Creatine: do you need it, and which one?

Checked 25 October 2026 · labels from NIH's public label database, January 2026 release

The short answer

NIH lists 476 creatine labels on the US market, which make up 461 products. Only 51 of those products are third-party tested: an outside lab's seal on the label, or the product's name on that lab's own list.

38 of them pass all three checks: third-party tested, none of the additives we check for, and a form an expert we quote prefers.

Source: NIH's public label database, 11 January 2026 release; checks by Decode, 25 October 2026

Which creatine is third-party tested?. Third-party testing, additives and form, as printed on the labels of GNC Pro Performance · Creatine Monohydrate 5 Grams Unflavored, BulkSupplements.com · Creatine Monohydrate 5000 mg Capsules, ON Optimum Nutrition · Micronized Creatine Powder Blueberry Lemonade, Universal · Creatine Unflavored, BodyTech · 100% Pure Creatine Monohydrate Unflavored.

From every label to the ones that pass

  1. Creatine products on the US market (NIH) 461
  2. Third-party tested 51
  3. …and none of the additives we check for 42
  4. …and a form an expert we quote prefers 38
The top bar is every creatine product on the US market that NIH lists, from every brand. Only 51 of those products are third-party tested.

Source: NIH's public label database, 11 January 2026 release; checks by Decode, 25 October 2026

Which creatine products pass all three checks?

Third-party tested, none of the additives we check for, and a form an expert we quote prefers. Sizes of one product are shown once.

Compare up to five brands side by side

What was said about each form of creatine

Creatine monohydrate named as preferred

“…monohydrate has been shown to saturate the muscle cell 100%”

Gummies spoken against

“…unless you can find a third party tested gummy that actually has the amount of creatine monohydrate in it that's labeled that says on the nutrition facts label I would avoid a gummy.”

Capsules spoken against

“You're going to have to take so many capsules to get like I say the 10 grams or even the five”

Brands that make creatine

NIH lists 191 brands that make creatine. This list shows each brand with a third-party tested product, plus each brand with its own page here.

Source: NIH's public label database, 11 January 2026 release; checks by Decode, 25 October 2026

Common questions

What counts as third-party tested?

A seal from an outside lab that tests what is inside, such as USP Verified or NSF Certified for Sport, or the product's name on that lab's own list, such as IFOS for fish oil. A badge about sourcing, diet or the factory does not count, because it does not test what is inside.

Does no seal mean a product failed a test?

No. It means the label shows no third-party test, and no testing lab's list we read (BSCG, IFOS, IGEN, IKOS, Informed Choice, Informed Sport) names the product. A brand can test privately. This page shows what the label and the lists show.

Which creatine should I take?

That depends on your blood test. This page shows the label checks anyone can see.

Where does the label data come from?

The NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database, which is public domain. We read the file dated 11 January 2026. Brands change labels, so check the one you have.

Our method

Third-party tested
A seal from an outside lab that tests what is inside, printed on the label, or the product's name on that lab's own list.
Additives
Each other ingredient on the label, checked for artificial coloring, titanium dioxide, hydrogenated oil and BHA/BHT preservative, after a physician spoke against dyes, fillers and preservatives on video.

“…that are at the right Doses and that are effective and that don't have a lot of additives and fillers and preservatives and chemicals and dyes”

Form
The form printed on the label. When an expert we quote has talked about that form, the speech bubble next to it says where they stand. Open it to see what they said.
One product, many labels
Label versions that share a UPC count as one product. The newest label is the one shown.
Dose
The amount is shown as printed. Whether it suits you depends on your blood test.