Ultimate Guide to The Best Vegan Creatine
Do you like to hit the gym on the regular? If so, I’m almost certain one of the lads in there has told you about the miracle supplement “creatine”.
The issue with creatine is separating the myths from the facts. Do vegans need creatine supplements? Is creatine effective for muscle build? Will creatine give you super strength in the gym? Is creatine safe?
In this article, we explore the world of creatine supplementation for vegans. We’ll start by listing the best creatine supplements on the market. Then, we’ll delve into the information and give you all the facts you need to make the best choice possible.
Here we go!
The 7 Best Vegan Creatine Supplements for Vegans
To discover the very best creatine supplements we have considered their Labdoor rating, expert opinions, and customer reviews.
1. BulkSupplements
The most popular creatine supplement among vegans by a very long way. BulkSupplements is a simple and straightforward brand that delivers high-quality and proven results.
Their packaging reflects their business philosophy, minimal but effective. You have probably seen their iconic packaging before. Their lack of packaging has allowed them to deliver their great product at a great price for vegans.
All you have to do is mix with water and consume before or after your workout. The product is verified 99.99% pure, it is made from 100% micronized vegan creatine monohydrate, and will help you boost your endurance and power.
Labdoor Rating: A-
Amazon Rating: 4.5 Stars/13.9k Reviews
2. Muscle Feast Creapure
Probably the best creatine supplement currently on the market. Creapure is a form of creatine monohydrate and one of the purest creatine products you will find available.
The product has been created by AlzChem in Germany. This means the supplement has gone through more extensive manufacturing and testing conditions compared to those supplements made in the USA.
This product is very popular among elite athletes in weightlifting, powerlifting, and strength sports.
Labdoor Rating: A
Amazon Rating: 4.5 Stars/400+ Reviews
3. My Protein Creatine Monohydrate
When it comes to quality testing and production, MyProtein is right up there. This brand is passionate about the level of world-class testing that goes into all their products. As a result, they have created one of the most successful supplement brands on the planet.
Their creatine monohydrate has been scientifically proven to boost your performance. You can buy in powder or pill form. Both are just as effective but the powder is much more popular among their customers.
This product contains 99.99% purity and comes unflavored so it can be easily mixed with your protein smoothie or a glass of water before or after your workout.
Labdoor Rating: A-
Customer Rating: 4.5 Stars/1700+ Reviews
4. Allmax Nutrition 100% Pure Micronized Creatine
Allmax Nutrition creatine is a professional grade supplement designed to improve your performance in high-intensity and strength workouts.
This creatine has gone through rigorous testing and is produced under strict standards that meet or exceed 3rd-party testing for WADA Banned Substances and cGMP guidelines.
Allmax Nutrition’s creatine is micronized into a fine powder and is as much as 250% smaller in grains than other creatine powders.
Labdoor Rating: A-
iHerb Rating: 4.5 Stars/450+ Reviews
5. NOW Sports Creatine Monohydrate
NOW sports is a well-recognized and trusted supplements brand within the fitness world. They are particularly popular with vegans because the umbrella brand NOW Foods provides some excellent supplements for vegans including vegan multivitamins.
This creatine monohydrate powder from NOW Sports is high-quality and specifically designed to increase your production of ATP to help make the most of your workouts.
This is possibly one of the purest creatine supplements on the market and has gone through extensive testing. A standard with any NOW Foods or NOW Sports product.
Labdoor Rating: A-
iHerb Rating: 4.5 Stars/500+ Reviews
6. Raw Barrel - “NO BULL” Pure Creatine Monohydrate Powder
Fastly becoming a favorite among vegan fitness freaks and elite athletes alike, “NO BULL” creatine powder from Raw Barrel is a top-quality product.
Currently, this product has not been tested by Labdoor but it does have a huge amount of great ratings on all supplement websites and many customer reviews to back it up.
The creatine is 100% pure, pharmaceutical grade, and is laboratory tested. The reason it’s called “NO BULL” is due to the absence of nasty fillers and flavorings you may find in other creatine products. This one is a customer favorite that deserves its spot on the list.
Labdoor Rating: N/A
Amazon Rating: 4.5 Stars/490+ Reviews
7. MET-Rx Creatine 4200
We love a good old-fashioned fitness supplement with a name like MET-Rx 4200. Just sounds cool! But unlike many others, this product is actually cool. MET-Rx has formulated a powerful creatine powder that has been designed to boost your performance in a big way.
Unlike the other products on this list, MET-Rx 4200 comes in capsule form. Each capsule has been specially formulated with a very precise nutrient profile to produce specific metabolic effects.
This product is a pure creatine monohydrate and has been proven to be beneficial for power and strength performance.
Labdoor Rating: A-
Amazon Rating: 4.5 Stars/1350+ Reviews
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a molecule made up of the amino acids L-arginine, glycine, and L-methionine. You will find creatine in almost all your body cells and acts as stored energy.
The vast majority of people in the world get their creatine when they consume animal foods such as meat, eggs, and fish. Some creatine is naturally produced in your liver but your body is only capable of storing a certain amount at any given time.
Once your stores of creatine are depleted your body will use glucose or fatty acids to help keep producing energy. When a person supplements creatine it boosts the amount of creatine stored in the body, mostly in your muscles.
This means when you carry out intensive exercise your body will use the available creatine for energy instead of using your glucose or fatty acids. This helps boost your performance during exercise and is the reason creatine supplements are so popular.
Creatine is one of the most tested sports supplements on the planet. Research has continuously found that creatine supplementation can boost your performance. If you work out a lot or are a professional athlete, a creatine supplement is probably going to be useful to you.
Research has shown that creatine can improve your strength, endurance, and reduce fatigue and recovery time. This makes creatine supplements perfect for those who exercise frequently, lift heavyweight, or practice intense exercise.
Do Vegans Need Creatine?
Despite creatine not being essential in your diet because it is also produced by the liver, some research suggests that vegans might need a creatine supplement. More so if you are frequently working out or an athlete of any kind.
In studies conducted with vegetarians, researchers found that vegetarians have low creatine stores compared to meat-eaters. It’s therefore likely that vegans also have low creatine stores.
Creatine supplementation is not just useful for strength and athletic performance either. It can improve your memory and general brain function. In one study, vegetarians were given creatine supplementation which helped to improve their memory and intelligence.
Creatine supplementation is not essential for vegans but you may want to consider it given the current research discussed above. If you are a regular gym-goer or professional athlete, creatine supplementation is a good choice for you.
How Does Vegan Creatine Work?
While creatine is naturally found in animal tissue, it can be easily synthesized in a lab in the form of a powder or a capsule for supplementation.
But how does vegan creatine actually work? Put simply, creatine helps to create additional stores of phosphocreatine in your muscles. This is then used to create more ATP.
ATP helps you to endure longer workouts and more intense workouts. It also helps to increase cell hydration which helps your muscles grow quicker. You will also benefit from a decrease in protein breakdown which will help maximize muscle mass.
Benefits of Creatine Supplementation
There are many well-studied benefits that have been observed when taking a creatine supplement. Here are the top benefits for vegans.
More Energy
The additional ATP produced in your muscles improves your ability to perform high-intensity exercise performance. People who regularly supplement with creatine will often tell you that they can “smash” their workouts even better on creatine.
I can also testify to this. I have noticed considerably increased levels of energy when supplementing creatine. I’m always able to go that bit harder for a bit longer.
Supports Healthy Muscle Building
Research has consistently shown that creatine can help you to improve muscle mass. But, what most people don’t realize are all the other benefits to your muscles.
Creatine can help to alter your cellular pathways which help promote new muscle growth. It can raise the levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), this is a hormone capable of increasing muscle mass.
Some research suggests creatine can also reduce levels of myostatin. This is a molecule that actually hinders muscle growth. This can speed up your muscle growth.
Improves Your Performance
Due to the increased levels of ATP in the muscles, you will have more energy. You can then harness this energy to improve your strength, power, sprints, muscle endurance, muscle mass, recovery, and brain performance. You’ll also find that you can fight off fatigue much easier.
Improves Your Brain Function
When it comes to brain health and proper function, creatine plays a vital role. The ATP produced by creatine helps your brain to complete difficult tasks.
Creatine can also boost levels of dopamine and improving mitochondrial function. Creatine is especially helpful for brain function in older people, and possibly vegans as we don’t get creatine in our diet. Though, more research is required in this area.
How Much Creatine Should Vegans Take?
The first thing to do is buy a high-quality creatine product. We have listed out the top 7 above but there are many more out there. Always look for supplements that have been certified, tested, and have good reviews.
Only ever buy creatine monohydrate, this is the most studied form of creatine and what all the benefits in this article are based on.
First, you will need to follow a loading phase. Take 25g of your creatine monohydrate for 5 days straight. Don’t skip a day. You can then take 5g a day for up to five years.
The reason we have a loading phase is to develop fully saturated intramuscular stores of creatine. This means you will get the most out of your creatine supplement.
What Are The Side Effects of Creatine?
If taken correctly at the proper dosages as described by the manufacturer on the packaging, creatine is considered safe to take for up to five years.
However, if you consistently take more creatine than what is recommended you may experience the following issues:
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Fever
- Gastrointestinal pain
- Heat intolerance
- Muscle cramping
- Nausea
- Water retention
- Weight gain
I highly recommend that you always follow the guidance given by the manufacturer. This is usually printed on the label.
What You Should Look For When Buying a Creatine Supplement
There are literally millions of creatine products out there. Put simply, only buy the pure monohydrate flavorless powder.
- Avoid capsules – Some capsules are ok but most are made using gelatin which is not vegan-friendly.
- Avoid Liquid Creatine – it’s been shown to be not as effective when compared to powder or capsules.
- Buy Monohydrate Only – there are other forms of creatine but they are not as effective.
- Micronized May Be Better – some research suggests the smaller the particles, the more effective as they dissolve into the water better.
- Avoid Contaminants – Mercury and other heavy metals have been found in many creatine products. Creapure products are free from contaminants.
Final Thoughts
A creatine supplement is a safe and useful addition to your vegan diet whether your pro athlete, avid gym-goer, or just want the added health benefits.
Just because you are vegan doesn’t mean to have to miss out on reaching peak performance and improving your brain function. Most creatine powders are vegan-friendly as they are synthesized in labs using non-animal ingredients.
Those who do not wish to buy from brands that test on animals may require some extra research into the brand’s stance on animal testing or their parent companies.
Creatine is the most well-researched sports supplement on the market. The benefits discussed in this article are backed by an overwhelming amount of scientific research and data. You will love the added energy boost to your workout and the ability to hit your fitness goals quicker.
Creatine is a safe performance-enhancing and brain-boosting supplement. Go get it!
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