Creatine monohydrate is the most widely used, recommended, and studied form of creatine. Other types include creatine ethyl ester, hydrochloride, and magnesium creatine, but less research supports their safety and efficacy.
Creatine is one of the most widely used dietary supplements globally. It’s a natural molecular compound in your body’s cells, and it plays a critical role in cellular energy production.
Creatine supplementation may offer a wide range of physical and psychological benefits, including enhanced muscle strength, endurance, and power, as well as support for brain health.
The most widely studied and recommended form of creatine supplements is creatine monohydrate. While other forms are also available, far less research supports their purported benefits.
The majority of research on creatine focuses on creatine monohydrate. This means most of creatine’s beneficial effects have been observed almost exclusively with creatine monohydrate. These may include:
- increasing muscle strength, power, and endurance
- improving muscle recovery
- reducing the risk of injuries
- supporting brain and spinal health
- supporting healthy aging
Creatine monohydrate is made up of a creatine molecule and a water molecule, though it can be processed in a few ways.
Sometimes manufacturers remove the water molecule, resulting in creatine anhydrous. The removal of water increases the amount of creatine in each dose. Creatine anhydrous is 100% creatine by weight, whereas the monohydrate form is about 90% creatine by weight.
Other times, manufacturers micronize or mechanically process the creatine to improve water solubility. In theory, better water solubility could improve your body’s ability to absorb it, although creatine monohydrate is already absorbed very efficiently, at close to 100%.
Improving water solubility will also make it easier for the creatine to dissolve in water, so it’s less likely to have a gritty texture like other creatine powders can have.
Despite these minor differences in processing, each of these forms is likely equally effective when equal doses are given.
Creatine monohydrate is safe for most people to consume, but in rare cases, it may cause short-term side effects, such as upset stomach or muscle cramping. The risk of these side effects may increase with higher creatine doses.
Creatine monohydrate has long been the gold standard for this supplement, as it’s the most effective and affordable option. More research is necessary to compare it to newer forms before experts recommend them.
Some manufacturers claim that creatine ethyl ester (CEE) is superior to other forms of the supplement, including the monohydrate form. CEE is a form of creatine that manufacturers chemically alter.
Research suggests CEE has some beneficial effects, including:
- increasing total muscle creatine content
- increasing body weight
- increasing leg press strength
- decreasing body fat
However, no studies have found that CEE is more effective than creatine monohydrate for supporting physical and mental health.
Creatine hydrochloride (HCl) has grown in popularity with some manufacturers and supplement users.
Initial excitement about it was due to reports of its superior solubility, where some people claimed that taking a lower dose could achieve the same results as creatine monohydrate, but reduce potential side effects.
However, researchers have found that no research supports this theory.
A 2024 study compared the effects of taking HCI and creatine monohydrate. The researchers found that both are effective in improving muscle strengthand enhancing body composition, but HCI is not more effective than creatine monohydrate.
Given the large amount of data supporting the effectiveness of creatine monohydrate, experts are unlikely to recommend the HCl form as superior until researchers compare both in several experiments.
Some supplement manufacturers have attempted to improve the stability of creatine in the stomach by adding an alkaline powder, resulting in a buffered form.
Some believe this could increase its potency and reduce potential side effects, such as bloating and cramping.
Limited research has examined the effects of buffered creatine. An older 2012 study found that buffered creatine was not more beneficial than monohydrate forms, and there were no differences regarding side effects.
The study participants took the supplements while continuing their weight training program for 28 days. Increases in bench press strength and cycling power production occurred in both groups. Overall, while buffered forms weren’t worse than monohydrate forms in this study, they weren’t better either.
More research is needed to fully understand the possible benefits of buffered creatine.
While most creatine supplements come in powdered form, some ready-to-drink versions have the supplement already dissolved in water.
Limited research has examined the effects of liquid creatine, but older studies suggest that liquid forms may be less effective than monohydrate powders.
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Liquid creatine may not be as effective as powder forms because the creatine may break down when it remains in liquid form for several days. This doesn’t happen immediately, so it’s OK to mix your powder with water right before consumption.
Most research uses powders that participants mix soon before use. Based on the research, this is the recommended way to consume creatine supplements.
Creatine magnesium chelate (CMC) is a form of the supplement that’s “chelated” with magnesium, which means that magnesium is attached to the creatine molecule.
In theory, CMC can help creatine enter muscle cells more effectively and prevent it from breaking down into creatinine.
However, like other forms of creatine supplements, limited research has examined its potential physiological effects compared to creatine monohydrate.
A small 2022 study of 20 athletes found that 16 weeks of low-dosage CMC supplementation led to improved results in a repeated sprint ability test compared to a placebo.
According to a 2022 review, no evidence suggests that it’s more effective or safer than creatine monohydrate.
In general, healthcare professionals are likely to recommend creatine monohydrate as a creatine supplement because it has the most supportive research, and research reports limited side effects.
When choosing a creatine supplement, it’s important to carefully read the product’s ingredients label.
Creatine is a dietary supplement, which means the
Some research found that products often make false or misleading claims about the ingredients in a supplement or the product’s effectiveness.
If you’re unsure which option is best for you, consider speaking with a registered dietitian or a healthcare professional. They can recommend the best creatine type for you and advise you on how to take it.
When it comes to creatine supplements, most experts will recommend creatine monohydrate over other forms. It has the strongest supportive research, with studies demonstrating its effectiveness at increasing your body’s stores and improving exercise performance.
While several other forms exist, most of them have minimal research examining their effectiveness.
Additionally, the monohydrate form is relatively cheap, effective, and widely available. Other forms may be promising, but more scientific information is needed before they can compete with creatine monohydrate.