{"id":121314,"date":"2025-05-22T01:53:13","date_gmt":"2025-05-22T01:53:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/121314\/"},"modified":"2025-05-22T01:53:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T01:53:13","slug":"7-types-of-creatine-creatine-vs-hcl-according-to-dietitians","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/121314\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Types Of Creatine & Creatine Vs. HCL, According To Dietitians"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s been a lot of talk about performance supplements in the fitness world over the past few years, but one that may actually walk the walk is creatine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Creatine has been linked to a ton of health perks, such as improving muscle growth<\/a>, fueling short bursts of exercise, and potentially keeping you mentally sharp <\/a>after a bad night of sleep, making it a superstar supplement. <\/p>\n

Meet the experts:<\/strong> Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, is the co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab<\/a>. Kacie Vavrek<\/a>, RDN, is a certified sport specialist in dietetics at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. Tara Gidus Collingwood, RDN, is a sports nutrition consultant and owner of Tara Gidus Nutrition Consulting<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But there are different types of creatine, raising questions on what kind you should reach for\u2014and if this compound is even for you at all. Here\u2019s a rundown of every type of creatine, as well as how to choose the best one, according to dietitians.<\/p>\n

Types Of Creatine<\/strong><\/p>\n

There are seven types and they’re all slightly different, but tend to have similar benefits. The different types of creatine are just \u201ctweaks\u201d of creatine monohydrate created by companies to try to gain an edge, says Albert Matheny, RD, CSCS, co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab.<\/p>\n

So, depending on which type of creatine you choose to supplement, you likely won\u2019t notice a difference in the way you feel\u2014you\u2019ll reap the same benefits either way, Matheny says. At the end of the day, he recommends creatine monohydrate, because it\u2019s \u201cthe most researched and has the most clinical trials,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n

Related Stories<\/p>\n

More (unbiased) research needs to be done on the different types, but here\u2019s what to know about them: <\/p>\n

Creatine Monohydrate<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is the most widely used form of creatine, explains Kacie Vavrek, RDN, a certified sport specialist in dietetics at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. \u201cIt\u2019s a compound made of creatine and a water molecule, and it’s naturally found in small amounts in foods like red meat and fish,\u201d she says. When you supplement with creatine monohydrate, you\u2019ll increase the creatine stores in your muscles<\/a>, improving energy availability in high-intensity, short-duration exercise, Vavrek says.<\/p>\n

Creatine Hydrochloride<\/strong><\/p>\n

Creatine hydrochloride (creatine HCL) is creatine bound with hydrochloric acid, says Vavrek. \u201cIt\u2019s known for better solubility in water and is often marketed as being easier on the stomach and requiring smaller doses than creatine monohydrate,\u201d she says. (So, you can take 2.5 grams of it to achieve the same benefits as five grams of creatine monohydrate.) However, research<\/a> doesn\u2019t suggest that creatine HCL leads to better muscle gains than creatine monohydrate.<\/p>\n

Creatine Monohydrate Vs. Creatine HCL
<\/strong>Creatine monohydrate and creatine HCL are the ones you\u2019re most likely to come across in stores. They have similar benefits when it comes to muscle-building<\/a> and recovery, but creatine HCL dissolves more easily in water, getting rid of the potentially gritty feel, Matheny says. Creatine HCL may also be more easily absorbed in the body (but again, more research is needed), and it\u2019s usually more expensive per gram.<\/p>\n

Still, there\u2019s more research that proves creatine monohydrate is better for improving strength, power, and muscle mass, Vavrek says. \u201cUnless someone experiences digestive issues with monohydrate, it\u2019s usually the better choice,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n

Magnesium Creatine Chelate<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the name suggests, this is a mix of creatine and magnesium<\/a>, which can help produce cellular energy, per 2024 research in the Journal of Translational Medicine<\/a>. One small study<\/a> of 20 elite soccer players also found that those who took magnesium creatine chelate had better power output and increased speed compared to those who took a placebo.<\/p>\n

However, you\u2019re better off taking separate magnesium and creatine monohydrate supplements, Matheny says. There\u2019s also no reason to take a combination supplement because creatine monohydrate is better researched, he says.<\/p>\n

Related StoriesCreatine Citrate<\/strong><\/p>\n

Creatine citrate is an acidic formulation<\/a> of creatine and contains less creatine by molecular weight than creatine monohydrate, per Matheny. Like creatine monohydrate, creatine citrate is also linked to better athletic performance: One small study<\/a> of 10 people who did HIIT training<\/a> for 30 days found that those who took creatine citrate had a better oxygen capacity than those who didn\u2019t take the supp.<\/p>\n

Creatine Nitrate<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is a newer form of creatine that combines creatine with nitrate, a mix<\/a> of nitrogen and oxygen. One small study<\/a> had 10 healthy men take either creatine nitrate or creatine monohydrate, and found that those in the creatine nitrate group had more creatine in their muscles after five days. The researchers concluded that creatine nitrate is a \u201cpreferred and relatively safe alternative\u201d to traditional creatine formulas like creatine monohydrate, but this study was partially funded by a company that makes sports nutrition supplements.<\/p>\n

Related StoryCreatine Ethyl Ester<\/strong><\/p>\n

Creatine ethyl ester<\/a> is a type of creatine with the compound ethyl ester attached. It\u2019s been studied in comparison to creatine monohydrate, but research<\/a> suggests that people may get better muscle creatine levels with creatine monohydrate. (Muscle creatine levels may lead to better athletic performance and increased muscle mass, Matheny explains.)<\/p>\n

Buffered Creatine Monohydrate<\/strong><\/p>\n

This type of creatine, also known as Kre-Alkalyn, is marketed as a more effective and safer form of creatine than creatine monohydrate, per a small study of 36 people in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition<\/a>. The study found that while buffered creatine monohydrate increased the amount of creatine in the muscles, it was still less than those who took regular creatine monohydrate. (By the way, this study was funded by a company that makes creatine.)<\/p>\n

Benefits Of All Types Of Creatine<\/strong><\/p>\n