What is creatine monohydrate?

Author: Purik Kirill - manager of the sports nutrition store Atletic-Food.
2014-06-09

Creatine monohydrate is a term you might have heard quite often, but few know what the word "monohydrate" actually means. Monohydrate indicates that there are water molecules present in the compound. In other words, creatine monohydrate consists of the creatine substance itself and water molecules. However, this does not mean that creatine monohydrate is in a liquid form. The molecules in its composition are very small, so the water content is not noticeable. It's also important to know that creatine itself does not dissolve in water, which is why liquid creatine does not exist.

Creatine is not produced in liquid form! When mixed with water, it creates a kind of suspension where the creatine settles at the bottom.

(A suspension is a mixture of a liquid with tiny molecules of various substances that do not completely dissolve.)

Types of Creatine Monohydrate

Monohydrate typically consists of 90-95% creatine substance and 5-10% water, depending on the form of monohydrate. There are two forms: crystalline and micronized.

The differences between these forms are not fundamentally significant. The crystalline form consists of molecules connected in a crystalline lattice, which has greater biological value than the micronized form. However, the micronized form is better absorbed due to the smaller, ground particles.

All supplements labeled with "Micronized" refer to the micronized form. Typically, sports supplement manufacturers use the micronized form.

Creatine Monohydrate and Other Types of Creatine

Currently, creatine monohydrate is the most popular type of creatine. Many sports nutrition companies produce other types of creatine: ethyl ester, phosphate, malate, and others.

Not all manufacturers of sports supplements mix pure creatine with the aforementioned chemical elements when producing creatine with various transport systems. Often, the form of creatine with water molecules is taken, and, for example, ethyl sources are added. This results in ethyl ester creatine. But in reality, it’s creatine monohydrate + ester.

It is essential to understand that most types of creatine are produced by a simple method: CREATINE MONOHYDRATE + various chemical additives that enhance absorption.

This is practically true for all types of creatine. The only difference is that transport systems are added to monohydrate.

It should be noted that not all additives genuinely improve absorption. For example, ethyl molecules minimally enhance creatine absorption and do not influence water retention. Therefore, when choosing creatine, you should go for monohydrate since this is the primary form of the substance from which other types are derived.

When purchasing, check the composition of the supplement. Typically, the serving size for monohydrate is 5 grams, and on the label, you should see:

• Serving size – 5 g
• 5 g – Creatine Monohydrate

This means that the product should consist of 100% creatine. Sometimes manufacturers add the prefix "PURE" — but this makes no difference.