Creatine Monohydrate UK: what it does, what it costs, how to take it
Creatine is one of the most researched supplements available. The science is settled enough that it carries an authorised health claim on the GB register. This page covers what that claim actually says, what dose triggers it, and why most advice about loading phases and timing is unnecessary.
What micronised actually changes
Standard creatine monohydrate is a coarse powder. It disperses slowly in water, often sinks to the bottom of the glass, and leaves a gritty residue. Micronised creatine is the same molecule — creatine monohydrate — milled to a finer particle size.
That matters in one practical way: it disperses into 150–250ml of water, juice or a shake without the gritty settle. The active ingredient is identical. The difference is entirely in how it behaves in a glass.
The authorised claim and its 3g dose
There is one authorised claim for creatine relevant to most people training at high intensity:
"Creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise."
The conditions that must be met for this claim to apply:
| Condition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Daily dose | 3g creatine |
| Target | Adults performing high intensity exercise |
3g is the threshold. Our powder scoop holds 5g, so you have flexibility — but 3g is the dose the claim is built on. There is a second authorised claim for a specific group:
"Daily creatine consumption can enhance the effect of resistance training on muscle strength in adults over the age of 55."
| Condition | Detail |
|---|---|
| Daily dose | 3g creatine |
| Training requirement | Regular resistance training, at least 3 times per week for several weeks |
| Training intensity | 65–75% of one-rep max |
| Target | Adults over the age of 55 |
Both claims require 3g daily. Neither requires more.
Why no loading phase is required
The loading phase — typically 20g a day for five to seven days — is a method of reaching muscle saturation faster. It works in the sense that it accelerates the timeline. It does not work in the sense that it is necessary.
Creatine saturates muscle stores over time. At 3g daily, saturation takes roughly three to four weeks rather than one. The end point is the same. The loading phase spends more product to get there slightly sooner.
If you are preparing for a specific event in the next week, a short loading phase has a rationale. If you are training consistently over months, it does not. Start at 3g a day and stay there.
How to take it — every day, timing irrelevant
Creatine works by saturating muscle stores, not by spiking in the bloodstream at the moment of exercise. That means two things:
- Take it every day, including rest days. Missing training days breaks the mechanism. Missing rest days does the same thing.
- Timing within the day does not matter. Morning, pre-training, post-training, before bed — the evidence does not favour any particular window. Pick the time that becomes a habit.
Mix one 5g scoop into 150–250ml of water, juice or a shake. Stir briefly. Drink it. That is the protocol.
Unflavoured as an advantage
Our creatine contains one ingredient: creatine monohydrate. No sweeteners, no flavourings, no fillers.
Unflavoured means it goes into anything without altering the taste — water, a protein shake, juice, a smoothie. It also means the label tells you exactly what you are getting, because there is nothing else to list.
Cost per serving: 19p a day at the claim dose
300g at £18.99. At 3g per day — the dose required for the authorised claim — that is 100 days of creatine at 19p per serving.
Most creatine marketing leads on performance language. The price per serving is the more useful number when you are comparing products, because the claim wording is regulated and therefore identical across brands. What differs is the price.
19p a day. 100 servings per tub. Free UK delivery on orders over £15.
Powder vs tablets
We stock creatine in two formats.
| Micronised powder (300g) | Power Boost tablets | |
|---|---|---|
| Serving at claim dose | 3g (just over half a 5g scoop) | Three 1,000mg tablets |
| Mixing required | Yes — disperses easily | No |
| Servings per pack | 100 at 3g | See product page |
| Best for | Mixing into shakes; cost per serving | Travel, convenience, no measuring |
The active ingredient is the same in both. Powder costs less per serving. Tablets remove the step of mixing. Choose on practicality, not on any difference in effect.
Micronised creatine powder — 300g
Creatine Power Boost tablets
Food supplement. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied and balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.