Creatine Hydrochloride vs Creatine Monohydrate
How creatine hydrochloride and creatine monohydrate differ in potency, absorption, tolerance, and cost.
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Side by Side
| Creatine Hydrochloride | Creatine Monohydrate | |
|---|---|---|
| Active content | 78.2% creatine | 87.9% creatine |
| Absorption | High | High |
| How it is absorbed | Much more water-soluble than monohydrate. Higher solubility has not been shown to increase muscle creatine uptake, which is limited by the transporter rather than by dissolution. | Near-complete oral absorption; taken up into muscle by the sodium- and chloride-dependent creatine transporter (SLC6A8). Daily dosing saturates muscle stores in about 3-4 weeks, or 5-7 days with a loading phase. |
| Typical dose | 1.5-3 g daily (marketed doses; not established by comparative trials) | 3-5 g daily; optional loading at 0.3 g/kg/day for 5-7 days |
| Common uses | people who get GI upset from monohydrate | strength and power training, lean mass, vegetarian diets |
| Side effects | Similar to monohydrate. | Early water weight gain of 1-2 kg; GI upset if large doses are taken at once. Raises serum creatinine without indicating kidney injury. |
| Cost | High | Low |
| Also called | creatine HCl | Creapure, micronized creatine |
| Labels in index | 139 | 643 |
When to Choose Creatine Hydrochloride
Choose creatine hydrochloride when monohydrate causes GI upset even when split into smaller doses. Smaller marketed doses deliver less creatine; there is no evidence that less is needed.
Creatine Hydrochloride
Sold at smaller doses as if that were an advantage. It is not, and per gram of creatine it costs several times more.
What to look for: Only worth trying if monohydrate causes GI upset even when the dose is split. Match the creatine content, not the capsule count.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkWhen to Choose Creatine Monohydrate
Choose creatine monohydrate when you want the form with the evidence base, at the lowest cost. The form used in nearly all of the efficacy and safety literature. Micronized versions dissolve more easily but are chemically identical.
Creatine Monohydrate
The only form with a deep evidence base, and also the cheapest. Nothing else has beaten it.
What to look for: Monohydrate as the sole ingredient, 3-5 g per serving. NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport for tested athletes.
Find on iHerb Affiliate linkProducts on Titrate
In Titrate's index of NIH label data, 139 labels in the Creatine category list creatine hydrochloride and 643 list creatine monohydrate.
Supplement Search loads one category at a time. Choose the Creatine tab, then type a form such as "monohydrate" under Must contain, or a form to avoid under Must not contain.
Related
- Creatine supplement guide
- Creatine Loading
- Supplement Timing Optimizer
- Buffered Creatine vs Creatine Hydrochloride
- Buffered Creatine vs Creatine Monohydrate
- Creatine Ethyl Ester vs Creatine Hydrochloride
- Creatine Ethyl Ester vs Creatine Monohydrate
- Creatine Monohydrate vs Creatine Nitrate
- All form comparisons
References
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Dietary Supplements for Exercise and Athletic Performance: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
Hultman E, et al. Muscle creatine loading in men. J Appl Physiol. 1996;81(1):232-237.
Spillane M, et al. The effects of creatine ethyl ester supplementation combined with heavy resistance training on body composition, muscle performance, and serum and muscle creatine levels. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2009;6:6.
van der Merwe J, Brooks NE, Myburgh KH. Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clin J Sport Med. 2009;19(5):399-404.
Jagim AR, et al. A buffered form of creatine does not promote greater changes in muscle creatine content, body composition, or training adaptations than creatine monohydrate. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2012;9(1):43.
Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18.
Avgerinos KI, et al. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Exp Gerontol. 2018;108:166-173.