The No-Nonsense Guide to Creatine

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements in existence. Here's what forms to buy, how to dose it, when to take it, and what to look for in a brand.

Creatine is the most studied performance supplement in sports science. A meta-analysis covering 53 studies and over 1,100 subjects confirmed significant strength improvements across diverse populations and training protocols.[1] If you’re not taking it, you’re probably missing out.

Here’s everything you need to know.

What creatine actually does

Your muscles store energy as ATP (adenosine triphosphate). During high-intensity effort, ATP is depleted within seconds. Creatine phosphate donates a phosphate group to regenerate ATP faster: more reps, more power, better performance before fatigue sets in.

Beyond the gym, creatine supports:

  • Cognitive performance: particularly under mental fatigue and sleep deprivation — a meta-analysis of 16 RCTs found significant improvements in memory and processing speed, with stronger effects in older adults[2]
  • Healthy ageing: muscle loss (sarcopenia) is a major cause of frailty; creatine helps preserve muscle mass
  • Recovery: reduces muscle damage markers after training

Forms of creatine

Creatine monohydrate is the gold standard. It is the most studied form, the cheapest, and the most effective. There is no credible evidence that more expensive forms (creatine HCL, Kre-Alkalyn, creatine ethyl ester) outperform it.

Do not pay a premium for marketing. Buy monohydrate.

Dosing

There are two approaches:

Loading protocol: 20g/day split across 4 doses for 5–7 days, then 3–5g/day maintenance. Saturates muscle creatine stores quickly.

Gradual loading: 3–5g/day from the start. You’ll reach saturation in about 4 weeks. No bloating, simpler, equally effective over time.

Most people are best served by 3–5g/day with no loading phase. The “loading bloat” is water retention in muscle tissue, not harmful but uncomfortable for some people.

Timing

The science on timing is mixed. Some research suggests post-workout is slightly superior; other studies find no meaningful difference.

Consistency matters far more than timing. Take it whenever you’ll reliably take it: morning coffee, with a meal, post-workout.

What to look for in a brand

Look for creatine that is:

  • Creapure certified: the gold standard manufacturing process for creatine monohydrate, produced in Germany with rigorous purity testing
  • Third-party tested: Informed Sport or NSF Certified for Sport if you’re a tested athlete
  • Unflavoured: flavoured versions add cost and sometimes artificial sweeteners you don’t need

Brands like Thorne, NOW Foods, and Life Extension all offer reliable creatine monohydrate at fair prices.

Safety

Creatine is exceptionally well-tolerated. The long-running concern about kidney stress has been repeatedly studied and debunked in healthy individuals. Decades of research show no adverse effects at standard doses.

If you have existing kidney disease, consult a doctor first. This applies to most supplements, not just creatine.

Bottom line

Creatine monohydrate, 3–5g daily, consistent timing, reputable brand. That’s the entire decision tree. It’s one of the rare supplements where the evidence is overwhelming and the cost is low.

Add it to your Biostacks stack, scan the barcode, and you’re done.

References

  1. Lanhers C et al. Creatine Supplementation and Upper Limb Strength Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine, 2017. doi:10.1007/s40279-016-0571-4
  2. Xu C et al. The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Nutrition, 2024. doi:10.3389/fnut.2024.1424972