What it does
Benefits of Creatine Monohydrate
The most researched supplement in sports nutrition, with nothing added to it.
The Nourivo difference: Benefits that build over time
Saturation timelines vary with body size, diet and whether you load.*
- Muscle creatine begins climbing from day one
- A small increase on the scale is normal and is water held inside muscle
- Loading shortens this phase but is not required
- Muscle stores approach full saturation at a steady daily dose
- More quality reps before fatigue sets in
- This is where most people first notice a difference in training
- Supports strength and power alongside resistance training
- Helps sustain workout quality week over week
- Maintained by taking it daily, including rest days
Supplement Facts
Serving Size: 1 scoop (5.6 g)
Servings Per Container: 50
**Daily Value not established.
Other Ingredients: None.
What's inside, and why
Creatine (as Creatine Monohydrate) 5,000 mg
One ingredient at the dose the research uses. Unflavored, with nothing added to bulk it out.
One ingredient. Unflavored. No proprietary blends, no fillers.
Our sources
A selection of the peer-reviewed research behind creatine monohydrate.
Safety
The evidence base for creatine
A position stand reviewing decades of efficacy and safety research.
Kreider et al. JISSN, 2017
Read studyQuestions
Common creatine misconceptions
Eleven researchers address water retention, kidney function and dosing.
Antonio et al. JISSN, 2021
Read studyCognition
Creatine and memory
A review of randomized trials in healthy adults. An early, actively debated area.
Prokopidis et al. Nutrition Reviews, 2023
Read studyAging
Creatine in older adults
A ten-week trial measuring strength and quality of life with resistance training.
Amiri and Sheikholeslami-Vatani. Front. Public Health, 2023
Read studyThese papers examine creatine as an ingredient and are shared for reference. They are not studies of this product, and nothing here is intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
Questions
Questions? We're here to help.
When will I feel something?
Creatine works on a saturation timeline, not an immediate one. Your muscles need to fill their stores before you notice a difference in output, which takes roughly 2–4 weeks of daily use at 5g — or about a week if you load. Taking it every day matters far more than taking it at the perfect time.
How do I take Creatine Monohydrate?
One scoop in 8 oz of water or juice, once daily. It's unflavored, so it disappears into almost anything — coffee, a shake, whatever you already drink. A little grit at the bottom is normal with monohydrate, so top off the glass and finish it. If you'd rather saturate faster, take one scoop four times daily for the first five days, then drop to one.
Is monohydrate better than the newer forms?
It's the form nearly every published creatine trial has used, which is why it remains the reference point. Newer versions tend to cost more and carry a fraction of the research behind them. There's no evidence any of them outperform monohydrate.
Do I need to do a loading phase?
No. Loading just gets you to full saturation faster — about a week instead of three to four. A steady 5g daily gets you to the same place. If you'd rather not wait, you can take two scoops daily for the first 5–7 days, then drop back to one.
Will creatine make me look bloated?
Creatine pulls water into muscle cells, not under your skin — that's intracellular, and it's part of how it works. Some people see the scale move a pound or two in the first couple of weeks as muscles saturate. That's stored water in the muscle, not fat, and it isn't the puffy look people worry about.
Can I take it on rest days?
Yes — and you should. Saturation is what you're maintaining, and that doesn't take days off. Skipping rest days slowly drains the stores you spent weeks building. Same scoop, same time, every day.
Do I need to cycle off?
There's no evidence that cycling off is necessary. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied supplement in sports nutrition, with long-term daily use documented in healthy adults across decades of trials. If you're pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a medical condition, talk to your physician before starting.
What does it taste like?
Nothing. It's unflavored and unsweetened — there's no flavoring or stevia in the tub, just creatine. It mixes cleanly into water without adding taste.
Where is it made?
Manufactured in the USA in a cGMP-compliant facility. No proprietary blends — every ingredient and its dose is printed on the label.
Founder
A note from Dylan, founder
I started Nourivo because I was tired of supplement labels that oversell what's inside. Everything here is made to a standard I'd put my own name on.
Read the full story
