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Compound Deep-Dive
Tier 1: MainstreamThe single most effective and safest supplement for improving physical performance and muscle mass.
Creatine Monohydrate
CreatineMethylguanidinoacetic acid
The gold standard for performance.
Hype Risk
1/10
Noticeability
8/10
Evidence Tier
Strong
Cost / Month
~$5
Mainstream compound
What it's actually good for
Energy: alignedSleep: neutralLongevity: neutralMood: neutralImmunity: neutral
How it works
The most extensively researched performance supplement for increasing muscle mass, strength, and high-intensity exercise capacity. Emerging evidence also supports cognitive benefits, particularly during sleep deprivation or in older adults.
Increases intramuscular phosphocreatine stores, which facilitates the rapid regeneration of ATP during short-duration, high-intensity activity.
Safety
- Weight gain from intracellular water retention is common and expected.
- Ensure adequate hydration to prevent minor gastrointestinal upset or cramping.
- Safe for long-term use in healthy individuals at recommended doses.
The full StackRoast report adds
- The exact dose, timing, and effective range to actually run it at
- Where people go wrong with it — the dose-creep and timing traps
- What Creatine Monohydrate clashes with or duplicates in your stack
- Which brands are actually worth buying
Community Reality Check
Distilled from 10000 threads
Community Reality Check
Distilled from 10000 threadsConfidence: high
What users report
- Noticeable strength gains
- Improved muscle fullness
- Faster workout recovery
The catch
- Water retention concerns
- Digestive discomfort
- Fear of hair thinning
Side effects reported
- Bloating
- Stomach cramps
- Weight gain
https://www.reddit.com/r/Supplementshttps://www.reddit.com/r/Fitness
The Receipts
8 sources— studies, videos & links
The Receipts
8 sources— studies, videos & linksVideos
Papers
Creators
Clinical Sources
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