Switch Creatine

These are the same questions our naturopaths ask about any creatine, because micronised monohydrate is the same molecule milled finer, not a different substance with its own risks.

A good fit if

• Grit or a chalky texture is what stopped you taking creatine before
• You want a powder that mixes quickly in a shaker rather than settling
• You're lifting weights or doing sprint work, not long, steady cardio
• You're happy to take a few grams a day and judge it over weeks rather than days

Check with us first if

• You take any prescription medicine, especially diuretics or anything your doctor checks your kidney function for.
• You have a blood test coming up, or a condition where your kidney function is checked routinely. Creatine raises your creatinine reading, and your doctor needs to know before reading the result.
• You're under 18. The evidence in teenagers is limited, and this is a decision for a health professional rather than something to pick off the shelf.
• You compete in a weight-category sport, where the early water-weight gain from creatine matters at weigh-in.
• You're drug-tested in sport. Contamination of a batch is the real risk with any sports supplement, so follow Sport Integrity Australia's current guidance.

• Micronised creatine monohydrate. Best known for: Dissolves quickly and leaves very little grit at the bottom of the glass. Absorption: One trial of a branded product reported a faster, higher peak of creatine in the blood. No independent study has confirmed more creatine reaches muscle. Typical use: 3 to 5 g a day, the same as standard monohydrate.
• Standard creatine monohydrate powder. Best known for: The plain crystal form. Absorption: The form nearly every trial used. Nothing has been shown to beat it for how much creatine your muscles hold. Typical use: One level scoop stirred into plenty of water. Grit left in the glass is powder you didn't take.
• Creapure (branded monohydrate raw material). Best known for: A single German-made raw material with a minimum purity of 99.9 per cent, as stated by the manufacturer. Absorption: Chemically identical to any other monohydrate. The claim is about manufacturing control, not better absorption. Typical use: Chosen where documented raw-material sourcing matters, often by drug-tested athletes.
• Creatine HCl. Best known for: Much more soluble again, so it's sold in smaller scoops and capsules. Absorption: No study has shown it gets more creatine into muscle than monohydrate. Typical use: Check the grams of creatine per serve; labels often come in well under a monohydrate scoop.

Reference values. None. Creatine isn't an essential nutrient, because your body makes its own, so the NHMRC sets no recommended intake for creatine monohydrate, whatever the grind.

Typical supplemental range. The strength evidence is based on 3 to 5 g of creatine monohydrate a day, or about 0.1 g per kilo of body weight, sometimes after a loading week of 20 g a day. Micronised powders are dosed the same way. The finer grind changes how fast it dissolves, not how many grams you need.

Upper level. There's no NHMRC upper limit, and Australia's permitted ingredients list (Schedule 1) sets no maximum daily dose for creatine monohydrate. The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) reports that up to 30 g a day for five years was safe and well tolerated in healthy people.

Worth knowing. Mix each serve with plenty of water, whatever the grind, because powder left in the bottom of the glass is powder you didn't take. What you need depends on your age, diet and health, so talk to one of our naturopaths.

Food first, where the diet allows it.

• No food contains micronised creatine monohydrate: it's a manufactured, milled crystal. Food supplies plain creatine instead.
• Red meat and fish: where almost all dietary creatine comes from
• Eggs and dairy: trace amounts only; creatine sits mainly in muscle tissue
• Plant foods: effectively none, which is why vegetarians and vegans carry lower muscle creatine stores

If any of these sound like you, talk to one of our naturopaths or your doctor before you start.

• Diagnosed kidney disease or reduced kidney function. Don't take it; the safety reviews only cover healthy adults.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding. Don't take it; safety hasn't been established in either group.
• Any prescription medicine, especially diuretics (fluid tablets). Check with your doctor or pharmacist first.
• Upcoming blood tests, or a condition where your kidney function is monitored. Creatine raises blood creatinine, which can be misread.
• Under 18. Only with professional supervision; the evidence in teenagers is limited.
• Athletes in weight categories. Some early water-weight gain is expected.
• Drug-tested athletes. Batch contamination is a real anti-doping risk, so follow Sport Integrity Australia guidance.
• If you take prescription medicines, check with your doctor, pharmacist or one of our naturopaths before you start.