Author: Oleksandr Maksymenko (5 years as FPA-Certified Nutritionist, MS in Sports Dietetics)
The best creatine for skinny guys (as well as for other people) should contain the most studied and effective form of creatine. Some products also contain additional ingredients with potential benefits, which is why they are included in our rating.
In this article, we will also explain why creatine is the best supplement for those who are struggling to gain muscle mass. So if you wanted to know is creatine good for skinny guys, then you have come to the right place.
In a hurry?
In a hurry?
In a hurry and can’t keep reading? How about you check out the CREATINE HMB by Transparent Labs.
Each serving of CREATINE HMB from the Transparent Labs brand contains 5 g of creatine monohydrate, as well as 1,500 mg of B-Hydroxy B-Methylbutyrate (HMB). Although HMB in isolation is not considered as a supplement with significant effects, one study has demonstrated that taking it in combination with creatine can contribute to improvement in body composition, that is, an increase in lean body mass with a decrease in fat mass.
Our team of certified experts and professional athletes has tested 13 creatines and only 6 of them were considered good enough for skinny guys to make it to this list.
The products were evaluated on 5 of the most important criteria and our team has spent over 4 weeks testing them. In addition to the extensive testing process, they have also analyzed hundreds of online user reviews. This list is updated all the time, so feel free to leave a comment and share your experiences with us!
Top 6 Best Creatine Supplements for Skinny Guys Reviewed
1. CREATINE HMB by Transparent Labs – Top Pick
- Form: Powder
- Type: Monohydrate
- Other Ingredients: HMB, Vitamin D
- Price per Serving (for 5 g): ~$1.5
- Servings per Container (for 5 g): 30 or 60 servings
- Company Founded: 2015
- Recommended by Athletes: Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, Pat Li, P A U L I N A
photo by @transparentlabs
You'll also get 500 IU of vitamin D from each serving of CREATINE HMB, so count it toward your daily needs. In addition, this product stands out from most products on the market with 10 flavors to choose from. This is quite rare for creatine supplements.
Despite the high cost per serving, you are paying not only for creatine monohydrate, but also for additional components, as well as the opportunity to get a product with better taste qualities.
Positives:
Contains HMB with its potential additional effects for muscle gain
500 IU of vitamin D per serving
You can choose one of 10 flavors
Could be better:
Highest price per serving in this rating
2. Promix Creatine Micronized – Runner Up
- Form: Powder
- Type: Monohydrate (Micronized)
- Other Ingredients: None
- Price per Serving (for 5 g): ~$0.33
- Servings per Container (for 5 g): 180 servings
- Company Founded: 2011
- Recommended by Athletes: Devon M Lévesque, Kelly Matthews
Promix Micronized Creatine is my personal favorite in this ranking. It contains only pure creatine in the form of monohydrate, without additional components that will necessarily make the supplement more expensive.
photo by @promix
It's a simple and super affordable creatine at less than half a dollar per 5g serving. No flavors to choose from, but Certified for Sport® and 180 servings per package. This is one of the largest packages in this rating.
The Certified for Sport® means that the product does not contain prohibited substances or unsafe levels of contaminants, which only adds points to the overall score.
The only relative downside of this product is the zip lock packaging. Not everyone likes this kind of packaging, including me. After all, if the lock breaks or the closing line is unglued, the package loses its tightness and moisture can get inside. However, if you carefully close the package every time, this trouble can be avoided.
All in all, this is a great product that really has very little competition on the market considering availability of Certified for Sport® certification and one of the lowest prices per serving.
Positives:
The only Certified for Sport® product in this ranking
- 180 serving per package
- Micronized for better solubility
- Second lowest price per serving in this ranking
Could be better:
A zip-lock package that needs to be closed very carefully each time
- Form: Powder
- Type: Monohydrate (Micronized)
- Other Ingredients: None
- Price per Serving (for 5 g): ~$0.22
- Servings per Container (for 5 g): 100 or 200 servings
- Company Founded: 2014
- Recommended by Athletes: Antonio Faneite, AB Lab
Naked is another creatine powder for skinny guys. This is the cheapest creatine in this ranking, so if you want to minimize your expenses, pay attention to it. Nothing extra, you only pay for pure creatine monohydrate with great solubility due to the micronization.
photo by @fit_dads_matter
It is not surprising to see a huge number of reviews from satisfied users, because every cent is worth it! The only complaint from some users is the measuring spoon with a very long handle. However, this drawback is easily solved with a knife or scissors!
Positives:
Lowest price per serving in this rating
Micronized for better solubility
Available in large packages of 100 and 200 servings of 5 g
Could be better:
Inconvenient measuring spoon for some users
- Form: Powder
- Type: Monohydrate (Micronized)
- Other Ingredients: None
- Price per Serving (for 5 g): ~$0.57
- Servings per Container (for 5 g): 60 or 120 servings
- Company Founded: 1986
- Recommended by Athletes: Nick Cheadle, Evan Johnson
Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine deserves to be in every ranking of top products, including best creatine for skinny guys! It contains only the most extensively studied form of creatine - monohydrate.
photo by @dmitrij_personal_trainer
It is also certified by Informed Choice. This means that the product underwent regular testing to minimize the risk of contamination and is safer to use than supplements that do not undergo any testing from a recognized third party.
ON creatine is available in both powder and capsule form. However, keep in mind that the capsule contains gelatin and is therefore not suitable for vegans, unlike the powder form. To save money, it is best to choose a powdered form of 120 servings.
The capsule form will cost you a lot more for the same amount of creatine in grams, because to get 5 g you will have to consume 4 capsules. In fact, 5 g of this creatine in powder form costs 2 times less than 5 g in capsule form!
Positives:
Product with long-term reputation
Certified by Informed Choice
Available in powder and capsule form
Could be better:
There are complaints about not very good solubility
The capsule form is much more expensive
- Form: Powder
- Type: Monohydrate
- Other Ingredients: None
- Price per Serving (for 5 g): ~$0.41
- Servings per Container (for 5 g): 85 servings
- Company Founded: 2015
- Recommended by Athletes: Morgan MacDonald, TAYLOR
Jacked Factory Creatine took fifth place in this rating. On the one hand, there is nothing special about this product. On the other hand, what could we ask for from good old creatine monohydrate?
photo by @jackedfactory
Among the relative shortcomings, which do not affect the effectiveness of the supplement, but only add inconvenience, are some complaints about solubility, a short measuring spoon, as well as a narrow opening into which a large and wide hand cannot fit.
Positives:
Reasonable price per serving
Many reviews from satisfied users
100% Money-Back Guarantee
Could be better:
There are complaints about not very good solubility
Short measuring spoon and narrow opening
- Form: Powder
- Type: Monohydrate (Creapure®, Micronized)
- Other Ingredients: Beta-alanine
- Price per Serving (for 5 g): ~$1
- Servings per Container (for 5 g): 25 servings
- Company Founded: 2018
- Recommended by Athletes: Kylee, Troy-Online-Coach
Genius Micronized Creatine is the only product in this ranking that contains the "gold standard" of creatine - Creapure®. This is a huge plus, for which Genius received the highest mark in the "Type of creatine" category.
In addition, this product contains 1.6 g of beta-alanine, which helps improve muscle endurance in high-repetition mode, i.e. when your training set is 1 minute or longer.
In general, beta-alanine may improve indices of training volume and fatigue during resistance exercise, and thus may translate to meaningful changes over prolonged periods of time.
There is also a possibility of potential synergy between creatine and beta-alanine. One study demonstrated greater improvements in lean mass gain in creatine + beta-alanine compared to creatine alone.
Overall, even considering the limited amount of research that has looked at the combination of creatine and beta-alanine, this creatine powder for skinny guys looks very interesting.
However, many users on Amazon complain that they receive a lumpy powder that doesn't mix well in water. Also, this product only contains 25 servings per entire container.
Positives:
Made of Creapure® (Creatine "Gold standard")
Contains beta-alanine (for potential synergistic effects in combo with creatine)
Could be better:
Product may come clumpy and not dissolve easily (based on reviews from Amazon)
The smallest packaging of all products in this rating (only 25 servings per container)
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I'm a hardgainer, can creatine help me gain weight?
This supplement will definitely contribute to gaining weight and muscle mass, because it has long been known that the combination of strength training + creatine improves resistance training outcomes, including muscle hypertrophy.
However, remember that the key drivers for success are caloric surplus, adequate protein intake and resistance training with progressive overload.
That is, to induce and maximize muscle growth, you first need to pay attention to your diet with low-to-moderate excess calories and strength training in accordance with the key principle - progressive overload. This is your cake! Creatine should be considered only as a cherry on this cake.
It is worth considering that creatine is not an anabolic steroid and does not lead to revolutionary changes. This systematic review with meta-analysis showed that the magnitude of the effect on muscle growth is quite modest.
How to find the best creatine for skinny guys?
There are only a few important considerations when choosing a good product.
1. choose monohydrate
The most studied, most effective and safest form of creatine is monohydrate.
2. look for products with third-party certification
Ideally, choose a product that has been tested for banned substances and levels of contaminants. This minimizes potential health risks, especially considering that this supplement is usually taken chronically for years.
Even if you buy a product from a not-so-well-known brand, but this product is certified by a recognized third party like Certified for Sport® or Informed Choice / Sport, this reduces potential risks.
3. consider the amount of creatine per serving before buying
Some products contain a very small amount of creatine per serving, for example, 2 capsules from Optimum Nutrition contain 2.5 g of creatine.
Tips From the Champ
Olympic Weightlifting Champion
4. don't overpay
If you see 2 very similar products with the same key characteristics (monohydrate form, reputable brand, certification from a recognized third party), choose the cheaper one.
What additional ingredients can benefit skinny guys?
Some combined supplements include both creatine and B-Hydroxy B-Methylbutyrate (HMB), beta-alanine or other components.
In terms of muscle gain these additional components can only be considered as potentially beneficial in combination with creatine. For example, one randomized controlled trial showed that combined intake of creatine with beta-alanine for 10 weeks helped to gain
an average 1.74 kg of lean body mass, while the placebo group lost 0.44 kg of lean body mass. However, no data were presented for the creatine-only group.
In general, there are very few studies examining the combined intake of creatine and beta-alanine or HMB, and their results are not impressive.
Therefore, you should not count on a significant effect, because the key supplement that contributes to the growth of muscle mass is creatine itself.
FAQ
Do forms of creatine other than monohydrate have benefits for skinny people?
Quoting the Australian Sports Commission: "There is no scientific reason to take a creatine supplement other than creatine monohydrate." This also applies to skinny people.
How much creatine should a skinny guy take?
The recommended daily dose is 3-5 grams of creatine. Also, for the fastest muscle saturation, you can take creatine with a loading phase: 5 grams of creatine 4 times daily for 5-7 days, and then switch to a maintenance dose of 3-5 grams per day.
Does creatine make skinny people big?
Creatine helps build muscle mass, and may also make you look a little bigger after muscle saturation - due to increasing of body water. However, this water weight gain (1-2 kg) is temporary and generally occurs in the first days of supplementation, particularly during the loading phase.
In order to gain weight and muscle mass, you need to consistently follow the key conditions: a diet with moderate calories surplus and sufficient amount of protein, as well as strength training with progressive overload. Consider creatine only as an auxiliary supplement to help build muscle mass.
Conclusion
So is creatine good for skinny guys? Yes, because this supplement helps to increase training performance, perform a greater volume of work, as well as contributes to gaining muscle mass and strength!
It is a great addition to regular strength training and a well-planned diet with calorie surplus. For possible additional muscle-building benefits you can also try supplements that contain beta-alanine or HMB in addition to creatine.
CREATINE HMB wins this best creatine for skinny guys rating based on the total number of points scored. This product contains the most effective form of creatine, as well as HMB and a good dose of vitamin D. Choose one of 10 flavors and be sure to share your impressions in the comments!
Also read:
References:
- Effect of the Combination of Creatine Monohydrate Plus HMB Supplementation // NCBI: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6835217/
- Efficacy of Alternative Forms of Creatine Supplementation on Improving Performance and Body Composition in Healthy Subjects // NCBI:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36000773/ - International society of sports nutrition position stand // JISSN:
https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-015-0090-y - CREATINE MONOHYDRATE // AIS:
https://www.ais.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1000501/Sport-supplement-fact-sheets-Creatine-v4.pdf - he Effects of Creatine Supplementation Combined with Resistance Training on Regional Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy // MDPI:
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/9/2116 - Effect of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on performance and endocrine responses in strength/power athletes // NCBI: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17136944/
- Creatine Group-A// AIS: https://www.ais.gov.au/nutrition/supplements/group_a#creatine
- All Photos made by Torokhtiy Media Team.
Why Trust Us?
Experience: 7 years
Specializing in: Weight management, Fitness / Sports nutrition
Oleksandr is a professional fitness nutritionist, certified by FPA (Fitness Professional Association). Oleksandr adheres to the principles of evidence-based dietetics and instills in his clients a healthy relationship with food - without strict prohibitions on favorite foods and regular disruptions. His main task – not only get a result for you, but also maintain it for many years, enjoying tasty and delicious food.
If you have any questions/suggestions/any other inquiry, you can reach out to us via email - reviews@torokhtiy.com
This article was written by our qualified author and proofread by an expert with proven experience. When writing the article we've used our expertise and data from authoritative, scientific, and evidence-based sources. The list of references is provided at the end of the article.
Our team of authors and experts includes professional athletes (Olympians, winners of European and World titles), PhDs in Sports Science, certified coaches, sports nutritionists, CSCSs, physiotherapists, and others. Read more about the team here, and more about how we test here.
