Among the hundreds, if not thousands of creatine supplements on the market, ON creatine has established itself as one of the frontrunners.
With 5 sizes available for purchase, your supplement budget isn't stretched to full capacity. This affordable creatine is made with CreaPure and can be bought in powder or pills for convenience.
Our optimum nutrition creatine review covers the full spectrum of benefits, as well as how to take it for the fastest and best results.
ON Creatine Nutrition facts
Here are the key the supplement facts that are most important when deciding if this creatine is right for you. For my full take on the ingredients and if they're worth your money, check out the next section.
Creatine | Type | Creapure | Serving Size | Servings Per Tub | Best Taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5g | Monohydrate | 5.25g | 114 | Post-Workout |
Ingredient Quality
Like most creatine supplements these days, Optimum Nutrition's powder is made with micronized creatine for better absorption. But what makes this product stand out is the fact that it's made with CreaPure, widely considered as the purest form of creatine monohydrate.
To check this out for yourself, you can see the CreaPure trademark just to the left of the of the servings number on the front of the tub.
It dissolves fairly quickly, too. It doesn't happen instantly, but if you're mixing it with a protein shake, you won't even know it's there. If you're mixing with juice, stir well, and you're good to go.
As for other ingredients, there is none. If you check the ingredient label, you can see that next to "other ingredients" there's "none," which confirms that this is 100% pure creatine.
Benefits And What to Expect
When you take ON creatine, you can expect to feel more powerful and explosive on the strength side of working out. And as for your physique, don't be surprised to notice more fullness to your muscles.
The fullness is due to your body retaining water. Initially, water retention sounds like a bad thing, especially if you want to lean down. But if you are aiming for fuller muscles (who isn't?), then this formula is going to really hit the spot.
That said, if you've already been taking creatine for some time like I have, you won't notice a huge boost in muscle fullness because you already got those very nice benefits when you first started taking creatine.
How To Take Optimum Nutrition Creatine Powder
There is not a supplement on the planet which is easier to take than ON creatine. Simply add 5g or one level teaspoon to an 8-12 oz beverage of your choice.
There are a few good ideas of how to take it on the back of the tub:
With a Mass gainer
If size is the prize you have your eyes on, what better time to consume your creatine that with a hearty mass gainer like the infamous Serious Mass.
With protein powder
No need to overcomplicate things, just add 5g of creatine into your pre/post workout shake and call it a job well done.
With juice
Because ON creatine dissolves so quickly, go ahead and mix it in with your morning fruit juice.
Powder Or Pills?
Unless your workout buddy gives you a tub of capsules for free, I recommended that you take the powder form. I have nothing against tablets, but to get 5g of creatine in pill form, you need to swallow 4 which I find less convenient than the powder.
By giving us both powder and pills we can choose which is more convenient for our lifestyle while still getting the same great formula.
On the plus side, the capsules are easy to swallow, so if pills are what you prefer, you are in good hands with Optimum Nutrition.
One final thing about powder vs pills. If you're on a budget, go with the powder because if you calculate the price per serving, powdered creatine is almost always cheaper.
For overall value, you can't be powder. But for convenience, these capsules can be a game changer.
Servings And Sizes
One thing I really like about this supplement tub is that we can buy it in 5 different sizes. We’re not tied down to one tub size that's either intimidatingly big or so small it only lasts you a week.
Here are the currently available sizes at the time of writing:
- 150g (28 servings)
- 300g (57 servings)
- 600g (114 servings)
- 1200g (228 servings)
- 2000g (380 servings)
When Should You Take It?
The best time to take it depends on if you're creatine loading or not. First, I'm going to go over when to take it if you are not loading.
The most important rule when it comes to creatine is choosing a time to use it and then sticking with it so that you use it consistently.
As new science emerges, it's widely recommended by supplement experts that you take it post-workout for maximum results. That said, if you can only consume it pre-workout for whatever reason, don't fret, consistency is more important than timing.
As for loading, take 1 serving of 5g with your morning, afternoon and evening meals. If you're training that day, take a scoop after your workout, if not, drink it down with a shake it before bed.
How Does It Compare?
Brand | Our Rating | Best For | Type | Servings | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Optimum Nutrition | Best of the Best | Monohydrate | 114 | ||
BulkSupplements | Best Value | Monohydrate | 400 | ||
Naked Nutrition | Fastest Dissolving | Monohydrate | 200 |
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Made with CreaPure
- You can buy it in pills or powder
- Useful for muscle and strength gains
- Created by a reputable brand
Cons
- Does not come with a scoop
- Doesn't mix instantly
FAQ
Due to this being such a popular supplement, there are questions that I see time and time again. So, I made this FAQ section to help you decide if this supplement is right for you.
Does Optimum Nutrition Creatine Come With A Scoop?
No, there's no scoop with this product. But finding the right dose is easy. For 5 of creatine, use 1 rounded teaspoon and add to your drink of choice.
Are There Any Flavors Available?
The powder is only available in Unflavored. If you really want flavored creatine, then there are other brands like Six Star that has a Fruit Punch flavor.
Overall Review
ON creatine is a high quality micronized CreaPure supplement to aid your muscle and strength goals. The fact it dissolves so well means you can easily mix it with any drink you like without noticing a gritty texture.
The diverse range of sizes makes it accessible to most people's needs. It's available for purchase as a fine powder or easy-to-swallow pills that don't eat up your entire supplement budget.
Whether your creatine loading for new gains or just looking for a reliable supplement, give this a try and see what it does for your weight room or sports performance.
I hope our optimum nutrition creatine review helped you make up your mind on this supplement, and whether it is a good fit for your fitness goals. You can read more creatine supplement reviews to compare this to other products.
Optimum Nutrition | Our Recommended Creatine Powder
