Creatine Strawberry Flavored 5 g by Thorne

If you lift, sprint, or do high-intensity intervals, creatine monohydrate is the simplest way to add reps and sustain power. Vegans and vegetarians usually respond especially well because their baseline muscle stores are lower. Adults in their 30s and 40s use it to maintain lean mass during busy or lower-training periods. The 5 g per scoop here is the standard daily dose used in most trials. If you have known kidney disease, skip creatine and talk with your clinician first.

Creatine monohydrate raises phosphocreatine in muscle and brain, which quickly regenerates ATP (the molecule your cells burn for short, intense efforts). That translates to a few more seconds of peak output and faster recovery between sets, and over weeks, more training volume and measurable strength gains. It also pulls water into muscle cells, a signal that nudges protein synthesis. In people with low dietary intake, it can modestly aid cognition under sleep deprivation. The old cramp/dehydration concern hasn’t held up in controlled studies.

Mix one scoop in water or a shake daily. Timing is flexible; consistency matters more than pre vs. post. To saturate faster, use a loading phase of about 20 g per day split into 4 doses for 5–7 days, then continue with 3–5 g daily. Without loading, expect full effects in 2–4 weeks. Taking it with a carb- or protein-containing meal can improve uptake. If you get stomach upset, split the dose and drink extra fluids.

Skip creatine if you have chronic kidney disease, a single kidney, or are pregnant. High-dose NSAIDs, diuretics, or other kidney-stressing drugs call for caution; ask your clinician. Serum Creatinine can rise after starting creatine, which can make eGFR (estimated kidney filtration) look lower without true injury—interpret these labs in context. Large single doses of caffeine around workouts can blunt performance benefits in some studies, though regular coffee intake is usually fine.