Mixed
Creatine monohydrate (CM) is the gold standard for efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness, while approximately 88% of alternative creatine products on the market have limited to no scientific evidence supporting their bioavailability, efficacy, or safety.
When buying creatine, look for Creatine Monohydrate. It is the most studied, safest, and cheapest option. Be wary of 'alternative' forms (like HCl, Ethyl Ester, etc.) as 88% of them lack scientific evidence for safety or effectiveness. Additionally, only 8% of products are third-party certified, so verify certifications if purity is a concern.
Approximately 88% of alternative creatine products in this study are classified as having limited to no evidence to support bioavailability, efficacy, and safety.
Why this rating
Based on a large-scale analysis of 175 products and classification against established review literature (Kreider et al.).
Source
Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and cost of alternative forms of creatine available for purchase on Amazon.com: are label claims supported by science?
Guillermo Escalante et al. · Heliyon · 2022
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →