Does Creatine Taste Bad
When it comes to taking supplements, it’s not uncommon for them to have a bad or strange taste. After all, their job is to produce results rather than taste good. But what does that mean for our favorite supplement, creatine?
Well, it turns out that pretty much every brand and type of creatine available today either has an enhanced, enjoyable flavor or it doesn’t taste like much at all. This is especially good news considering that creatine is generally taken every day by most athletes and gym goers.
So long story short, creatine does not taste bad although a very small minority of people report that it has a bitter taste. This seems to be more of an individual response than the actual flavor of creatine for the majority of people.
Does Creatine Taste Bad With Water?
Since creatine doesn’t have much of a flavor if you’re using a version like monohydrate, it doesn’t actually change its flavor profile once it’s mixed with water. If you’re using a version that has an enhanced flavor, it will taste pretty much the same once it’s diluted in water as well.
Creatine HCL Taste
Creatine HCL is actually one of the types of creatine that does have a somewhat distinct flavor for most people and this tends to be on the sour side unfortunately. Since the HCL stands for hydrochloride, this means, from a scientific standpoint, that it’s a salt that’s also acidic.
The combination of this causes the creatine’s pH level to decrease, making it more acidic and with that comes a taste so sour, it’s often been compared to battery acid!
Some people report that the best way to counter this acidic flavor is to mix creatine HCL with sugar free lemonade. This will effectively neutralize and remove the creatine’s harsh tart taste.
If the flavor of creatine is a big consideration for you when it comes to selecting any particular version, then you might want to avoid HCL and stick with the classic monohydrate version which is basically flavorless.
What Does Unflavored Creatine Taste Like?
Almost any unflavored creatine you can get your hands on these days is going to have a very neutral taste that makes it taste like nothing at all once you mix it with water or any other drink.
The smell of unflavored creatine is also neutral so it scores a point in that regard too. Of course, some brands of unflavored creatine might mix in some ingredients that differ from others and that could impact the intended neutral taste but for the most part, if the ingredients show that’s you’re taking in pure creatine, it really won’t taste like anything at all.
What Does Creatine Monohydrate Taste Like?
The most widely used version of creatine, monohydrate is known for having a very neutral taste. This makes it ideal for mixing in with your choice of protein powder, pre workout or post workout drink.
If it’s added to water it doesn’t alter the taste at all, but some people do mention the texture of it, which is slightly grainy. This can be fixed by making use of micronized creatine monohydrate, which is a fine powder with a smooth texture.
This is a classic for a reason. It works for most people, is very affordable and doesn’t have any distinguishable taste.
How To Make Creatine Taste Better
As we’ve seen so far, creatine doesn’t have any taste for the most part and these days, creatine even comes in different flavors making it even more palatable for the average Joe.
With that said, there are some versions of creatine that either don’t taste good in general, like creatine HCL, or they taste bad for a small group of people. Whichever camp you fall into, there are lots of ways to make creatine taste better.
One way is to mask the taste with a fruit juice like grape or cranberry. Don’t combine it with a citrus juice like orange juice as that can convert the creatine into a form known as creatinine which is a waste product, making the creatine useless.
Another option is the classic protein shake. If you’re working out, you’re likely taking protein shakes so just toss a scoop of creatine into your shake and there you go. Problem solved!
If you’re more of a pre/post workout person, mix your creatine in there instead and once again, you should be able to mask any potential bitterness your creatine is giving you.
If all else fails, it might be a good idea to try a different brand or version of creatine. There are so many options available today that it doesn’t make sense to make yourself suffer with a bad tasting version.
Is It Normal For Creatine To Taste Bad?
In a nutshell, it’s not normal for creatine to taste bad. Generally speaking, most creatine variants are either flavorless or have a neutral taste.
Most people are also aware of the fact that creatine HCL is notoriously sour in taste and this is due to the hydrochloride which makes it slightly acidic. There is one other creatine variant which is know for tasting absolutely terrible for everyone who tries it.
This variant is called creatine ethyl ester. If you’ve gotten your hands on a tub of this creatine, I feel for you. Say goodbye to your tastebuds.
But apart from creatine HCL and creatine ethyl ester, there really shouldn’t be a bad taste for regular creatine monohydrate or something like kre-alkalyn.
Why Does Creatine Taste Like Salt?
If you’ve tried you hand at several creatine variants you’ll know they’re either flavorless or have a slightly bitter taste, depending on the type of creatine you’re supplementing with. None of them taste salty, yet some people report their creatine tastes salty. Why is that?
Well, quite simply, this is found to happen when people mix creatine monohydrate with water. Specifically, non-micronized creatine. This less refined creatine doesn’t dissolve well in water and can create a slightly salty taste.
If this is your experience, you might want to mix your creatine in a fruit juice or protein powder. This will help eliminate any salty taste and make regular supplementation much easier.
Does All Creatine Taste Bad?
No, not at all. In fact, most creatine brands or variants either have a neutral flavor or have an artificial flavoring that most people reportedly enjoy. With that said, there are known variants that do end up tasting bad for the majority of people.
These include creatine ethyl ester as well as creatine HCL. People say these taste like burnt rubber and battery acid respectively. If you stay away from those options you’ll find creatine doesn’t taste like anything and is easily mixed into your favorite shakes, smoothies or workout drinks.
Creatine That Doesn’t Taste Bad
If you’re looking for a list of creatine variants that have no flavor, you can opt for micronized creatine monohydrate or unflavored creatine of any kind. You can also try kre-alkalyn.
If you’re interested in creatine with a nice flavor you could go for something like Creature creatine or Green Magnitude creatine. People have given great reviews on the flavor of these creatine brands.
What To Mix Unflavored Creatine With
Since unflavored creatine is able to mix into any liquid without affecting its taste, some good mixing options include water, coffee, milk, protein shakes, smoothies, juice or pre workout drinks.
Your choices are basically unlimited. If you have a favorite drink, toss in some creatine! It’s really that simple when it comes to unflavored creatine.
Why Does Creatine Not Mix
Generally speaking, typical creatine monohydrate doesn’t mix well due to it having a larger particle size. What you’ll find is that when you put some monohydrate into water, it starts to clump together and doesn’t dissolve well.
There’s not much you can do in this situation. A better alternative as far as mixing goes is to use micronized creatine monohydrate powder. This is the same thing as regular creatine monohydrate but with the added benefit of better absorption and solubility.
Make your life easier and get some micronized creatine. It also doesn’t have any reported bad taste and won’t give you any bloating as some people experience when supplementing with regular creatine monohydrate. It’s a win-win situation.
Does Creatine Affect Taste
Finally, does creatine affect taste? Not if you’re using a flavorless or neutral taste variant like the standard creatine monohydrate. It’s only acidic versions like HCL or ethyl ester that have a really bad taste that’s hard to disguise.
Sticking with mainstream versions of creatine will work to your advantage as you’ll be able to mix it into anything you like or even dry scoop it into your mouth without it leaving a bad taste. Avoid creatine HCL and creatine ethyl ester and you won’t have to worry about it affecting the taste of anything you mix it with.
Summary
By now we’ve clearly answered the question, “Does creatine taste bad?”. The short and simple answer is no. There are many brands and variants of creatine, all of which are either flavored or have no flavor at all.
When mixed into other drinks like protein shakes, juice, water, milk, coffee or pre workout, they don’t affect the taste in any bad way. In addition to that, if your creatine tastes like salt, it’s likely due to using non-micronized creatine monohydrate.
Choose micronized creatine the next time you’re out shopping and you’ll find it dissolves far better than plain creatine monohydrate and because it doesn’t clump up, it won’t leave that salty taste in your mouth.
Finally, there are some creatine variants that actually do taste bad for the majority of people who use it and these include creatine HCL and creatine ethyl ester. These have extremely unpleasant tastes and are very hard to disguise in any drink you choose.
Now that you know everything there is to know about creatine and the way it tastes, you can choose the type that works best for you and your goals.
