Are you looking for maximum muscle growth at the gym but having trouble bulking up? Many athletes supplement their diets and workout plans with creatine powders, naturally occurring amino acids that improve performance and muscle growth.
Creatine helps you build muscle quickly with a steady exercise regimen and a healthy diet. With this supplement, your gym performance and stamina will increase, and your post-exercise aches will decrease. This makes creatine frequently recommended as a bodybuilding and powerlifting supplement.
However, not all creatine supplements are of the same quality!
Here are some options for the best creatine for bulking.
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Combining a clinical dosage of the tried and true creatine monohydrate with β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate (aka HMB), Transparent Labs delivers a cutting edge supplement for bulking.
Crea-Gainz is a blend of creatine HCL, beta alanine, Himalayan pink sea salt, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, and astragin.
The massive 4 gram dose of creatine HCL in each serving meanings you could actually take half servings (2 grams each), doubling the serving count to 60 per tub!
Available in unflavored and blue raspberry.
Combining two types of creatine, creatine monohydrate and creatine chelate, with D-Ribose for intra workout energy, ATP Evolution is an excellent creatine supplement for taking before a workout. This is because the D-Ribose acts as a highly available energy source during your training session.
Discount codes:
LIFTVAULT = 15% off at Nutri Cartel
Alpha Lion is known for delivering high-quality supplements with fully-dosed ingredient panels and Superhuman Post is no different.
Creatine + leucine + betaine combine to provide superior energy production, post workout recovery and muscle cell hydration.
Discount codes:
LIFTVAULT = 15% off at Nutri Cartel
LIFTVAULT15 = 15% off at Supp Kingz
Conveniently packaged in pill form, CR3 Creatine by Inspired Nutraceuticals delivers a clinical dosage of creatine HCL with agmatine sulfate and Senactiv. This helps with power output, blood flow, and muscle pumps.
Discount codes:
LV15 = 15% off at Muscle Factory SC
LIFTVAULT = 15% off at Nutri Cartel
Table of Contents
The 5 Best Creatine Supplements for Bulking
- Transparent Labs – Creatine HMB
- Muscleforce – Crea-Gainz
- Nutrabio – ATP Evolution
- Alpha Lion – Superhuman Post Workout
- Inspired Nutraceuticals – CR3
There are several different types of creatine supplements, and it’s essential to know which one is best for you! Creatine of any kind will help increase muscle if you use it correctly, but some types work better for specific people or body types.
Transparent Labs – Creatine HMB
Combining a clinical dosage of the tried and true creatine monohydrate with β-Hydroxy β-Methylbutyrate (aka HMB), Transparent Labs delivers a cutting edge supplement for bulking.
Transparent Labs – Creatine HMB wins for the best overall creatine supplement. It combines high-quality creatine with HMB for extra muscle gains, which makes it stand out from the competition.
In fact, Creatine HMB was also featured on our list of the best creatine supplements for teens and the best creatine monohydrate supplements.
Here are some details on Transparent Labs’ Creatine HMB:
- High-quality creatine made with no artificial ingredients
- Better gains with the addition of HMB (a molecule that helps to break down proteins)
- Multiple flavors (including unflavored)
- Key Ingredients:
- Creatine Monohydrate – 5000 mg
- HMB – 2000 mg
- Bioperine – 5 mg
Muscleforce – Crea-gainz Creatine System
Crea-Gainz is a blend of creatine HCL, beta alanine, Himalayan pink sea salt, sodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, and astragin.
The massive 4 gram dose of creatine HCL in each serving meanings you could actually take half servings (2 grams each), doubling the serving count to 60 per tub!
Available in unflavored and blue raspberry.
Crea-Gainz Advanced Creatine Formula by Muscle Force is another excellent option for bulking. It’s the best creatine formula with hydrochloride (or HCL), which dissolves into liquids more easily and takes less time to absorb into your muscles. Solubility makes it much easier to digest the creatine and build muscle quickly.
- Most soluble and absorbent creatine formula available
- Helpful for athletes with stomach problems
- Includes electrolytes for maximum hydration
- Key Ingredients:
- Creatine Hydrachloride – 4000 mg
- Beta-Alanine – 1000 mg
- Astragin – 50 mg
- Himalayan Pink Salt, Sodium Phosphate, and Potassium Phosphate – 1300 mg
Nutrabio – ATP Evolution
Combining two types of creatine, creatine monohydrate and creatine chelate, with D-Ribose for intra workout energy, ATP Evolution is an excellent creatine supplement for taking before a workout. This is because the D-Ribose acts as a highly available energy source during your training session.
Discount codes:
LIFTVAULT = 15% off at Nutri Cartel
A creatine chelate offers an extra dose of magnesium with the creatine. With NutraBio ATP Evolution, magnesium is “chelated” directly onto the creatine molecules and helps to saturate the muscle thoroughly. When you’re working out, this combination will increase muscle growth to high intensity.
- Includes magnesium and d-ribose for extra creatine saturation
- No artificial ingredients or fillers
- Replenishes energy more quickly
- Key Ingredients:
- Creatine Monohydrate – 3500 mg
- Creatine Chelate – 3500 mg
- D-Ribose – 5000 mg
- Magnesium – 280 mg
Alpha Lion – Superhuman Post (Creatine with Leucine)
Alpha Lion is known for delivering high-quality supplements with fully-dosed ingredient panels and Superhuman Post is no different.
Creatine + leucine + betaine combine to provide superior energy production, post workout recovery and muscle cell hydration.
Discount codes:
LIFTVAULT = 15% off at Nutri Cartel
LIFTVAULT15 = 15% off at Supp Kingz
If you’re looking for extra bulk after a workout as well as during, Alpha Lion’s SuperHuman Post is the best creatine combination for you. It adds leucine, another of the amino acids that help to build muscle. Leucine directly affects muscles post-workout by continuing to stimulate the muscles after you’re done exercising.
- Includes L-Leucine and Betaine for post-workout bulking
- Blends easily
- Multiple flavors
- Key Ingredients:
- Creatine Monohydrate – 5000 mg
- L-Leucine – 5000 mg
- Betaine Anhydrous – 2500 mg
- Sodium, Calcium, and Potassium Citrate – 175 mg
- AstraGin – 50 mg
Inspired Nutraceuticals – CR3 Creatine
Conveniently packaged in pill form, CR3 Creatine by Inspired Nutraceuticals delivers a clinical dosage of creatine HCL with agmatine sulfate and Senactiv. This helps with power output, blood flow, and muscle pumps.
Discount codes:
LV15 = 15% off at Muscle Factory SC
LIFTVAULT = 15% off at Nutri Cartel
Creatine capsules are another option if you have trouble finding time to mix the powder into smoothies or waters. Inspired Nutraceuticals Beyond Creatine tablets are much less hassle than a powder. Pills are more convenient to take and dissolve naturally in the body over time.
- Easy to swallow capsules
- Includes sulphate supplement for electrolytes and energy boost
- Vegan, all-natural, dye-free pills
- Key Ingredients:
- Creatine Hydrochloride – 2000 mg
- Agmatine Sulfate – 750 mg
- Senactiv – 50 mg
- Astragin – 50 mg
Ingredients to Look for When Buying Creatine
If you want to bulk up fast, micronized creatine is the best way to do it naturally. It’s an amino acid already in your body, and multiple studies have shown that taking more creatine is completely safe. The best creatine ingredients are specific creatine types; however, any creatine is good as long as you know that it’s pure.
Creatine monohydrate
Creatine monohydrate is the simplest, purest form of creatine. It is generally the one recommended by health specialists because it’s had the most studies on its performance amongst athletes. Creatine monohydrate is also the most common form of creatine on the market.
Because creatine monohydrate is unmodified, it’s generally cheaper and easier to find than other kinds of creatine. If the creatine mix you are considering has creatine monohydrate in it, you will be able to bulk up without worrying about its performance.
Creatine HCL
The second most popular form of creatine is creatine hydrochloride or creatine HCL. You generally find this kind of creatine on more expensive powders. Creatine HCL is more soluble than monohydrate, so it is easier to dissolve into liquids.
The solubility levels of creatine HCL make it easier to drink and digest. It builds muscle just as well as regular creatine solution. If you have a sensitive digestive system, you might want to consider a creatine brand with HCL to ease the amino acid on the way down.
Creatine Chelate
Creatine chelate is another popular form of creatine, with an added magnesium molecule. Although magnesium is an excellent supplement for the diet, it’s not been proven that creatine chelate works any better than regular creatine to increase muscle bulk.
Creatine with magnesium is an excellent choice for athletes who want creatine and magnesium – this is a convenient way to get them both in one place. However, it might be cheaper to buy them separately. A creatine chelate mix could be more expensive than a regular creatine powder and magnesium supplements.
FAQs about Creatine and Bulking
If you are new to regular exercising, supplements, or bulking, you might have some questions about the process, how to do it, and how creatine affects your muscle growth. Here are some commonly asked questions about bulking and their answers!
Bulking is the quickest way to build muscle without adding fat. Generally used by bodybuilders and intense athletes, bulking involves consuming more calories than your body needs and working out intensely to convert them into muscle mass.
When athletes bulk, they are not just increasing their muscles by consuming more food. They also embark on a strict exercise regimen and specific diet. This combination decreases their fat levels while building muscle. Creatine is a massive help for bulking.
If you want to increase muscle and decrease fat in your body, bulking might be a great option. However, if your body is more than 20% fat, it might be better to start by “cutting” or losing some fat. It’s best to bulk up when you already have less fat – this will increase your muscle at a healthier rate. If you’re interested in that, check out our list of the best creatine supplements for cutting.
While you might think bulking is just for bodybuilders or other intense athletes, you can do it yourself with great results! Adding muscle and decreasing fat is healthy, even if you aren’t interested in becoming huge. Health is just as important as looks, and bulking can help with that.
Creatine helps you get stronger, which can help you build more muscle over time. Creatine is not a magic pill, but it is a meaningfully beneficial way to improve your size over the long term.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for a classic creatine supplement to mix into drinks and increase your muscle quickly, Transparent Labs is our top pick! Their Creatine HMB is the best creatine for bulking up quickly and is made with no artificial ingredients. Creatine HMB does a great job of increasing your post-workout muscle building. Mix it into your water or workout drink and go bulk up!
