Quick Summary: Creatine and Beta-Alanine
Creatine recycles ATP for short, explosive efforts (strength/power).
Beta-alanine is designed to help buffer acid in muscles to delay fatigue.
Combining creatine and beta-alanine can improve strength, muscle growth, and performance. They work better together than either one alone.
How to Take Creatine and Beta-Alanine
Creatine monohydrate: 3–5 g daily (any time).
Beta-alanine: 3.2–6.4 g daily, split doses to reduce paresthesia.
Consistency > timing.
Side Note: Beta-alanine tingles (paresthesia) are normal and harmless.
When it comes to performance supplements, there are many that get talked about often. Two of the most talked-about are creatine and beta-alanine. Both have strong research backing them, so it makes sense.
What can they do? Both can help improve strength, endurance, and overall performance in the gym. That’s why I use both of them regularly.
But here’s the real question: Should you take creatine and beta-alanine together? Let’s break it down so you can decide if this combo is right for your goals.
In This Article:
• What Is Creatine?
• What Is Beta-Alanine?
• Creatine vs. Beta-Alanine: The Differences
• Can You Take Creatine and Beta-Alanine Together?
• Best Way to Take Creatine and Beta-Alanine
• Which One Should You Choose: Creatine or Beta Alanine?
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Creatine and Beta-Alanine Supplements
What Is Creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in our muscles and brain. Its main function has to do with rapid energy production. How it works is actually pretty cool.
You see, every cell in our bodies gets its energy from a molecule called ATP. ATP stands for adenosine triphosphate, and it’s very important!
When we exercise, our muscles use a lot of ATP. This is where creatine comes in. Creatine can help recycle and replenish ATP quickly after we use it.
This gives us more readily available energy during short, intense efforts like sprinting. So you can get more strength and power during high-intensity exercise with creatine (1).
Supplementing with creatine can help support:
• Increased strength and power output (2)
• Recovery between sets (1)
• Lean muscle growth over time (3)
That’s why creatine is one of the most studied supplements for athletes and lifters.
While there are many forms of creatine out there, none are superior to monohydrate (9). It's also the most affordable option (10).
What Is Beta-Alanine?
Beta-alanine is a non-essential amino acid. In the body, it combines with another amino acid, histidine, to form carnosine.
Carnosine helps buffer acid buildup in your muscles, which helps reduce or delay “the burn”. This can help delay fatigue and improve endurance during high-intensity workouts (4, 5).
Supplementing with beta-alanine has been shown to help support:
• Muscular endurance (4, 5)
• Improved overall workout quality (4, 5, 6)
You may also notice a tingling/itchy sensation (paresthesia) after taking it. That’s totally normal and harmless. It just means the beta-alanine is being absorbed and working.
Creatine vs. Beta-Alanine: The Differences
Creatine and beta-alanine can both help support performance, but work in very different ways:
Creatine: Supports strength and power by replenishing ATP.
Beta-Alanine: Supports muscular endurance by buffering acid buildup.
Think of it like this:
Creatine can help you push heavier weights in the gym. It can also help you move weight with more speed.
Beta-alanine helps you keep going for more reps before fatigue sets in. This can help in weight lifting as well as cardio exercises like running.
So creatine is best for helping to improve strength and power. Beta-alanine is best for muscular endurance.
Can You Take Creatine and Beta-Alanine Together?
Yes, you absolutely can! In fact, research suggests the combination may offer added benefits. Combining creatine and beta-alanine can help improve high-intensity exercise performance (7).
Taking creatine and beta-alanine together can lead to greater improvements in multiple things. This includes lean mass, body fat percentage, and strength compared to either one alone (8).
Bottom Line: Creatine and beta-alanine work synergistically, but help in different ways. Together, they help to improve strength, muscle growth, and workout performance.
Best Way to Take Creatine and Beta-Alanine
Timing
Both can be taken anytime, but most people add them to a pre-workout. They’re both commonly taken post-workout as well.
Dosing
Creatine: 3–5 grams daily (1)
Beta-Alanine: 4–6 grams daily (4)
Consistency matters more than timing. Both supplements work by building up levels in your muscles over time. They’re less effective if you only take them on occasion.
Which One Should You Choose: Creatine or Beta Alanine?
That depends on your goals.
For strength, power, and muscle growth: Go with creatine.
For endurance performance: Beta-alanine shines.
For the best of both worlds: Combine them.
Frequently Asked Questions About Creatine and Beta-Alanine
Q: Can I Take Creatine and Beta-Alanine Every Day?
Yes! Actually, both should be taken daily for the best results.
Q: Do I Need to Cycle Creatine or Beta-Alanine?
Nope. Both are safe for long-term, daily use. There’s no reason to cycle either one.
Q: Should I Take Them before or after My Workout?
Timing isn’t critical, but many people prefer pre-workout because it’s easy to remember. It’s good to find a routine that will help you always remember to take them.
Q: Which Is Better for Beginners?
There’s nothing wrong with a beginner using both creatine and beta-alanine right out the gate. To say that one is "better" for beginners than the other would be misleading. Now, if you were forced to pick one over the other, I would recommend creatine because of all the research done on it's efficacy.
Q: Can I Stack Them with Pre-Workout?
Absolutely. In fact, some pre-workouts already include beta-alanine and creatine. Just check the label to make sure your pre-workout has them both in there. If your pre-workout doesn't have them, you can always add them as additional ingredients.
Creatine and Beta-Alanine Supplements
At 1st Phorm, our mission is to help real people earn real and long-term results. We know you don't take any shortcuts with your health and fitness goals. That's why we don't take any shortcuts with the products to help you reach them.
When it comes to creatine and beta-alanine supplements, we have several options.
Micronized Creatine Monohydrate: Pure, unflavored, and easy-to-mix creatine monohydrate.
Project-1: A loaded pre-workout with beta-alanine, creatine, caffeine, and more to support performance.
Endura-Formance: A stimulant-free pre-workout with both creatine and beta-alanine. It's designed to improve performance through endurance, strength, and power.
Shop all 1st Phorm creatine and beta-alanine supplements here.
Creatine and beta-alanine are two of the most effective supplements you can take for performance. While they work differently, research shows they may work even better together.
This is especially true for strength athletes and those chasing muscle growth. Heck, I’ve been using both of them for almost 14 years. If they didn’t work for me, I wouldn’t keep using them!
Just remember: supplements aren’t magic. Your training, nutrition, and recovery will always have the biggest impact on your results. But if you want an edge in the gym, creatine and beta-alanine are proven tools worth adding to your routine.
Obviously, there's a lot we covered today. So, if you have any additional questions or need any help in the meantime, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri.
Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com. We're available Monday through Friday from 6 AM to 8 PM Central and Saturday & Sunday from 9 AM to 7 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
References:
(1) Wax B, et al. Creatine for Exercise and Sports Performance, with Recovery Considerations for Healthy Populations. Nutrients. 2021;13(6):1915.
(2) Kreider RB. Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations. Mol Cell Biochem. 2003;244(1-2):89-94.
(3) Wu SH, et al. Creatine Supplementation for Muscle Growth: A Scoping Review of Randomized Clinical Trials from 2012 to 2021. Nutrients. 2022;14(6):1255.
(4) Trexler ET, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12:30.
(5) Marko D, et al. Beta-alanine supplementation improves time to exhaustion, but not aerobic capacity, in competitive middle- and long-distance runners. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2025;22(1):2521336.
(6) Hobson RM, et al. Effects of β-alanine supplementation on exercise performance: a meta-analysis. Amino Acids. 2012;43(1):25-37.
(7) Ashtary-Larky D, et al. Effects of Creatine and β-Alanine Co-Supplementation on Exercise Performance and Body Composition: A Systematic Review. Nutrients. 2025;17(13):2074.
(8) Hoffman J, et al. Effect of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on performance and endocrine responses in strength/power athletes. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab. 2006;16(4):430-46.
(9) Antonio J, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18(1):13.
(10) Escalante G, et al. Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and cost of alternative forms of creatine available for purchase on Amazon.com: are label claims supported by science? Heliyon. 2022;8(12):e12113.
