Creatine Supplements

What Is Creatine and How Does It Work?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in your muscles. It helps produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is your body’s main energy source during high-intensity exercise.

Think about when you sprint, lift weights, or create quick bursts of movements in sports and training. This is when your body is utilizing ATP, and it burns through this source of energy in seconds.

That’s where creatine supplementation comes in. Without getting too technical, here’s how it works:

ATP in your muscle loses a phosphate molecule and becomes ADP (adenosine diphosphate). 

From there, creatine's job is to help the body recycle those phosphate molecules and convert them from ADP back into ATP as quickly as possible.

Simply put, increasing your creatine phosphate stores helps recycle ATP faster. That way, you can push harder, lift heavier, and recover more efficiently.

It’s one of the most studied supplements in existence, if not the most. It has thousands of peer-reviewed studies, proving its effectiveness in strength and performance enhancement (1, 2).

The Benefits of Creatine Supplements

When it comes to creatine supplements, a lot can be said. For the most part, these supplements can help support:

1. Increase Strength & Power

Creatine can help support rapid ATP regeneration. This fuels muscles for heavy lifts, sprints, and explosive movements. It’s like refilling your body’s energy tank between sets.

2. Enhance Muscle Growth

By drawing water and nutrients into muscle cells, creatine can help support muscle protein synthesis. This is simply the process of building and repairing lean muscle tissue.

If your goal is to build muscle, many fitness professionals consider creatine supplements to be a no-brainer. Creatine can help support lean, dense muscle tissue growth (3).

3. Improve Workout Performance

By recycling ATP more quickly, creatine can also help support endurance. The benefit for you? This can equate to more reps, sets, and an increase in training volume to help support muscle growth.

Think about it … If you can get a little bit more out of each workout, then that’s a big-time win.

4. Support Recovery

Creatine supplements can help support muscle repair and recovery as well. This could look like reduced soreness and improved recovery time post-workout (4).

Creatine does this by allowing muscle tissue to acquire more water and nutrients for repair and growth.

5. Cognitive Benefits

Emerging research suggests that creatine may also support brain function, memory, and mental performance (5).

In fact, there’s even research out there these days that taking as many as 20g per day is what can help improve both the performance side of things and the cognitive side of things together (8).

Ready to experience these benefits for yourself? Shop 1st Phorm Creatine Supplements and take your training to the next level!

Creatine Myths vs. Facts: What You Should Really Know

Myth: “Creatine Makes You Bulky or Bloated.”

Fact: Creatine doesn’t cause fat gain. It increases muscle cell hydration, which can help muscle tissue look fuller and perform better (3). If anything, many people notice improvements in their physical appearance.

Myth: “Creatine Is Only for Bodybuilders.”

Fact: Creatine supports energy production for all high-intensity exercise. This includes sprinting and hockey to weight training and CrossFit. If you move with power, creatine can help.

Myth: “You Have To Load or Cycle Creatine.”

Fact: Creatine can be safely taken every day. While some choose to load, it’s not necessary. Consistent daily intake of roughly 5 grams per day yields the same long-term benefits in terms of performance (6).

How to Use Creatine Monohydrate Powder

For best results, mix one scoop (5g) of 1st Phorm Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder with 8–12 oz of water or your favorite beverage.

This daily creatine dosage of 5g is supported by research and is ideal for most individuals (6).

It can be taken at any time of the day. That includes pre-workout, intra-workout, and even post-workout. It blends seamlessly into shakes or pre-workout drinks. A full 5 grams is also available in some pre-workout supplements like Project-1, Project-1 Pro, and Endura-Formance.

Popular options include mixing it with post-workout carbohydrates and protein on training days, or adding it to any flavored beverage on rest days.

Frequently Asked Questions About Creatine Supplements

Q: Is Creatine Safe To Take Every Day?

Yes. Research shows that long-term daily creatine use is safe for healthy individuals and supports consistent performance benefits (7). In fact, we recommend making sure that you are taking it daily to get the maximum benefits from it.

Q: Should I Take Creatine Before or After My Workout?

You can actually do either! What matters most is daily consistency. Most prefer it post-workout with the Post Workout Stack when muscles are primed for nutrient uptake.

Q: Do I Need To “Load” Creatine To See Results?

You can, but you don’t necessarily need to. Typically, you’ll reach full saturation in about 3–4 weeks of regular use without loading.

Q: Can I Mix Creatine With Protein or Pre-Workout?

Absolutely. It pairs well with both! This is especially true with fast-absorbing whey isolates like Phormula-1 or pre-workouts like Megawatt.

Q: Will I Lose Muscle if I Stop Taking Creatine?

Not muscle specifically, just some stored water in the muscle cells. Your strength might dip slightly, but your lean tissue stays as long as you maintain proper nutrition and training to support it.

Q: What’s the Difference Between Creatine Monohydrate and Other Forms of Creatine?

Creatine monohydrate is the most researched and proven form (1, 2). It’s effective, affordable, and backed by decades of science. Other forms (like creatine HCl or ethyl ester) may claim better absorption, but research shows monohydrate is just as effective, and often more cost-efficient.

Experience the 1st Phorm Difference

At 1st Phorm, we take quality and effectiveness seriously. 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 supplements to help you reach those goals. Our creatine supplements are no exception to this rule!

Our micronized creatine monohydrate is sourced from the highest-quality raw materials and comes:

• Manufactured in FDA-Inspected Facilities
• Informed-Choice Certified
• NSF Certified for Sport

Thousands of athletes and gym-goers trust 1st Phorm creatine supplements to fuel their performance and recovery. Whether you’re competing at the highest levels, trying to build lean muscle, or simply want to feel stronger in daily life … Our formulas are designed to help.

Shop Our Creatine Supplement Collection

Fuel Your Strength with 1st Phorm

Whether you’re chasing your first pull-up or your next championship, creatine supplements can help support your effort and results. Browse our collection above and find the right creatine supplement for your goals.

References:

(1) Kreider RB, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Safety and Efficacy of Creatine Supplementation in Exercise, Sport, and Medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2017;14(18):1-18.

(2) Branch JD. Effect of Creatine Supplementation on Body Composition and Performance: A Meta-Analysis. Sports Medicine. 2003;33(10):833-838.

(3) Rawson ES, Volek JS. Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Muscle Strength and Weightlifting Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 2003;17(4):822-831.

(4) Buford TW, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: Creatine Supplementation and Exercise. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. 2007;39(3):623-644.

(5) Avgerinos KI, et al. Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Cognitive Function of Healthy Individuals: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Experimental Gerontology. 2018;108:166-173.

(6) Hultman E, et al. Muscle Creatine Loading in Men. Clinical Science. 1996;91(1):73-82.

(7) Persky AM, Rawson ES. Safety of Creatine Supplementation. Amino Acids. 2007;32(4):431-442.

(8) Dolan E, et al. Beyond muscle: The effects of creatine supplementation on brain creatine, cognitive processing, and traumatic brain injury. European Journal of Sport Science. 2019;19(8):1039-1050.