Creatine Gummies vs Powder: A Side-by-Side Comparison
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Creatine gummies have emerged as a new way for people to consume creatine daily. And it makes sense—it's more convenient and, let's face it, comes in a form that's more enjoyable to consume.
But there are some pros and cons to taking it in this form as compared to the old-fashioned way of consuming it: mixing creatine powder with water or your favorite beverage. In this article, we'll compare creatine gummies versus creatine powder so you can decide which is right for you.
Key Highlights
Both creatine gummies and creatine powder are effective forms of creatine supplementation.
The benefits of creatine in powder form are cost and ingredients (there are typically sweeteners added to creatine gummies, which are rarely found in creatine power).
Creatine gummies can be more convenient and portable, and some people prefer something sweet compared to a powder mixed into water/fluid. However, there have been questions raised about the efficacy/reliability of the creatine dosage in creatine gummies.
Creatine Gummies
Pros
Convenience: If you’re on the move a lot it’s much easier to carry creatine gummies in your gym or workout bag than it is to carry creatine powder.
Less mess: Mixing creatine powder with water or your go-to fluid can be messy and/or more hassle than simply chewing a creatine gummy.
Taste: Most creatine gummies taste great, so it’s like eating candy as compared to creatine powder. With most creatine gummies there are also a wide variety of flavors to choose from.
Cons
Efficacy and reliability: Tests have shown that when creatine is dissolved (as it is to make gummies) it starts to break down into creatinine, a waste product that naturally builds up in the blood when your muscles do work. This could mean the quantities of creatine claimed on product labels are not accurate.
Expensive: Most creatine gummy brands charge more per serving than a regular creatine monohydrate powder (e.g., the regular retail price of Create creatine gummies is $70 for a one-month supply).
Added sugars/sweeteners: Many creatine gummies contain added sugars or sweeteners in order for them to taste more palatable.
Not ideal for a loading phase: If you’re looking to do a creatine loading phase, you’ll need to eat a lot (and it’ll become cost prohibitive) to consume up to 20 grams of creatine a day.
Creatine Powder
Pros
Affordable: Creatine powder is more affordable than creatine gummies. At $36.95 per tub (for one-time purchase) or $27.75 (on subscription), Momentous Creatine provides 90 servings of 5 grams of creatine monohydrate per scoop.
One ingredient: There are no added sugars, sweeteners, fillers, or additives in most creatine powders, yet these are commonly found in creatine gummies.
Easily soluble: Creatine powder can be added to post-workout smoothies with other ingredients that are important to consume after a hard workout, such as whey protein and collagen.
More ideal for a loading phase: If you’re looking to creatine load for athletic performance then it’s much easier and more cost effective to increase your creatine intake with creatine powder.
Cons
Taste: Not everyone loves the taste and palatability of creatine powder, although many of the top creatine powders are essentially flavorless. Although Momentous Creatine mixes easily into water or your favorite liquid and has excellent solubility, the same can’t be said for all creatine powders.
Less convenient: It’s much easier to throw creatine gummies into your gym bag than it is to pack up a scoop of creatine powder. Many people prefer the ease of just chewing a gummy to get their daily creatine.
Creatine Gummies vs Powder: Head-to-Head Comparison
| Creatine Gummies | Creatine Powder | |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ✗ | ✓ |
| No Added Sugars/Sweeteners | ✗ | ✓ |
| Taste | ✓ | ✗ |
| Convenience | ✓ | ✗ |
| Mess | ✓ | ✗ |
| Option to Creatine Load | ✗ | ✓ |
| Efficacy in Building Muscle Mass/Muscle Growth | ✓ | ✓ |
| Reliability in Claimed Dosage | ✗ | ✓ |
Our Top Picks in Each Category
Top Pick for Creatine Powder
Momentous Creatine is a popular creatine supplement among anyone looking for a high-quality product. Made using Creapure, the purest form of creatine monohydrate available and the gold standard of creatine, it is a single-sourced ingredient from Germany with no additives, sweeteners, or other ingredients. It's also NSF and Informed Sport Certified, which are two of the top independent supplement testing organizations.
Athletes and health and fitness enthusiasts typically pay very close attention to the products and ingredients they’re consuming, which is why many choose to take creatine powder instead of gummies (which often feature sweeteners or added sugar).
Creatine is a compound made up of three amino acids—arginine, methionine, and glycine—and it is used to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) which fuels short, high-intensity bursts of energy that last less than 10 seconds. For this reason, creatine has long been popular among strength and power athletes, but it is becoming increasingly popular among endurance athletes too.
Given the wealth of research showing its cognitive benefits, it is gaining in popularity among non-athletes and/or older people as well.
I’ve used Momentous Creatine in post-workout smoothies (typically after gym sessions or long/hard run workouts) and find it helps me recover faster and feel less sore and fatigued the next day.
While some people report side effects such as weight gain, water retention, and/or bloating, this isn’t something I’ve experienced.
Momentous Creatine is a simple yet effective way to effectively increase your daily creatine intake while not ingesting other sweeteners or added sugars, and helping to recover faster so you can get back out there sooner for your next workout.
Top Pick for Creatine Gummies
There are plenty of creatine gummies on the market now, but Create are the best creatine gummies we’ve tried and tested. They’re available in four different flavors—orange, sour green apple, blue raspberry, and watermelon—and they can be easily mistaken for candy.
They do contain 2 grams of added sugar per serving, which is why I still opt for a creatine powder. They’re also pricey at $70 for a 30-serving bag.
If you’re an athlete looking to creatine load then it’ll get tricky (and expensive) doing it with these gummies. However, if you’re simply looking for a regular daily maintenance dose of 3-5 grams and you’re not budget constrained, these are a good option.
Emma-Kate Lidbury
Emma-Kate Lidbury is a freelance writer and editor with 20 years of experience working in the health and fitness world.
