 10 ounces of cold water. You could still mix it with any other beverage of your choice. Make sure you take it 30 minutes before a workout. However, if you do not work out that day, take one scoop in the morning to help with muscle recovery.
Highlights
- Made of high-quality ingredients
- Banned substance tested
- Micronized to ensure ease of mixing
- Can support ATP recycling
Pros
- It does not have artificial sweeteners
- Can boost muscle growth
- It can improve your energy boost
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Cons
- It lacks flavor options
This micronized creatine monohydrate will be the right one for growing your muscle size, gym performance, and strength. We can see why people enjoy using this over other brand products. You can expect up to 5 grams of pure creatine monohydrate per serving. This is enough to get you enjoying the workout even better. The best part is that it has zero calories and zero carbohydrates.
Being micronized creatine monohydrate powder also makes it highly soluble. You can find that mixing it to have it ready is easy. No more dealing with lumps, unlike what you get with some other products. The manufacturer goes a step further to test for banned substances to ensure that you get the right product that cannot affect your health negatively. You can always request lab reports to see if it is a great offer.
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One thing about the company should be how the support team can help you understand more about the product. Optimum Nutrition recommends using one teaspoon of the powder in a protein shake or glass full of your flavored beverage. Ensure that you stir well enough to eliminate the lumps. It is advisable to pair it with a balanced diet and a good exercise program to enjoy more benefits.
Highlights
- Can help promote lean muscle gains
- May promote strength and power
- The product has natural ingredients
- It is dairy and soy-free
Pros
Tested in a third-party lab
It may increase your energy
It can aid in improving body composition
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Cons
You need to use more to feel the effects
The company promotes its product for mostly getting lean muscle gains. So, the next time you want to get into the gym, you should consider it to ensure that you have all the energy to power through the workouts. Even if it is not creatine capsules, it is still potent enough to ensure you gain power and strength.
The product is dairy-free, soy-free, and vegan. These are three important things people may look at sometimes. It is good to know that the product would not lead to allergies, which is vital for giving you the best results. Considering that the brand has been around for over two decades, it shows that it has the experience to make it happen.
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The company has its products tested in a third-party lab called Informed Sport. This lab ensures that the final product you buy has the right quality, which is important for giving you the best results. The lab results would also show you the quantity of the different ingredients so that you do not have to worry about them. You only have to use two scoops per serving and mix it with 8 ounces of water before drinking it.
Highlights
- Can improve strength and performance
- Can promote muscle gain
- May help you recover fast after a workout
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Pros
- It is easy to use with protein shakes too
- Can help boost strength and performance
- The product is keto-friendly
Cons
- Expensive product
One thing about this product should be that it contains only one ingredient which is pure creatine monohydrate. Unlike some products with too many fillers, this one eliminates that to give you the best creatine in powder form. This product is further tested in an independent third-party lab for the presence of heavy metals.
Another notable thing about this creatine monohydrate is that it is free from dairy and gluten. Those who are easily affected by such ingredients would be happy about it. Also, it is keto-friendly, so do not worry about increasing the number of calories you consume daily.
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Users of this product claim that it helps them gain additional energy for performing better at the gym. Also, they can experience faster recovery time generally after a workout. If you want to use this product, all you have to do is add it to your protein shakes, smoothies, or water, and that is it.
Highlights
- Produced in conjunction with doctors
- Lab results are available on the website
- Convenient for taking any time
- Features quality ingredients
Pros
- The ingredients are sustainably sourced
- May improve athletic performance
- Users may experience improved muscle mass
Cons
- Might take longer to feel the effects
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The company works with several doctors in the production of their nutrition micronized creatine capsules. This gives you confidence that the creatine nitrate and other ingredients used will benefit you. You can read about the doctors' backgrounds to see their competence before even buying the product to improve muscle mass.
Of course, not all creatine supplements are created equal. That is why you may like what this brand offers in its products. Even lab results show that you are not being shortchanged when buying this kind of product. The company offers the full lab report to ensure the buyer is more confident in using its products.
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When the others mentioned above are powders, here you get creatine capsules or creatine pills. They are still good, considering the reviews that you get from users. At times, it might take longer to feel the effects, but when they hit, it is all about having more power to handle the workouts. As for usage, it is advisable to take two tablets per serving.
What is Creatine & What Does it Do?
The quick answer is that creatine is a pre-workout supplement to boost your gym performance.
Creatine is already in the muscle cell, but we need the supplement to help boost its levels so that our muscles can produce more energy whenever we do high-intensity exercise or heavy lifting.
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Some people might wonder, why even use creatine?
Well, those using creatine are all about improving their health and athletic performance in various ways. If you can use creatine supplements with no banned substances, you may experience better energy, muscle gain, and sometimes weight gain, shared by Health Canal.
So, other than boosting energy, the other ways creatine can improve your life include;
- Users often experience boosted workout performance . You might notice that you get better at lifting heavy weights, and in the long term, you will have better muscle growth.
- There can also be improved cell signaling thanks to using the best creatine supplement. This means that you now have faster muscle repair and new muscle growth.
- Creatine may also lead to raised anabolic hormones. Some studies show that hormones such as IGF-1 can rise after using creatine.
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It is still possible to experience cell hydration. This is because creatine can lift the water content present in the muscle cells. This is a key role in ensuring you can see improved muscle growth.
In case you were worried about muscle protein breakdown, just know it can be minimized by using creatine. So you will not lose muscle mass.
Different Types of Creatine
If you are in the market for sports nutrition products, it is possible to come across different options. A good example is a creatine. However, such a supplement is available in different types. It is why learning about the different types is important. Let us see which types of creatine are available at the moment.
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Creatine Monohydrate
This is probably the most common creatine type and might be called vegan creatine monohydrate too. Being common means it has also been used in research to help understand the role of creatine.
The creatine monohydrate is made up of a water molecule and a creatine molecule which can be processed in several ways. You may sometimes get the water molecule removed to end up with creatine anhydrous.
You may also come across micronized creatine to end up with the micronized creatine powder. The aim is to improve water solubility . This feature is vital to improve the rate at which the body absorbs creatine.
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Even with the differences in how creatine is made, they are all important for muscle building and can be effective based on the dosage used.
Creatine Ethyl Ester
Whether you are looking for the best creatine for men or the best creatine for women, you may also come across this one.
Some manufacturers claim this one would be superior to the other types of creatine available because of how fast it can be absorbed into the body.
However, a study done on Ethyl Ester creatine shows that it was not the best at increasing creatine content in the user's blood and muscles. So, you may use it, but it might not have the best results always.
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Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL)
Creatine HCL has gained quite popularity with different users and manufacturers. This is because of the superior solubility that such a product offers compared to the monohydrate form of creatine.
It remained a theory for a while until a study done on creatine HCL found it was 38 times more soluble compared to monohydrate creatine. However, studies on humans still remain scarce. For this reason, it might not be recommended more often.
Buffered Creatine
The best creatine for muscle growth and improved exercise performance can also be buffered. This means the manufacturer tries to improve its stability through alkaline powder addition.
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This addition of alkaline powder is supposed to increase its potency and still reduce common side effects of creatine, such as bloating and cramping.
People who have used buffered creatine often struggle to see the difference between the buffered creatine and the best creatine monohydrate . Still, it seems the monohydrate type is the winner.
Liquid Creatine
MIDSS expert advice shows that most creatine supplements are in powder form so that you can dissolve them quickly in water and drink. However, there is also liquid creatine that does not need dissolving. It is ready to drink right out of the package.
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We are still to see extensive research showing how making it in liquid form affects its use, but it seems it will not be more effective than creatine monohydrate.
Creatine Magnesium Chelate
Chelated creatine simply means that magnesium has been added to the creatine molecule. The idea is to use magnesium to improve overall performance in your workouts.
As much as it is a great idea, most people claim not to notice big differences when using such a type of creatine and when using creatine monohydrate.
Who May (And May Not) Benefit from Creatine
Many people who love working out can consider creatine simply because of the many mentioned benefits. So, anyone who wants the following can consider using creatine.
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- Increased strength and muscle size
- Help fight muscle loss in older people
- Improving brain function
Generally, if you want to power through your workouts, it can be good to consider using creatine.
However, that being said, creatine is not recommended for people who have diabetes, liver disease, or kidney problems. Other people who might not benefit from using creatine are pregnant or nursing women and children under 18 years.
If you take any medication or supplements that affect your blood sugar, consult with a doctor first. This is because creatine can also affect blood sugar levels.
Are Creatine Supplements Safe?
You have got yourself the best creatine monohydrate powder from any of the brands mentioned above, and you are ready to enjoy working out. However, you should know that how you use creatine can lead to some side effects.
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Generally, we find creatine supplements safe, but you have to stick to the recommended dosage. If you can use it as recommended, you may never have to deal with side effects and just enjoy its potential benefits.
The side effects may include;
- Weight gain
- Rash
- Stomach upset
- Anxiety
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Headache
- Nausea, and vomiting
Conclusion
Maybe you have bought Creapure creatine monohydrate or any other type from the brands mentioned above, and you cannot wait to see what happens. The best solution is to follow the manufacturer's guidelines on the usage to see the benefits. With many reports showing how creatine may improve your energy and exercise performance, go ahead and try it. Just make sure that you also push yourself to do better at the gym to maximize the benefits.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the most effective creatine to take?
The Transparent Labs creatine product seems to check the list of most people who want more energy to improve their gym workouts as well as be an NSF-certified sports product.
2. What creatine builds the most muscle?
Optimum Nutrition makes high-quality creatine products you can use for building muscle. You may need to use them consistently to see proper muscle growth.
3. Does creatine cause side effects?
Creatine may have some side effects too, based on the quality used and how much you take. Notable side effects include bloating, rash, anxiety, and diarrhea sometimes.
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4. Can I take creatine every day?
It is generally safe for you to consume creatine each day. So long as you keep it within the recommended dosage, it should not be a problem.
Disclaimer : The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook editorial.
