Creatine
The most-studied sports supplement there is. The body already makes about a gram of it a day.
Creatine helps regenerate ATP, the body's immediate energy currency, during short bursts of high-intensity effort, which is why it is one of the best-supported supplements for strength and power output. The body synthesises roughly a gram a day on its own from other amino acids, and creatine monohydrate remains the reference form against which every alternative is measured: it is cheap, extensively trialled, and difficult to improve on. Creatine HCl is more soluble in water at the same dose, but claims of superior absorption over monohydrate are not well supported. Creatine ethyl ester has actually performed worse than monohydrate in head-to-head comparisons despite once being marketed as an upgrade.
Reference values
Daily reference values from official nutrition authorities. These are population reference figures, not personal recommendations.
| RDA | Upper limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 5000 mg | 25000 mg | UK |
Forms and bioavailability
Not all forms are absorbed equally. The form on your supplement label affects how much your body can actually use.
| Form | Absorption | With food | Timing | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| creatine monohydrate | Typical | Either | Either | Strong |
| creatine HCl | Higher | Either | Either | Likely |
| creatine ethyl ester | Typical | Either | Either | Possible |
| buffered creatine | Typical | Either | Either | Possible |
How it pairs with other supplements
Works well with
Protein provides the amino acid substrate while creatine enhances ATP resynthesis; combined benefits for lean mass and strength exceed either alone (Cribb et al. 2007).
Stack Almanac tracks which creatine form you're taking and your daily total, so a switch to a pricier variant is a choice you're making deliberately, not by default.
Track your Creatine in Stack Almanac
Last reviewed: 2026-07-08. Reference values are adult-general RDAs from UK. Individual needs may vary. This page is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.