Creapure Vs Creatine: Which One Is Best For Muscle Building?

Creapure Vs Creatine Monohydrate - Which Form Is Better?

We can't possibly answer which of these two dietary supplements is better if we don't take a moment and briefly analyze the two.

Monohydrate is the most researched supplement and most widely used form of creatine, a naturally occurring amino acid mostly found in your skeletal muscle cells and brain.

Despite popular belief, creatine is not an essential amino acid produced by the human body. The body processes creatine in the liver and kidneys. Therefore, it cannot be essential.

Also, the adult human body produces half of what we need for optimal muscle growth, so long-term creatine supplementation might be a good idea for weight lifting or intensive strength training, high-intensity training, bodybuilders and their training, or just any normal activity.

So it really doesn't matter if you're a beginner, a little bit active, physically in great shape, or a serious athlete - taking creatine can help.

The reason creatine use is so popular is that it was proven, many times over, to be incredibly beneficial for increasing muscular strength, endurance, and power.[1]

The way creatine works is by increasing your muscle cells’ capacity to produce energy during high-intensity activities. It also plays a role in transporting and storing energy in our bodies.

It essentially boosts your ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the primary energy currency stored in your muscle cells. It supplies cells with phosphocreatine allowing your body to replenish the ATP reserve sooner and quicker, which could help you get that extra rep in.

Creapure creatine, on the other hand, is a brand of creatine monohydrate which AlzChem developed a few years back and still produces today. It's known to be the purest commercially available form of CM that has been tested and certified for its purity.

The purity of this German creatine is attributed to its manufacturing process, which takes place in an isolated environment.

This chemical synthesis of this specific creatine monohydrate makes it easier to remove impurities like dicyandiamide, dihydrotriazine, thiourea, and creatinine, leaving us with a 99.99% pure CM.

That said, most creatine supplements from reputable sources are all but impure. In fact, they are 99.9% pure.

Will this 0.09% difference in purity make more than a 0.09% difference in your ability?

When Should You Consider Taking Creapure?

It is evident that the difference between Creapure creatine and creatine monohydrate is literally minimal, so why would you choose one over the other?

Well, the following three may be compelling reasons.

Purity

The number one reason to choose Creapure over creatine monohydrate is its purity.

Since it's been tested and certified to have virtually no impurities or fillers, it's a great option for those looking to get the purer form of creatine supplement with the least amount of additives or potentially harmful compounds.

The other ingredients we mentioned earlier (dicyandiamide, thiourea, and dihydrotriazine) are all but harmless (some are even proven to have carcinogenic properties), so it's nice knowing that you won't be ingesting them when you're taking Creapure.

In addition, many supplement companies rely on cheap sources of creatine and inferior raw materials, resulting in a lousy end product.

With Creapure, you're sure you're getting only the best raw materials since there are no herbal or animal products involved in the synthesis process.

More Muscle

One of the main Creapure benefits is the ability to help you gain more muscle mass quicker. At least in theory…

Since monohydrate creatine increases muscle growth through ATP regeneration, theoretically speaking, pure creatine products like Creapure should be able to do the same, but better. Right?

Not necessarily.

Creatine supplementation can help increase or body's levels of phosphocreatine, which can be used to produce ATP faster and more efficiently.

And, since our body uses ATP as the acceptable energy currency to power muscle contractions, having more of it available should theoretically lead to better muscular performance and overall larger muscle mass.

However, phosphocreatine is not solely responsible for your body's ATP production. Carbs and fats, alongside other factors, are also responsible for cellular respiration (a process of energy production through aerobic metabolism via which ATP is synthesized).

Thus, it is highly unlikely that the higher concentration of creatine will make a significant difference in muscle mass.

More Power

Once again, we have the same theory behind the thought of more power with Creapure - increased ATP levels.

However, as we already mentioned, there is little to no chance of this minute difference translating into a noticeable difference in performance.

That said, many studies suggest that the placebo effect can have a very positive impact on performance.[2]

So, it is possible that believing you are taking something purer might make you feel stronger, thus allowing you to lift more weight or push yourself further.

How To Supplement Creatine Correctly (When To Take It)

Despite popular belief, going through a loading phase when supplementing with creatine is simply unnecessary.

In fact, it's been noted that supplementing with more than 10 grams of creatine daily can lead to diarrhea and other digestive issues. It could also lead to muscle cramping due to dehydration.

Learn More - How Much Creatine Should I Take? | Garage Gym Pro

So, Creapure or not, the way you want to go about creatine supplementation is to consume 3-5 grams (with the latter being the optimal daily dose) any time of day. Timing really doesn't matter.

Since creatine has no immediate effect on your athletic performance, you can take it prior to an intense workout session, immediately post-workout, or after breakfast.

Also, don't stress if you miss a dose. You won't magically shrink.

Your muscles should be fully saturated with creatine after approximately 28 days of taking 5 grams daily, and once you're there, it's just a matter of maintaining those levels.

Comparing Creapure With Other Forms Of Creatine

Let's see how Creapure stacks against some other types of creatine.

Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL)

Creatine HCL is a newer version of creatine, which, unlike Creapure, is bound to hydrochloric acid instead of water. This helps HCL's solubility, and presumably, absorption.

I don't really agree with the latter, as there's mixed evidence and many studies suggest that HCL is no better than regular monohydrate when it comes to absorption.

Therefore, the only "huge difference" between the two would be the dose, as HCL requires 1-2 grams to fully saturated your muscles over 28 days.

Related Article - Creatine HCL Vs Monohydrate (Which One Is Best For You?)

Buffered Creatine

Buffered creatine (Kre-Alkalyn) is another form that relies on a "pH buffer" to improve absorption and produce additional muscle -- pH buffers are substances that increase the alkaline levels in your body, making creatine more soluble and presumably more absorbent.

Once again, there's no scientific evidence supporting the theory that Kre-Alkalyn is in any way better than Creapure, despite the outlandish claims manufacturers make.

Liquid Creatine

Liquid creatine is just CM in liquid form.

The liquid is once again supposed to be faster-acting and better absorbing than regular creatine powder, yet, once again, it fell short.

In fact, one study has completely dismantled this product. It is proven to be less effective than CM, not as convenient to use or store, and prone to breaking down.[3]

So, once again, Creapure wins.

Creatine Magnesium Chelate

Finally, we have a mixture of two ingredients, creatine and magnesium.

This is another version of creatine that's supposed to be more effective and absorbent due to its better water solubility.

Once again, research has proven this theory wrong, as there's no evidence to suggest that creatine magnesium chelate is in any way better than regular monohydrate and, therefore, Creapure.

Creapure Vs Creatine FAQs

Conclusion

In theory, yes, Creapure is better. It's purer compared to ordinary CM. It's also free of any fillers or harmful compounds and is probably the purest form of CM humans will ever be able to produce in a lab.

However, just because it is theoretically and, dare I say, objectively better doesn't necessarily mean it will produce better results. That’s not how you measure effectiveness.

So, is Creapure worth it? Probably not.

There will be no noticeable (if any) difference between Creapure and regular monohydrate in terms of maximum strength, muscle gains, physical performance, or brain function.

In other words, these two are virtually the same, and to me, the 0.09% difference in purity is not worth the extra cost often associated with Creapure.

References: 

1. https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/72/2/607S/4729704
2. https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/rounds/studies-and-real-life-placebos-have-a-powerful-healing-effect-on-body-and-mind
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15142023/
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7871530/