Creatine Monohydrate: Why We Still LOVE It (And How to Take It) 🙌

Originally published November 2021, updated November 2026.

If you follow us on socials, you’ll know we go on and on (and on) about creatine. We were saying it back in 2021, and we’re still saying it now, for good reason.

Creatine is one of the most researched supplements on the planet. It’s affordable, it’s simple to take, and the evidence behind it is stronger than almost anything else on our shelves.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a compound your body already makes. You also get small amounts from red meat and fish. It’s stored in your muscles, where it helps produce quick energy for short, intense efforts like a heavy set, a sprint or a jump.

Food alone usually won’t top your stores up fully, which is where a supplement comes in. That’s especially true if you’re vegetarian or vegan, as you’ll get very little creatine from your diet.

Why take creatine?

✅ Better performance in high intensity training. Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short term, high intensity exercise. Think lifting, sprints, HIIT, combat sports and team sports.

✅ More quality work in the gym. If you can squeeze out an extra rep or two each set, that adds up over weeks and months of training.

✅ Great value. At around 3 to 5g a day, one tub lasts months, making it one of the cheapest supplements you can add to your stack.

✅ Suitable for most people. Men, women, beginners, older lifters and athletes all use it. It’s not just for bodybuilders.

Which creatine should I buy?

There are loads of forms out there, but creatine monohydrate is the one with the research behind it. “Micronised” just means the powder is ground finer, so it mixes better in your drink.

Some of our go-to options:

• Biotech USA Micronised Creatine Monohydrate: a long-time best seller, simple and good value.
• Blu Nutrition Creatine with Creapure®: our own brand, made with Creapure®, a German-made creatine known for its purity testing. Also available in capsules if you’d rather not do powders.
• Flavoured creatine: if you can’t stand unflavoured, there are flavoured options from brands like Per4m.

A quick word on creatine gummies: they’re popular, but independent tests in recent years have found some brands contain far less creatine than the label says. If you go for gummies, stick to brands we stock and trust.

Creatine capsules: are they worth it?

If you’re not a fan of mixing powders, capsules are a great option. It’s the same creatine monohydrate inside, just in a capsule instead of a scoop.

✅ No mixing, no gritty texture, no taste. Just take them with a glass of water.

✅ Easy to take on the go. Throw them in your gym bag, desk drawer or suitcase. No scoops, no shakers, no powder all over the place.

✅ Easy to be consistent. Taking a few capsules with breakfast is easy to build into your routine, and consistency is what gets results with creatine.

The trade-off is that you’ll need to take several capsules to reach a full 3 to 5g dose, as each one only holds a small amount. Check the label to see how many make up your daily dose. Capsules also work out a bit more expensive per serving than powder, so if you don’t mind mixing, powder is still the best value.

Our pick is Blu Nutrition Creatine with Creapure® Capsules: 240 capsules of our own brand Creapure® creatine, for anyone who wants the quality without the scoop.

How much and when?

• Daily dose: 3 to 5g a day, every day, including rest days. Consistency matters more than anything.
• Loading (optional): around 20g a day, split into four doses, for 5 to 7 days fills your stores faster. Then drop to 3 to 5g a day. If you skip loading, you’ll get to the same place in about 3 to 4 weeks anyway.
• Timing: don’t stress about it. Before or after training, with breakfast, in your protein shake. Take it whenever you’ll remember.
• Mixing: unflavoured creatine goes into pretty much anything: water, juice, protein shakes or your pre-workout.

Creatine myths we hear every week

“It makes you bloated.” Any early weight gain is mostly extra water stored inside the muscle, not fat or bloat. Loading can upset some people’s stomachs, so if that’s you, skip loading and stick to 3 to 5g.

“It causes hair loss.” This comes from one small study back in 2009. It has never been replicated, and there’s no good evidence that creatine causes hair loss.

“It’s bad for your kidneys.” In healthy people, research hasn’t shown creatine harming kidney function at normal doses. If you have an existing kidney condition, speak to your doctor first.

“You need to cycle it.” No need. Just take it daily.

The bottom line

If you train and you’re not taking creatine yet, it’s the first supplement we’d point you to. It’s cheap, it’s simple, and the research behind it is hard to argue with. Grab a tub of monohydrate, take 3 to 5g every day and let consistency do the rest. 💪

P.S. Got questions, or need help picking the right supplements for you? Slide into our DMs or drop us an email. We’d love to help!