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Best Creatine Supplements Reviewed & Rated for Quality
Standout Picks
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Effectiveness
The effectiveness of any product is hard to determine if you aren’t personally conducting a test of some sort. This is the reason gone over in the intro to this section. The best way to determine the effectiveness of a product without testing it ourselves was to wade through customer reviews online to find out what people generally had to say about it. If the response was overwhelmingly positive, then it got considered for the list. Obviously, if it was negative, then we didn’t even give it a second thought. Any good amino product needs to help their user gain muscle, bone strength, endurance, and so on, so if the overwhelming response was that yes, it did all of those things, then it got into the running for the list.
Of course, then came the nitty-gritty. How did we consider things for the list itself? Simply put, how well did they do compare to everyone else? Did they have some kind of special ingredient? Some spin on the default blend, like improving the formula through a trifecta of different materials, or using as many different kinds of amino at once to see what would happen? Once effectiveness was determined, then came the next step: creativity. Once you’ve been established to be good at something, what then determines whether or not you are the best is how you are good at it.
Taste
The reason we have taste buds is that it’s our bodies way of determining if something is okay for the throat to swallow. It’s very hard to knowingly eat something that has literally no taste, or no substance dense enough for the taste buds to get a read on (hence why it’s literally impossible to swallow cinnamon on its own). This is, as you can imagine, why supplements, especially in powder form, need to be mixed in with other materials.
But a way to add onto this effect is to add some flavoring into the powder as well. This will further help to fool your taste buds into swallowing the supplement safely without any kind of resistance. However, there is another trick: the process of flavoring such a product, by adding in artificial preservatives or flavorings, may end up counteracting the effects that the supplements are trying to go for in the first place. This is why a lot of athletes just prefer to bite the bullet and take the supplement tasteless.
However, the problem then arises that nothing is truly tasteless unless it’s plain old oxygen. Everything has some kind of taste. This is where the water comes in, in terms of powder supplements. Altogether, the powder would give off a taste, but diluted into plain water, the effects are the same (especially if you drink the entire glass), but you don’t taste it if you stir it correctly. The contents are spread out evenly enough that you don’t even notice.
Value
Yes, the price of these supplements matters, especially if you’re interested in one of the more expensive entries in this list. Because it isn’t just some one-time thing that you take and suddenly you become Adonis. This is a permanent addition to your diet and daily intake, and so needs to be budgeted accordingly. And when you budget it, you need to make sure that you can pencil this supplement in without any real issue. Any considered addition to your nutritional routine needs to be added while taking the cost of the endeavor into account.
One thing you need to consider is whether or not you’re paying the adequate amount for the services provided, or at least the amount thereof. If you’re paying, say, $30 or so for a small bag of product, you’re likely getting ripped off. Prices should not only reflect the quality of the product but the amount of that same product. So always pay attention to the serving size of the supplements you’re looking through.
10 Best Creatine Supplements
1. Optimum Nutrition
Kicking off our list, our #1 spot goes to Optimum Nutrition’s Micronized Creatine Powder. Whether in powder or pill form, you’ll be hard pressed to find a higher rated form of supplements than Optimum Nutrition’s brand. What makes them so special? It’s really quite simple.
Increased energy
Nothing is worse than getting to the gym and feeling like you have to force yourself to actually work out because every inch and fiber of your being down to the crevices of your soul is telling you to go take a nap. Which is why you should pair your coffee with some micronized supplement. This powder will help you get up to top speed faster, so when you hit the gym, you’re ready.
Bounce back faster
Not only does this supplement help you get the needed energy for working out, but it also helps you get back in the game when you take a break. Or better yet, when the exhaustion hits a bit too hard after you finish and are on your way to work, this supplement can put you back on your feet and help stop the world from doing cartwheels.
Cost and Value
You won’t find a bottle of this supplement costing you all that much when you go to buy it. It’s a pretty sweet deal, especially when you consider the fact that other supplements the same size usually cost more.
2. Legion Recharge
In our 2nd place spot is Legion Recharge, considered by many to be one of the very best creatine supplements out there. This is particularly recommended to folks who want to keep working out even as they feel themselves getting up in the years. What makes it so special for that niche? There are actually a few balls in that court.
Banaba leaf extract
One of the many things that can cause weight gain over the course of our lives is a loss of sensitivity in insulin. The extract from the banaba leaf helps revitalize that sensitivity, which when coupled with consistent exercise, adds up to a significantly improved fat loss.
I-carnitine I-tartrate
This here is what draws older men to this supplement in particular. I-carnitine I-tartrate helps you maintain your cognition as you age, and even improves control of your muscles. Perfect for keeping your aging body in tip-top shape.
Cost and value
This supplement tends to lean in on the more expensive side of the spectrum, generally speaking. It isn’t the most expensive thing in the world, but compared to what these supplements are usually worth, it’s a bit pricey.
3. Beast Sports Nutrition
Rounding out our top 3, it’s Beast Sports Nutrition Creatine. This 30 serving container of pure product power is all you need to guarantee a strong workout and stronger results thereof. There are a lot of things that go into making this one of the best supplements out there right now, but the most important ones include.
5 Supplements
There are 5 types of it that are the most commonly used out there right now. There’s monohydrate, Di-creatine malate, anhydrous, Crea-Trona, and finally, gluconate. This supplement uses all five.
Actually pretty tasty
Taste is generally considered one of the sacrifices you have to make in order to have the best effect, but this need not be the case. In fact, most people who use this supplement in their water found the flavoring to be downright delicious.
Cost and value
For what’s being offered, you’ll find this product sold for very reasonable prices in most retailers. Which is definitely a plus when you consider all the experimental thinking that went into making this.
4. Dymatize Micronized
In our #4 slot, there’s Dymatize Micronized Creatine. Now, Dymatize has been doing this for quite some time, so they know what they’re doing when it comes to taking supplements, but even discounting that, this is still a very high-quality product in its own right.
No fillers
Even if they don’t do anything harmful, fillers are generally seen as something that could’ve been replaced with something more beneficial by health fanatics. Fortunate, then, that Dymatize thought the same thing, and made this supplement with absolutely no fillers, nothing artificial, nothing between you and the product.
Staves off fatigue
Even if you come into the gym ready to go, you got a great night’s rest, a full healthy breakfast, and a free morning schedule to work out to your heart’s content, that won’t stop you from hitting the wall during the workout itself. Workout fatigue is the biggest enemy of the average joe trying to get in shape, which is why this supplement comes with a special blend that helps you keep fatigue at bay even when you’re deep in a heated workout.
Cost and value
The best part about this supplement package is its price, which is one of the lowest on this list. You’ll rarely find this supplement costing as much as its contemporaries do.
5. Athletic Xtreme German
Representing the middle of the road in our #5 spot is Athletic Xtreme’s German Creatine. As the name implies, this is an imported supplement, specifically from Germany’s Creapure Facility. Is that all that this supplement has going for it? Far from it.
Instantly mixes
We don’t ask a lot from our supplements pre-consumption. All we ask is that we don’t feel them when we put them in a drink and then in our mouths, Fortunately, this one understands this simple desire, and thus this supplement dissolves and mixes almost instantly upon being added.
Highest purity level
This supplement bears the distinction of having the highest purity level in the world, at a lowball estimate of about 99.95% purity, and that’s the lowball estimate. What this means is that this supplement is one of the most uninhibited in its effects the world over.
Cost and value
One of the purest blends in the world, a formula that instantaneously mixes with water, and generally one of the best supplements you can ask for on the market, and it’s also one of the cheapest on this list. What’s not to love?
6. Xendurance
In the #6 place, there’s Xendurance Creatine - JB, a smart choice for those interested in an all-natural blend of a supplement. There are no artificial preservatives or fillers of any kind in this supplement. Not to say, however, that there isn’t anything else in this supplement.
Crazy high calcium ratio
Most supplements have at least some calcium in their blend to help bone strength. However, this supplement has them all beat by a country mile, containing over 1000 mg of lactate. This means that this supplement has a higher calcium portion than any other entry on this list.
Lab door tested
For those of us who raise an eyebrow at these supplements, not helped by the fact that a lot of them don’t have any kind of official certification, take heart in the fact that this supplement was lab door tested. It has thus been officially proven to have nothing harmful whatsoever within its blend.
Cost and value
The biggest drawback of this supplement is the price. While no more expensive than the previous entry with a high price tag, at least that one gave you a large amount of product to compensate. But this supplement comes in small bags, which frankly, are not worth the high amounts you’ll find yourself being charged for them.
7. Musclepharm
In the #7 spot, there’s the MusclePharm Creatine. This is a good example of a basic supplement. No frills, nothing too fancy, just doing what you’re expected to do, but doing it right and efficiently. Which isn’t to say, of course, that there’s nothing worth noting about it.
100% Pure Monohydrate
This supplement is made from 100% creatine monohydrate, the only form of a supplement that is scientifically proven multiple times to be as effective as advertised. And seeing as how there aren’t any preservatives to get in the way, that makes this a very nice supplement.
Officially certified
Don’t be surprised if you see this creatine supplement being sold in pharmacies next time you go to the drug store. Unlike a lot of its contemporaries, this supplement went the extra mile to get itself certified by informed choice and is now greenlit to be sold in pharmacies.
Cost and value
This supplement comes at a rather average price, nothing too high, nothing too low. However, under certain circumstances, you’ll manage to find this supplement being sold for much lower.
8. MuscleTech Cell-Tech
One of the most lauded names in supplements, MuscleTech have been doing this better than anyone else, and more than deserve to kick off the final 3 of this list. Why do people go so crazy for this company’s supplements? Let’s take a look under the hood to find out.
Carbohydrates
The main thing that sets this product apart from the crowd is that it employs over 38 grams of carbohydrates in its already impressive blend. What does this mean? It means that you can take this supplement easily without also having to eat something at the same time to boost the effect.
Deadly trinity
The carbohydrates are one thing but combine that with the pure monohydrates and a dash of alpha-lipoic acid, and you get a trifecta that is so good at transferring it to the muscles, that some scientists theorize it may be more effective than a straight product.
Cost and value
The worst part about this supplement is, once more, the price. Except for this supplement actually has the opposite problem from the last one, having an adequate amount, but still charging too much, making the amount too small for what’s being charged.
9. Promera Sports Con-Cret
In our second to final entry, it’s Promera’s Con-Cret product. Now, those of you in the audience who despise puns are probably planning your vengeance upon Promera’s marketing team as we speak, but hold your fire, because this supplement more than earns its clever-clogs name. How so? A few reasons actually.
Unflavored, yet tastes pretty good
Now, you could call this false advertising, but we prefer to think of it as the equivalent of finding an intact $20 bill in a pair of pants you pulled from the dryer. You definitely weren’t expecting it, but you sure are glad you found it. Indeed, this supplement, despite selling itself as being unflavored, actually tastes pretty good all things considered.
Zero chance at side effects
Even with the high-quality brands of supplements, there’s always that chance at a bad side effect. Whether it be an upset stomach, bloating, or any other number of side effects that come from these supplements. So, of course, the biggest thing in this supplement’s favor is that, with the very occasional exception, that just doesn’t happen with this formula.
Cost and value
Generally speaking, this product is priced a little bit under or above what’s considered the average price for a supplement of this quality. But either way, this supplement is more than worth the money.
10. Universal Nutrition
In our final entry for this list, we have Universal Creatine. A product so good, they put Schwarzenegger on the cover. But is such a logo and such a presumptuous title little more than bluster? It is at the bottom rung, after all. Far from it, rest assured.
Bio-availability
It isn’t just about how much product you take into your body; it’s about how much your muscles have the capacity to absorb. But with this one, your bio-availability increases tremendously. What does this mean? Long story short, your muscles not only become able to take in this product, but they also become able to take in more product going forward.
Increase energy metabolism
Not only does this type help you keep going during a workout, it helps your energy metabolism grow stronger, meaning you can keep going for longer periods of time during workouts in the future.
Cost and value
The best part about this product is the price. Not only is it another certified supplement, but it’s also incredibly affordable, regardless of what retailer you consult.
