Creatine and electrolytes: what they are, and why we put them in one scoop
Creatine and electrolytes do different jobs. Creatine monohydrate increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise, with a daily intake of 3 g. [1][2] Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and magnesium are minerals your body needs in set amounts and loses in sweat. [3][4]
AMPD Creatine+ puts both in one 10 g scoop, alongside Lion's Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, vitamin B5 and BCAAs, so that one daily drink covers the creatine dose and replaces some of what training takes out. This page explains each part, exactly what is in a scoop, and when a plain creatine might suit you better.
What creatine is
Creatine is a compound made in the body from amino acids and found in meat and fish. About 95% of it is stored in muscle, where it helps regenerate ATP, the molecule that powers short, intense efforts. [1]
Supplementing with creatine monohydrate increases muscle creatine stores. In Great Britain the authorised health claim is that creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise; the beneficial effect is obtained with a daily intake of 3 g. [2][5] Each scoop of Creatine+ provides 5 g. [6]
For how much to take and when, see how much creatine per day and when to take creatine.
What electrolytes are
Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in body fluids. The main ones are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride. The body keeps their concentrations within tight ranges, and you take them in through food and drink. [3][7]
You lose electrolytes, mainly sodium and chloride with smaller amounts of potassium and magnesium, in sweat. How much depends on how much you sweat and on your individual sweat composition: a review of athlete studies found sweat sodium ranged from roughly 10 to 90 mmol per litre between people, so losses vary widely. [4]
UK food labelling reference intakes for adults are 2,000 mg a day for potassium and 375 mg for magnesium. [8] Sodium has no reference intake; the NHS advises adults to eat no more than 6 g of salt a day, which is about 2.4 g of sodium. [9]
Why formulate creatine and electrolytes together
Three practical reasons, none of them a health claim:
- One habit instead of two. Creatine only works if you take it every day. Pairing it with a drink you want to have anyway makes the daily dose easier to keep up. [1]
- Creatine is taken with fluid, and training makes you sweat. Replacing some of the sodium, potassium and magnesium you lose in sweat in the same drink is a tidy way to do it. [4]
- Flavour. Plain creatine in water is bland; a flavoured electrolyte base makes it a drink people look forward to.
What we do not claim: that the combination hydrates you better, that it improves performance beyond creatine's authorised effect, or that you need electrolyte supplementation at all. Most people eating a normal diet get enough electrolytes from food. The case for replacing them is strongest for long or hot sessions and for heavy sweaters. [4][9]
What is in a scoop of AMPD Creatine+
Per 10 g serving (one scoop), as published on our nutrition panel: [6]
| Ingredient | Per scoop |
|---|---|
| Creatine monohydrate | 5 g |
| Sodium | 125 mg |
| Potassium | 300 mg |
| Magnesium | 56.25 mg |
| Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) | 3 mg |
| Lion's Mane extract (10:1) | 500 mg |
| Chaga extract (4:1) | 600 mg |
| Cordyceps extract (4:1) | 600 mg |
| BCAA 2:1:1 | 500 mg |
The electrolyte amounts are modest by design. 300 mg of potassium is 15% of the reference intake and 56.25 mg of magnesium is 15%, with 125 mg of sodium, about a twentieth of the daily maximum the NHS advises. [8][9] That is a top-up alongside your creatine, not a rehydration product for a marathon.
Lion's Mane, Chaga and Cordyceps are functional mushroom extracts. There are no authorised health claims for them in Great Britain, so we make none; they are in Creatine+ as ingredients, at the amounts above. [2]
Both flavours, Watermelon Blast and Citrus Twist, are made in the UK and third-party tested. [10]
How to use it
Mix one scoop with a large glass of water once a day, at whatever time suits you. Consistency matters more than timing. [1] Most people have it in the morning or around training.
Expect your weight to rise by roughly 1 to 2 kg in the first weeks as muscle takes on water with the creatine. This is normal and is not fat. [1] Drinking normally is enough; there is no need to force fluids.
Creatine+ or plain creatine monohydrate?
If you want the cheapest effective creatine, or you already use an electrolyte drink, our unflavoured creatine monohydrate does the job for less per serving. If you want one flavoured daily drink that carries the creatine dose plus electrolytes and mushroom extracts, that is what Creatine+ is for. Our best creatine UK guide walks through the trade-offs, including price per serving.
Creatine+ and plain creatine
Both Creatine+ flavours carry the electrolytes above. Creatine Monohydrate is the same 5 g of creatine with nothing added, for anyone who already has a hydration drink.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Creatine monohydrate dissolves in water alongside electrolyte minerals with no interaction. Creatine+ is formulated that way, and you can also add plain creatine to any electrolyte drink.
No. Creatine works on its own with normal fluid intake. Electrolytes are worth replacing when you sweat a lot, in long or hot sessions; otherwise a normal diet covers them.
5 g of creatine monohydrate per 10 g scoop, with 125 mg of sodium, 300 mg of potassium and 56.25 mg of magnesium.
Whenever you will remember every day. Around training or with a meal are the most common times. Consistency matters more than the clock.
No. Pure creatine monohydrate is just creatine and water. Electrolytes are added separately in products such as Creatine+.
Yes. The dose is the same for women and men, 3 to 5 g a day, and a scoop provides 5 g. It is not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding; speak to a GP or midwife first.
Sources
- Kreider RB et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18.
- Department of Health and Social Care. Great Britain nutrition and health claims (NHC) register.
- EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens. Dietary reference values for sodium. EFSA Journal. 2019;17(9):5778.
- Baker LB. Sweating rate and sweat sodium concentration in athletes: a review of methodology and intra/interindividual variability. Sports Med. 2017;47(Suppl 1):111-128.
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of health claims related to creatine and increase in physical performance during short-term, high intensity, repeated exercise bouts. EFSA Journal. 2011;9(7):2303.
- AMPD Lifestyle. Creatine+ nutrition information per 10 g serving, as published on the Creatine Decoded guide page.
- EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies. Dietary Reference Values for potassium. EFSA Journal. 2016;14(10):4592.
- Retained Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers, Annex XIII (reference intakes for vitamins and minerals).
- NHS. Salt in your diet.
- AMPD Lifestyle. AMPD Creatine Plus product page (third-party tested, made in the UK).