Best creatine supplements and powders 2026, tried and tested for muscle growth

Creatine is one of the best supplements you can take for muscle growth, and it’s backed by extensive research. Loved by bodybuilders, athletes, and anyone serious about enhancing their physique, creatine helps your muscles produce more energy during intense workouts, giving you the strength to push harder and achieve faster results.

Naturally found in foods like red meat and seafood, creatine can also be taken as a supplement to give your muscles the extra boost they need to reach their full potential. If you’re looking to take your training to the next level, creatine is the game-changer you want.

Lily Chapman, Performance Coach and Nutritionist for P3RFORM says: “Creatine is a natural substance that the body both produces itself and takes from protein-rich foods or supplementation. Creatine supplements work by maximising the body’s natural creatine stores, meaning individuals can potentially increase muscle strength and size, stimulate phosphocreatine resynthesis, or improve cognitive functioning.

Creatine can help a range of individuals, whether this is gym-goers wanting to increase their muscle mass, bodybuilders who are going through their ‘cutting’ phase whereby they seek to lose fat, whilst maintaining lean muscle, strength, and power athletes, or even those wanting to improve functional strength as they age.

Edward Mather, Registered Nutritionist at Fuel Hub shares, “Creatine is a saturation product, meaning we have to go through a period of saturation before we see any benefits. This involves going through a loading phase (5g x 4 = 20g/day) for 5-7 days. After this period, 3-5g servings daily will be enough to maintain the benefits associated with creatine. So yes, taking creatine daily will see the most benefits. A loading phase is not essential but has been shown to be effective.”

Chapman reveals, “Creatine is widely studied and considered safe to use by the International Society of Sports Nutrition. However, creatine can promote water retention, which can be disruptive if your goal is weight loss (this should not be an issue, as your real goal is fat loss, not weight loss!) With this, I’d still recommend creatine even when seeking to lose fat, as the benefits (increased muscle strength, etc) are extensive.”

“For those really looking to maximise their performance, taking small daily doses of creatine (3-5g/d) should be enough to fulfil requirements” advises Chapman. “Studies show that the optimum time to take creatine is shortly before or after exercise.”

When testing the best creatine supplements, the Standard Shopping team took a methodical approach to evaluate each one’s effectiveness and ease of use. The first step was considering the ingredients, ensuring they were high-quality, and focusing on whether the creatine was micronised, which can help with absorption and reduce bloating.

We tested each supplement across a range of workout scenarios, from high-intensity weightlifting to endurance training, to see how well they supported performance and recovery. We also looked at how each form of creatine (powder, capsules, or gummies) mixed or dissolved, as convenience is key for many users.

We noted the impact on muscle mass and strength, particularly in those who followed the recommended daily doses, including both those who completed a loading phase and those who simply maintained a lower, steady dose. Additionally, we considered how creatine affected water retention and whether it contributed to muscle volumisation, as this can be a key concern for users aiming to avoid bloating.

We’ve rounded up the best creatine supplements below