Creatine

Single-ingredient creatine monohydrate reference formula at 5,000 mg per serving, developed as a powder, with a capsule option at a 3,000 mg serving.

Creatine is a reference formula for brands building a single-ingredient creatine product at a default amount of 5,000 mg (5 g) per serving. Creatine monohydrate is the only active ingredient, so the development work centers on a gram-level powder: scoop size, mixing and dispersion in water, and the capsule count when the same active is offered in capsules.

Powder is the lead format because 5 g is a single scoop or stick pack, and the capsule version uses a 3,000 mg serving of four capsules instead of the ten that a 5 g serving would need. The reference set pools several creatine names, including monohydrate, micronized and HPLC-grade labels, into this one page.

Ingredient Composition

IngredientPer ServingRaw Material FormAlternative Form (same amount of active)
Creatine5000 mg (default amount)Creatine monohydrate, powder; specification 5,000 mg creatine monohydrate per servingMicronized creatine monohydrate for faster dispersion; other creatine salts only after a separate specification, with the input recalculated to the declared creatine amount

Amounts are stated as mg of creatine monohydrate (C4H11N3O3, 149.15 g/mol; PubChem CID 80116). The creatine in the monohydrate is 87.9% by weight (creatine C4H9N3O2, 131.13 g/mol; CID 586), so 5,000 mg of the monohydrate holds about 4,395 mg of creatine. The label states which of the two weights it declares.

Intended Benefits & Formula Rationale

This formula is designed for products positioned around sports nutrition and daily creatine intake. Creatine monohydrate is included as the single active so that the amount, the particle grade and the flavor system can be set without interaction with other actives.

Intended Benefit DirectionKey IngredientsFormulation Rationale
Sports nutritionCreatineIncluded because the International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand reports that supplementation increases intramuscular creatine concentrations and is associated with improvements in high-intensity exercise performance [1]. Evidence: Referenced
Daily creatine intakeCreatineThe same position stand reports that supplementation of up to 30 g per day for 5 years was safe and well tolerated in healthy individuals, and discusses a habitual intake such as 3 g per day [1]. Evidence: Referenced

A second review lists the common questions on creatine, such as water retention, kidney effects and the form of creatine, and answers them from the evidence [2]. The amount and the claims on a finished product are decisions for the brand, reviewed for each sales market.

Available Formats

The creatine reference formula is built for a powder version and a capsule version; counts per serving are design choices that the brand can adjust.

FormatUnitPer ServingPack SizeOther Ingredients (typical)Suitability
Powder1 scoop or stick pack5000 mg300 g tub (60 servings) or 30 stick packsFlow agent, optional flavor and sweetenerLead format; gram-level load in a single scoop
Capsule4 capsules3000 mg240 capsules (60 servings)Flow agent, lubricant, capsule shellPortable option at a 3,000 mg serving

Raw Material Input & Fill (Design Estimate)

Design estimates. The input is the labeled amount divided by the assumed assay of the raw material, taken at 100% creatine monohydrate, so 5000 mg needs 5000 mg of raw material per powder serving.

FormatRaw Material Input per UnitDesign FillBalance for ExcipientsVerification Before Scale-Up
Powder5000 mg per scoop5100 mg per scoop (unflavored)100 mgScoop density, dispersion in water, sediment, content assay
Capsule750 mg per capsule (4 per serving)800 mg per capsule50 mgFill weight variation, flow, content assay

Tablet and gummy versions are separate projects, because a creatine load of this size takes most of a tablet or a gummy mass.

Formulation Considerations

Gram-level scoop and density. At 5000 mg of raw material, tub and scoop size follow from the powder density of the chosen grade. A flavored version adds weight, so the scoop volume is fixed after the flavor system is set.
Dispersion in water. Creatine monohydrate dissolves slowly in cold water and leaves sediment, and a micronized grade shortens the mixing step. Mixing time and sediment in the glass are checked for each grade before the grade is fixed.
Capsule count. A capsule version at 750 mg per capsule needs four capsules for 3000 mg and about seven for 5000 mg, so the capsule serving is set at 3000 mg and the label states the capsule count.
Which creatine weight the label states. The label can declare monohydrate or creatine, and the two differ by about 12%. The declared basis is written into the specification so that the content assay and the label agree.

Customization Options

Brands adjust the amount per serving, the particle grade, the format and the flavor system.

ParameterRangeNote
Amount per serving2500, 3000 or 5000 mgOptions for the brand; capsule count or scoop size changes with the tier
Particle gradeStandard or micronizedAffects dispersion time and scoop density
Label basisCreatine monohydrate or creatineChanges the declared weight by about 12%
FormatPowder or capsuleTablet and gummy are separate projects
Add-onsElectrolytes, vitamin DA second active reshapes the scoop density and the taste plan

The pilot run confirms scoop density and flow of the chosen grade, dispersion time in water, capsule fill weight in the capsule version, and the content assay of the first units against the labeled amount.

Flavor Options

FormatSuggested FlavorsWhy
PowderUnflavored, lemon, fruit punchThe base is nearly neutral, so a light flavor or none suits an add-to-drink product

Technical Status & Data Sources

ItemStatusDetails
Reference formulaNIH DSLDThe ingredient and amount come from a labeled product in the NIH DSLD (5000 mg on the label of CF000395; example DSLD labels 2697, 3080, 3611). The label names the ingredient as creatine; creatine monohydrate is set as the form.
SpecificationSet in formulationCreatine monohydrate, 5,000 mg per serving; assay, creatinine and heavy-metal limits and method are fixed with the supplier. Unit size, fill weight and stability are set in formulation.
Data sourceNIH DSLDDSLD v9.4.0, downloaded 2026-01-10: 50,824 reference formulas merged from on-market labels with complete ingredient amounts. Counts show how labels are distributed.
Market reviewPer marketDose limits, labeling and claims are reviewed for each sales market before a finished product is developed.
ReferencesSources[1] Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. DOI · PubMed<br>[2] Antonio J, Candow DG, Forbes SC, 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. DOI · PubMed

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