10 Best Vegan Creatine Supplements (2024) Reviewed and Compared
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Posted by
Kelly McGeehan
Creatine is a go-to ingredient for enhancing performance. It’s one of the most well-researched, established, and effective supplements in existence.
Research shows that it can help build muscle mass, support athletic performance, and improve your recovery between sets in the gym.
The most abundant source of creatine is red meat. This means, vegans often won’t get much from their diet. This is where a vegan creatine supplement comes in handy.
In this article, we delve into the benefits of vegan creatine supplements and review the best vegan creatine supplements on the market.
What is Creatine?
Found in the brain and muscles, creatine is an amino acid responsible for maintaining healthy energy levels in the body. In particular, it increases the production of ATP energy, the energy source used by the body in high-intensity exercise. Because of this, creatine can enhance our exercise performance and improve our overall physical health.
The body produces about one gram of creatine per day naturally, and you can also get it from animal-based foods like fish and red meat. However, people looking to build body mass can increase their creatine levels through supplementation.
Creatine is a widely researched supplement and has various health benefits. While regular creatine is commonly made with animal products, vegan creatine is made from plant-based proteins. These sources include nuts, legumes, seeds, and seaweed.
Vegan creatine is a great supplement for vegans or vegetarians looking to strengthen their muscles and improve their physical performance.
Why Should Vegans Take a Creatine Supplement?
Creatine is a no-brainer supplement for nearly anybody looking to improve their performance.
Creatine is a popular pre-workout or post-workout recovery drink among athletes and bodybuilders for its ability to increase muscle growth, improve strength, shorten muscle recovery time, and enhance exercise performance.
A 9-year study performed between 2012 and 2021 involving a collection of 16 randomized trials found that Creatine monohydrate, coupled with regular training, aided in the increase of strength and lean muscle mass development. Yes, 16 trials.
Most of the research done on creatine has used protein from animal sources. However, the research suggests that vegan creatine supplements offer similar benefits to regular creatine for vegetarian and vegan athletes.
For example, one study showed that vegetarians who took a creatine supplement experienced an increase in creatine levels, lean muscle mass, muscular endurance, and muscle strength. Another review determined that taking a creatine supplement could improve endurance, muscular strength, and high-intensity exercise performance.
So if you want to build muscle mass, strengthen muscles, and enhance performance while eating a vegan or vegetarian diet, a creatine supplement can help you achieve your goals.
Most creatine products on the market are synthetically made, which makes them “vegan-friendly.” However, we highlighted products, like Vedge Creatine+ that are designed for vegans. Every product on our list is third-party tested.
The Best Vegan Creatine Supplements
*Note: We do have affiliate links throughout this article, which means we receive a commission if you purchase from any of our links. This supports our mission to bring complicated health and fitness info in an entertaining package. And it keeps us from putting up annoying things like banner ads. Those suck.
1) Vedge Nutrition Creatine+
Price: From $34.95
If you’re vegan and take supplements, (which you probably are if reading this), you should know about Vedge Nutrition. This vegan company makes vegan supplements specifically for vegans like you! (Did I mention it’s vegan?) Founded by Vegan athletes, Vedge is the brand for vegans.
Each scoop of Vedge Nutrition Creatine powder contains 5 grams of pure creatine monohydrate. It also contains 2 grams of a patented ingredient called PeakO2®. It’s an organic-certified combination of six adaptogenic mushrooms grown in the U.S. that can help increase power and endurance.
Vedge Nutrition uses USDA Certified Organic ingredients and offers a 365-day money-back guarantee on all orders. You can also subscribe to receive a new order every month for a discounted rate. Every bottle contains 30 servings.
When it comes to vegan creatine, Vedge Nutrition Creatine+ is our clear #1 pick.
2) Kaged Creatine HCI
Price: From $22.49
Every scoop of Kaged Creatine HCI contains 750 mg of its patented creatine hydrochloride, a form of creatine that is highly soluble. It is also third-party tested for quality and potency, and Informed-Sport Certified, so it’s great for athletes.
Every bottle contains 75 servings and comes in an unflavored that’s easy to add to a stack, or a lemon-lime flavor that’s great on its own. Kaged also offers creatine veggie capsules. (Of course, both options are vegan-friendly.)
Is Creatine HCl superior? Not necessarily, although it does have advantages. Regular creatine monohydrate often has a chalky texture and mixes poorly. In contrast, Creatine HCl mixes easily, so it goes down smoothly.
This makes Kaged Creatine HCl a great option if you want to drink creatine on its own, or mix it with a stack.
With a patented formula from a proven brand, you can’t go wrong with Kaged Creatine HCl.
3) Naked Creatine Monohydrate Powder
Price: From $51.99
Naked Nutrition believes that less is more when it comes to their Creatine Monohydrate Powder. It contains one ingredient, 5 grams of pure creatine monohydrate, and nothing else.
It’s gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, and Certified vegan. The creatine is also free from the fillers, additives, and artificial sweeteners commonly found in protein powders. In other words, Naked Nutrition is a safe choice for vegan diets. Each bottle contains around 200 servings.
They used a micronized form that may mix a bit better than typical creatine monohydrate.
4) Bulksupplements Creatine Monohydrate
Price: From $27.23
If you know you love creatine and will go through it, then PureBulk gives you the bulk option creatine monohydrate you’re looking for, all the way up to 1.5 kilograms.
Depending on the serving size you choose, you can get from 250 to 1500 grams per package. They also sell capsules.
5) Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Capsules
Price: From $58.46
While one of the more expensive options on our list, the quality of Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Capsules makes it worth the price. Each serving contains 2.5 grams of 100% pure creatine monohydrate in a vegetarian capsule.
They use micronized creatine monohydrate, so it’s a bit more soluble.
Its creatine capsules are also certified by Informed Sport, which means they’re safe to take as a sports nutrition supplement. Each bottle comes with 100 servings.
6) MRM Nutrition Creatine Monohydrate 500
Price: From $29.99
MRM Nutrition keeps it simple with their Creatine Monohydrate 500 powder. Every scoop contains just 5,000 mg of creatine. That means it’s free of gluten, soy, and any additives or preservatives. It’s also Certified vegan and third-party tested for quality.
Its unflavored taste makes adding it to drinks and recipes easy. Each package comes with 100 servings.
7) ALLMAX Creatine Pharmaceutical Grade
Price: From $29.99
ALLMAX Creatine Pharmaceutical Grade has everything you want in a creatine product. Every serving delivers 5 grams of vegan creatine monohydrate in the form of their trademarked formula CreaSyn. Its vegan and gluten-free creatine is micronized for better absorption.
ALLMAX Creatine is third-party tested for purity and potency. It’s also made in a cGMP registered facility and is Informed-choice certified, which means it’s safe to use in competitive sports.
The one downside is that it only contains 20 servings, which can be inconvenient for long term use.
8) Sunwarrior Sport Active Creatine Monohydrate
Price: From $29.97
Sunwarrior Sport Active Creatine is the perfect simple creatine supplement. It offers 5 grams of vegan creatine monohydrate powder in every scoop and nothing else. Free of gluten, soy, and artificial sweeteners, its unflavored taste makes adding it to any beverage easy.
Sunwarrior third-party tests its products and is Informed Choice certified, making it a safe sports nutrition supplement. Every container comes with 60 servings.
9) Now Foods Sports Creatine Monohydrate
Price: From $12.27
Now Foods Sport Creatine Monohydrate is a good budget-friendly option. You can get 750 mg of creatine in every serving for just over ten dollars. It is gluten-free, soy-free, and comes in a vegetarian capsule. It’s also certified by Informed Sport, which ensures you’re getting a safe and quality product.
The main downside of Now Foods Creatine Monohydrate is its suggested use. Now Foods recommends consumers take six capsules per day, which can make sticking to a daily creatine routine difficult. In addition, they only offer 20 servings, so you’ll have to restock often.
10) Onnit Creatine Monohydrate
Onnit’s creatine monohydrate uses a form called Creapure®. This is a patented form of micronized creatine monohydrate, so it may be more soluble.
How We Ranked
Although we ranked these supplements, we want you to decide on the best product for you.
Here’s what we took into consideration when ranking these products.
Strict Testing Standards
The supplement industry isn’t FDA-regulated, making finding a reputable supplement challenging.
That’s why we only select companies that adhere to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulations and have their products third-party tested.
Ingredients
The best vegan creatine supplements offer dosages between two to eight grams, so we looked for dosages in that range. We also looked for products that contain micronized, pure creatine monohydrate for optimal absorption. Lastly, we considered ingredients that may enhance the benefits of creatine, like a mushroom blend.
Value
Living our healthiest lives can get expensive. That’s why we selected high-quality products that won’t hurt your wallet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is vegan creatine safe?
Yes, vegan creatine is a safe supplement. In fact, creatine is one of the most researched and widely tested supplements. No serious side effects of creatine have been reported even when taken in large doses. However, mild side effects such as bloating and digestive discomfort have been reported.
Will I find creatine in other supplements?
Yes, you may. For example, creatine is popular in pre-workout supplements. In fact, it’s an ingredient we recommend that beginners looking for a pre-workout seek out.
Are there any plant-based food sources of creatine?
No. Creatine is only naturally occurring in animal tissue. That’s why it’s important for vegans to get it through supplements, if they want the performance boost creatine provides.
What other supplements should vegans take to avoid deficiencies?
If you’re vegan, you’ll want to watch you’re vitamin B12 levels. You can check out our article on vitamin B12 supplements for vegans for more info on that.
You’ll also want to watch your protein and amino acid intake. For more on this, check out these articles on vegan protein powder and vegan BCAAs.
