23
Products Considered
213
Hours of Research
9
Experts Interviewed
54
Customers Consulted
Pre-workout supplements with creatine are the best option to increase your workout performance and accelerate your fitness goals.
Creatine helps you increase performance, lose fat, and build muscle. It is often used in pre-workouts as it is one of the most proven and safest supplements in the world.
Overall Rating: 5/5
4Gauge is one of the most popular pre workout for any one looking for moderate creatine intake. It also has one of the best workout performance.
Overall Rating: 4.9/5
This Pre workout from Pre Kaged is one of our favourite since it has creatine hydrochloride which is highest soluble creatine.
Overall Rating: 4.7/5
It has 3g of creatine monohydrate which is more than sufficient for most people. This Pre Workout has great mix of other ingredients.
But its also critical to know that not all creatine are same.
But there is a problem—many products do not contain enough creatine to help you reap the full benefits of this supplement.
After hours of researching suggestions from different manufacturers and testing each product, I was able to compile a list of the best creatine pre-workouts to keep you exercising productively.
The Best Pre-Workouts with Creatine
- Best Pre workout With Creatine Overall: 4Gauge
- Best Pre Workout with Creatine HCL & BCAA: Kaged by Pre Kaged
- Best Pre Workout with Highest Creatine: Altius by Jacked Factory
- Best Protein Pre Workout with Creatine: Bulk Pre Workout Sampler
- Best Pre Workout with Creatine Nitrate: C4 Extreme
- Best High Caffeine Pre Workout with Creatine: Kaged Elite
- Best Pre Workout with Creatine Mix: NutraBio PRE
- Best Pre Workout with Creatine Monohydrate: ON's Gold Standard
1. Best Pre-Workout Supplement with Creatine
4Gauge
A versatile pre-workout with creatine that helps you see results from work in the gym faster, train harder, and get more strength and energy for exercise.
Key features:
• Contains only natural nutrients
• Has optimal doses of caffeine and l-theanine for energy and concentration
• Contains Rhodiola rosea to reduce fatigue and stress from intense exercise
Ingredient Quality:
5/5
We found the quality of ingredients made more difference that quantity.
Workout Performance:
5/5
Our members didn't get tired, and felt energetic inspite of long duration of workout.
Value:
4.7/5
This comes with 20 servings per container.
Each scoop of 14g.
Creatine Monohydrate: 1g , you can double it up to 2g with double serving.
This pre-workout with creatine is #1 on my list because it does not contain proprietary blends—all the ingredients are on the label and are included at doses that help you better control your athletic performance.
It is formulated with only natural nutrients to increase performance, both physical and mental, and has been proven to be effective in various studies.
I always enjoy its flavor of Fruit Blast. They have also recently introduced two new flavors of Frozen Lemonade and Pina Colada.
Thanks to this supplement, you will be able to quickly achieve the desired results from your workouts.
It is worth noting that in addition to creatine, the supplement contains L-citrulline, which is also useful for muscle growth and improving athletic performance. This is especially effective if you are just starting to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. [1]
Other Critical Ingredients:
Citrulline DI Malate: 6g
L Carnitine: 500mg
L Theanine: 200mg
Beet Root Extract
Pros:
Contains optimal doses of caffeine and l-theanine for energy and focus
Contains Rhodiola rosea extract to reduce stress and fatigue and improve physical performance
Favorable price when buying a set
Cons:
Only one flavor available
2. Best Pre Workout with Creatine HCL
Pre-Kaged by Kaged Muscle
This pre-workout is suitable for rapid muscle building and also helps with weight loss.
Key features:
• Contains a 1.5-grams of clinical dose of clinical hydrochloride.
• Contains caffeine for maximum energy and concentration
• Includes only natural flavors and no artifical sweeteners
• Provides great muscle pump
Ingredient Quality:
5/5
It has almost all the ingredients necessary. It's fully stacked.
Workout Performance:
5/5
The workout after taking this pre workout is one of the greatest. Without any jitter or feeling of exhaustion.
Value:
4.7/5
This comes with 20 servings per container.
Each serving is of 28.7g. Biggest of all.
Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL): 1.5g per serving
The product has 6 flavor options, and each of them is great. This fact is noted by many people in the reviews.
I've tried Fruit Punch and Grape and they were delicious, with no artificial aftertaste, which is quite common in pre-workout supplements.
Our team was quite surprised with results of Pre Kaged, not only in provide a great boost to workout, but none of our team, including. me who tried it felt exhausted even after working out for 2 hours. We were actually always ready for more strength training.
Though it has 1.5 g creatine but being in HCL form it does work of 5 g of creatine monohydrate. Creatine HCL is also expensive than other forms of creatine.
Pre Kaged is the only pre workout which contains creatine HCL which doesn't need creatine loading phase like creatine monohydrate requires.
Pre-Kaged has no sugar at all and uses stevia as a sweetener.
This pre-workout with creatine contains L-citrulline and beta-alanine to help improve athletic performance. These ingredients effectively relieve muscle pain after exercise and help you recover faster. [5, 6]
It also contains BCAAs, which promote better recovery, increase muscle mass, and improve mental focus. [7] Making it one of the best pre workout with bcaa and creatine.
Pros:
Contains Creatine HCL
Helps improve athletic performance
Promotes rapid recovery
Suitable for building muscle mass
Sugar-free
Cons:
A large dose of caffeine; best not to use for evening workouts
3. Pre Workout with Highest Creatine
Altius by Jacked Factory
This pre-workout is suitable for rapid muscle building and also helps with weight loss.
Key features:
• Contains a 3-gram clinical dose of creatine
• Contains caffeine for maximum energy and concentration
• Includes only natural flavors and sweeteners
Ingredient Quality:
4.6/5
It has all necessary ingredients.
Workout Performance:
4.5/5
This Pre workout is great if you are looking to lift extra.
Value:
4.9/5
This comes with 20 servings per container.
Creatine Monohydrate: 3g Per serving
This pre-workout contains good doses of creatine and L-citrulline for fast muscle building. The supplement has also proven to be effective for weight loss.
It contains BioPerine—black pepper extract—which helps reduce appetite, as well as a good dose of caffeine, which boosts metabolic rate to help burn fat. [2]
Altius Pre-Workout contains a large dose of caffeine—325 mg. This will give you a powerful burst of energy and improve your concentration while exercising. But you should be careful—it is best not to take this supplement before evening workouts and to reduce coffee consumption so as not to have problems with sleep and health.
Pros:
Effective for building muscle mass
A good option for dealing with obesity
Has a clinical dose of creatine—3g
Contains only natural flavors and sweeteners
Cons:
High dose of caffeine can cause side effects
Only one flavor available
4. Best Protein Pre Workout with Creatine
Bulk Pre Workout Sampler
This pre-workout by bulk supplements is suitable for someone who prefers to mix creatine as per his requirement.
Key features:
• Contains creatine monohydrate + Protein Isolate
• Protein and creatine makes it a great pre-workout without any stimulant
• Doesn't contain any sweetners
Ingredient Quality:
4/5
Workout Performance:
4.5/5
Value:
4.9/5
Creatine Monohydrate: Serving as per needed
This Bulk Supplements kit includes whey protein isolate and creatine monohydrate to help increase muscle mass and strength and improve performance during exercise.
The kit contains 200 2.5-gram servings of creatine, but you can use a clinically recommended dose of 3 to 5 grams for faster results.
Due to the beneficial properties of the ingredients included in the kit, you can use it not only for building muscle but also for losing weight, as whey protein is good at suppressing hunger. This is can be best pre workout and creatine combo which you can consume as per your requirements.
Pros:
You choose your dose of creatine per serving
Increases muscle strength and performance
Suitable for both weight loss and muscle gain
Tasteless; good for any smoothie
Cons:
Contains no stimulants
Additional supplements may be required
5. Best Pre Workout with Creatine Nitrate
C4 Extreme Pre Workout Powder
Form: Powder
Flavor: Six Flavours
Special ingredients: Nitra Maz & creatine nitrate, 2g carnosyn beta alanine
Diet feature: Contains Natural Flavours
Ingredient Quality: 4.2/5
Performance: 4.0/5
Value:
4.5/5
Creatine Nitrate: 1g per serving
This very popular C4 Extreme includes creatine nitrate and beta alanine to help increase muscle mass and strength and improve performance during exercise.
The C4 contains 200 gms of caffeine and 1000 mg servings of creatine nitrate, creatine nitrate is considered much better at absorption than creatine monohydrate.
Due to the beneficial properties of the ingredients included in the kit, you can use it not only for building muscle and powerful workout but also for adding lean muscle.
Pros:
1000 mg of creatine nitrate considered much better than creatine monohydrate.
Increases muscle strength and performance
Suitable for both weight loss and muscle gain
Tastes really good, has multiple flavour options
Cons:
Contains almost 200 mg of caffeine
6. Best Pre Workout with Creatine Mix:
NutraBio PRE
Specifications:
Form: Powder
Flavor: Dragonfruit Candy, Blue Raspberry, Cherry Limeade, and more
Special ingredients: Amino acids, L-citrulline, creatine
Diet feature: Sugar-free
Ingredient Quality: 4.4/5
Performance: 4.1/5
Value:
4.5/5
Creatine Magnesium Chelate: 5g
This pre-workout with creatine is formulated for sustained energy, maximum concentration, and endurance during intense workouts.
NutraBio PRE contains the natural stimulant caffeine at a dose of 350 mg. This gives a good boost of energy and also improves concentration and mood and reduces fatigue.
And the combination of beta-alanine and creatine helps you synthesize ATP so you can train more intensely. The blend also promotes faster recovery. [3]
Its critical to know that creatine magnesium chelate is a mix of creatine and magnesium and not creatine in its purest form.
Pros:
Provides a boost of energy; improves concentration and stamina
Contains a large dose of magnesium creatine chelate—5 g
Accelerates post-workout recovery
Sugar-free
Many flavor options
Cons:
High dose of caffeine can cause side effects
7. Best Pre Workout with Creatine Monohydrate
Gold Standard Pre-Workout
Specifications:
Form: Powder
Flavor: Blueberry Lemonade, Fruit Punch, Green Apple, Watermelon
Special ingredients: Creatine monohydrate, beta-alanine, L-citrulline malate
Diet feature: Keto-friendly
Ingredient Quality: 4.2/5
Performance: 4.0/5
Value:
4.5/5
Creatine Monohydrate: 3g per serving
This pre-workout contains good doses of creatine and beta-alanine, which are essential during intense physical activity.
They not only increase performance and help build muscle during exercise but also help you recover faster after workouts.
The supplement also contains caffeine for energy and better focus. There's 175 mg of caffeine per serving, which allows you to get all the benefits and minimizes the risk of side effects.
Gold Standard Pre-Workout also contains more than half the daily value of vitamin D, which is essential for strong bones and healthy immunity. [4]
Pros:
Contains 3 grams of creatine
Contains beta-alanine for better stamina
Good price for 30 servings
Cons:
Contains beta-alanine, which may cause tingling sensations in some people
Specifications:
Form: Powder
Flavor: Icy Blue Raspberry, Cherry Limeade
Special ingredients: L-citrulline, creatine
Diet feature: No data
Ingredient Quality: 4.0/5
Performance: 4.0/5
Value:
4.5/5
This budget-friendly powder provides all the benefits of a pre-workout supplement while still being affordable. It is suitable for both men and women, allowing everyone to achieve the best results from their workouts.
It contains clinical doses of creatine and beta-alanine, which can help improve strength, build muscle mass, and promote quick recovery from intense exercise.
The pre-workout supplement contains a large dose of caffeine—320 mg. This provides a strong burst of energy and a high level of concentration during sports activities.
But if you prefer to train in the evening, this might not be the best pre-workout for you because caffeine can interrupt sleep.
Pros:
Contains a clinical dose of creatine — 3 g
Suitable for men and women
Promotes muscle growth
Accelerates post-workout recovery
Cons:
Contains a high dose of caffeine, which increases the risk of side effects
Which Ingredients to Look For in the Best Pre-Workout Supplements with Creatine
The main purpose of pre-workout supplements with creatine is to give you energy for intense exercise and muscle building. They also help you recover faster and relieve fatigue after intense physical exertion.
Let's take a look at what nutrients you should look for to quickly achieve your desired results.
Creatine
Creatine is the number-one supplement to increase your performance in the gym. It increases performance and strength and helps build muscle. [8, 9]
Creatine is popular among athletes and bodybuilders because it has been proven to be safe and effective in many studies. [9]
Your daily dose of creatine monohydrate should be 3-5 grams in order to experience the benefits of this supplement. [9]
If you want to start with the loading phase, which helps to quickly increase the amount of creatine in your muscles, then you will need 20 grams daily for a week.
Most of the pre-workouts I came across contained 2 grams or less.
Therefore, I added the Bulk Pre-Workout Sampler to the list because it includes whey protein powder and creatine monohydrate in separate packages. This allows you to adjust your creatine dose according to your goals.
In addition, almost all of the products on my list contain the recommended amount of creatine.
Citrulline Malate
This amino acid is produced by the body and is also found in foods such as watermelon. [10]
It helps improve athletic performance and also relieves muscle soreness after exercise, promoting faster recovery.
Caffeine and L-Theanine
L-Theanine is an amino acid that helps reduce anxiety and promotes relaxation during stressful situations. [11]
Caffeine is a natural stimulant that can improve mood, speed up metabolism and fat burning, and enhance physical performance. [12, 13]
The combination of these two ingredients helps you concentrate better on exercise during your workouts, improves speed and accuracy, and reduces your susceptibility to distractions. [14]
Red Beets
This ingredient is used in pre-workout supplements to improve athletic performance.
Red beets contain a lot of dietary nitrates, which affect the production of energy in your cells. [15]
In addition, these nitrates increase blood flow to the brain, improving cognitive function. [16]
Rhodiola rosea
This is used for stress reduction, helps you cope with fatigue, and increases mental performance during physical exertion. [17, 18, 19] These properties help to improve physical performance.
Branched-Chain Amino Acids
BCAAs are three of the nine essential amino acids that are not produced by the body. They only enter the body via food or supplements.
They help increase muscle mass, reduce muscle soreness after exercise, improve mental focus and reduce fatigue during exercise, and prevent muscle wasting. [20, 21]
Betaine Anhydrous
This is used to improve athletic performance as well as promote liver health. It participates in the metabolism of homocysteine, which is necessary for proper functioning of the heart, muscles, nervous system, brain, and more. [22]
Benefits of Pre-Workouts with Creatine
Using pre-workout with creatine has several benefits for improving your athletic performance. Let's take a closer look:
Strength
With creatine, you can get more strength, power, and performance for your workouts. This is because creatine helps the body produce more ATP. [23]
While ATP is normally depleted after 8 seconds of high-intensity exercise, creatine supplementation can extend this time by a few seconds.
Building muscle
Creatine helps to effectively build muscle mass, in both the short term and the long term. By using it as a supplement, you will be able to significantly increase your musculature. [24]
Moreover, it works effectively both for professional athletes and for people who are just starting to include training in their daily routine.
Endurance
The effectiveness of your workouts will increase because creatine increases endurance. The reason for this is the ATP cycle. The more ATP is produced, the longer you can exercise. [25]
Recovery
Creatine is useful not only for effective workouts but also for faster recovery. It helps improve cell-to-cell signaling, which aids muscle recovery and muscle growth after exercise. [26]
FAQs
What does a pre-workout do?
Pre-workout supplements are used to boost energy and improve athletic performance. Ingredients such as creatine, caffeine, beta-alanine, BCAAs, and some other substances help you achieve these goals.
Can creatine be used in pre-workout supplements?
Yes, creatine can be included in pre-workout supplements. It helps you improve performance, lose fat, and build muscle. In addition, it is one of the most proven and safest supplements available.
Is a pre-workout with creatine bad for you?
Creatine is one of the safest supplements around. A study, which was conducted over four years, showed no negative side effects. It also does not harm the liver or kidneys of healthy people when taken at regular doses. Some people have linked its use to dehydration and seizures, but studies have not confirmed this connection, and have actually shown an improvement in these conditions. [27]
Conclusion
Because creatine helps you improve performance, lose fat, and build muscle, it is often used in pre-workouts.
But to get the full benefit from its use and get your desired results, it is important to choose pre-workouts that contain a sufficient dose.
Therefore, I put 4 Gauge Pre-Workout at the top of this list of best pre-workouts with creatine. 4-Gague contains only natural ingredients in the right dosages so you can see the results of your work in the gym faster, get more energy, and exercise more productively.
If you want even more creatine in your pre-workout supplement, then opt for Altius Pre-Workout by Jacked Factory. Not only does it contain a clinical 3-gram dose of creatine to help accelerate muscle growth, but it is also effective in weight loss thanks to caffeine and black pepper extract.
William Toro ‧ CPT & Nutritionist
William is a certified personal trainer from NASM, he has also been a rehab physiologist for sports persons. He has more than 15 years of experience training people. And has featured in multiple publications like FoxNews, CNBC, Bustle, and other.
References:
1. Melinda Ratini, DO, MS, L-citrulline, retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/l-citrulline-uses-and-risks
2. National Library of Medicine, Metabolic effects of caffeine in humans: lipid oxidation or futile cycling?, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14684395/
3. Jay Hoffman, Nicholas Ratamess, Jie Kang, Gerald Mangine, Avery Faigenbaum, Jeffrey Stout, Effect of creatine and beta-alanine supplementation on performance and endocrine responses in strength/power athletes, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17136944/
4. Mayo Clinic, Vitamin D, retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-d/art-20363792
5. National Library of Medicine, Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20386132/
6. Matt McMillen, Melinda Ratini, DO, MS, Beta-alanine, retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/beta-alanine-uses-and-risks
7. Melinda Ratini, DO, MS, Beta-alanine, retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-bcaas
8. National Library of Medicine, Effects of creatine supplementation on performance and training adaptations, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12701815/
9. Thomas W Buford, Richard B Kreider, Jose Antonio, International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise, retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2048496/
10. National Library of Medicine, Citrulline malate enhances athletic anaerobic performance and relieves muscle soreness, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20386132/
11. J.M. Everett, D. Gunathilake, L. Dufficy, P. Roach, J. Thomas, D. Upton, N. Naumovski, Theanine consumption, stress and anxiety in human clinical trials: A systematic review, retrieved from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352385915003138
12. Servane Rudelle, Mario G. Ferruzzi, Isabelle Cristiani, Julie Moulin, Katherine Macé, Kevin J. Acheson, Luc Tappy, Effect of a Thermogenic Beverage on 24-Hour Energy Metabolism in Humans, retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1038/oby.2007.529
13. Melanie A. Heckman, Jorge Weil, Elvira Gonzalez De Mejia, Caffeine (1, 3, 7-trimethylxanthine) in Foods: A Comprehensive Review on Consumption, Functionality, Safety, and Regulatory Matters, retrieved from https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1750-3841.2010.01561.x
14. National Library of Medicine, The combined effects of L-theanine and caffeine on cognitive performance and mood, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18681988/
15. National Library of Medicine, Dietary inorganic nitrate improves mitochondrial efficiency in humans, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21284982/
16. Tom Clifford, Glyn Howatson, Emma J. Stevenson, The Potential Benefits of Red Beetroot Supplementation in Health and Disease, retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4425174/
17. National Library of Medicine, Stress management and the role of Rhodiola rosea: a review, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29325481/
18. National Library of Medicine, Rhodiola rosea in Subjects with Prolonged or Chronic Fatigue Symptoms: Results of an Open-Label Clinical Trial, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28219059/
19. Gou-ping Ma, Qun Zheng, Guo-Qing Zheng, Rhodiola rosea L. Improves Learning and Memory Function: Preclinical Evidence and Possible Mechanisms, retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6288277/
20. National Library of Medicine, Branched-chain amino acids activate key enzymes in protein synthesis after physical exercise, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16365096/
21. National Library of Medicine, The effect of branched chain amino acids on psychomotor performance during treadmill exercise of changing intensity simulating a soccer game, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22050133/
22. WebMD, Betaine Anhydrous, retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1008/betaine-anhydrous
23. National Library of Medicine, Does dietary creatine supplementation play a role in skeletal muscle metabolism and performance?, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10919967/
24. National Library of Medicine, Effect of dietary supplements on lean mass and strength gains with resistance exercise: a meta-analysis, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12433852/
25. National Library of Medicine, Creatine supplementation in endurance sports, retrieved from https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9662683/
26. Melinda Ratini, DO, MS, An Overview of Creatine Supplements, retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/men/creatine
27. WebMD, Creatine, retrieved from https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-873/creatine
