Creatine 101: Everything You Need to Know Before You Buy

Why Your Creatine Might Be Making You Bloated (And How to Fix It)

I get asked about creatine constantly at the gym. It's one of those supplements that actually works—the research backs it up for strength, power, recovery, and even brain health. But I also hear the complaints: "It makes me feel puffy," or "I tried it and felt terrible," or "It never dissolved properly."

Here's the thing: creatine works, but not all creatine is created equal. If you've had a bad experience with it, chances are you got stuck with a low-quality product that's been poorly processed.

Creatine is having a real moment—and the science is catching up fast. As more people use it, we’re getting better data on how it works and who benefits most. To give you a sense of the momentum: the global creatine supplements market was about $1.11B in 2024 and is projected to hit $4.21B by 2030—a ~25% CAGR. In short: it’s popular for a reason, and the evidence base keeps growing.  I hope this overview will help you better understand this supplement and how to best evaluate the options.  

The Mesh Count Reality Check

Most people have never heard of mesh count, but it's the difference between creatine that works and creatine that sits in your gut like a rock. Think of it this way: mesh count is how finely the creatine powder is ground. Higher mesh count means smaller particles, and smaller particles dissolve better in water and get absorbed by your body instead of just sitting there causing problems.

I've seen people try creatine with 80 mesh—it's like trying to dissolve sand in your water bottle. You get that gritty residue at the bottom, and your stomach pays for it later. Compare that to 200 mesh creatine that disappears completely when you stir it. The bloating and discomfort you might have experienced? That's often your body trying to deal with poorly processed creatine that doesn't absorb properly.

Quality Matters More Than You Think

I've learned that cheap supplements usually cost you more in the long run. With creatine, poor manufacturing can leave you with impurities that your body doesn't know what to do with. When you use quality creatine that's been properly processed, it dissolves completely with no gritty mess, your muscles absorb it efficiently, and you skip the stomach upset and bloating.

Why Creatine Monohydrate Is Still King

Despite all the fancy new versions with complicated names hitting the market, creatine monohydrate remains the gold standard. It's the most researched form, studied for over 30 years in thousands of trials, and consistently shows improvements in strength, power, lean muscle mass, and recovery. The International Society of Sports Nutrition recognizes it as safe and effective in their 2017 position stand.

What makes monohydrate so effective? 

It increases muscle creatine stores by about 20% with regular use and enhances performance in high-intensity, short-duration activities like lifting, sprinting, and jumping. When you combine it with training, it supports long-term muscle growth. Plus, it's safe for long-term use in healthy individuals and usually cheaper than those "designer" creatines.

The Problem with "Upgraded" Creatine Forms

Let me save you some money and frustration by breaking down why these alternatives don't measure up:

Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL) gets marketed as "more soluble," but there are limited studies on it, and no evidence shows it's more effective than monohydrate. It's often more expensive per serving too.

Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn) claims to reduce breakdown in the stomach, but research by Jagim and colleagues in 2012 showed no difference in performance or absorption compared to monohydrate.

Creatine Ethyl Ester was marketed as having better absorption, but research by Spillane and team in 2009 found it was actually less effective than monohydrate at increasing muscle creatine levels.

Creatine Citrate, Malate, and Nitrate sometimes dissolve better in liquid, but there's limited or no evidence they improve performance beyond what monohydrate already delivers.

How to Shop for Creatine Without Getting Scammed

Here's how to cut through the marketing noise and find quality creatine:

Start with the basics—I prefer creatine monohydrate. But make sure you check the ingredient list, and it should be simple. If you see "Creatine Monohydrate - 5g" and nothing else, you're on the right track. Long ingredient lists with fillers, artificial colors, and proprietary blends are red flags.

Look for "micronized" on the label. This tells you the particles are finely ground. Not every label will list the exact mesh count, but "micronized creatine monohydrate" is your cue that it should dissolve properly.

Pay attention to serving size—five grams is the standard dose. If they're telling you to take multiple servings or using weird serving sizes, they're usually trying to make their product seem different when it's not. Regardless of the amount it is always good to check with your doctor before adding it to your daily routine.

The Home Test That Tells You Everything

Even if the label looks good, you can test the quality yourself. Mix a scoop in water and watch what happens. Quality creatine should dissolve almost completely with minimal stirring. If you're left with gritty sediment at the bottom of your glass, you're using low-grade stuff that's going to be harsh on your digestive system.

Your Quality Checklist

When you're shopping for creatine, here's what to look for:

• Ingredient panel should say: "Creatine Monohydrate (Micronized)" with a 5g serving size

• Quality markers: NSF Certified or Informed Choice certification from independent testing labs

• Possible gimmicks: Creatine HCL, ethyl ester, "buffered" creatine, or proprietary blends aren't improvements—they're marketing

Dosing Cheat Sheet

Don't let a bad experience with cheap creatine keep you from considering it. Leverage the popularity of this supplement and that there are so many resources you can use to make an informed decision. 

Creatine works by saturating muscle stores. A loading phase fills the tank fast; daily low doses fill it just as well—just slower. Once saturated, smaller maintenance doses keep levels up so you see the strength/power benefits.

Pick one—both are proven.

1. Fast track (loading):
   
   

• Days 1–5: 20 g/day split into 4 × 5 g doses
  
  

• Day 6+: 3–5 g/day (maintenance)
  
  

2. Slow & steady (no loading):
   
   

• 3–5 g/day from day one
  
  

When you’ll feel it:

• Loading: ~1 week
  
  

• No loading: ~3–4 weeks
   Consistency > timing. Take it daily. With or without food is fine; many prefer with a meal.
  
  

Basics to remember:

• Use creatine monohydrate (ideally micronized)
  
  

• 5 g = standard serving
  
  

• Hydrate normally (creatine pulls water into muscle)
  
  

• Non-training days: still take it
  

  This article used AI to reformat and edit.

Research that backs this up

• Hultman et al., 1996 — Showed ~20 g/day for ~6 days rapidly increases muscle creatine, and ~3 g/day for 28 days reaches the same saturation more gradually.
  PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8828669/
  Full text (PDF): https://paulogentil.com/pdf/Muscle%20creatine%20loading%20in%20men.pdf
  
  

• ISSN Position Stand (Kreider et al., 2017) — Creatine monohydrate is safe, effective, and the most researched form; both dosing strategies work.
  Full article (open access): https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
  
  

• Cooper et al., 2012 (Amino Acids review) — Confirms 3–5 g/day achieves saturation in 3–4 weeks and supports safety/efficacy.
  (Good overview review commonly cited in sport nutrition.)