What Is Creatine? Benefits, Dosage, Side Effects & How Eddie Hall Takes It
Creatine monohydrate explained in full: how it works, the benefits backed by evidence, correct dosage, safety, and the exact product Eddie Hall takes every day.
Creatine is the most researched supplement in sports nutrition, and the most misunderstood. It's backed by more clinical evidence than almost anything else on the shelf, and it does one job well: it helps your muscles produce energy faster during short, hard efforts.
Here's the full breakdown: what creatine is, how it works, the dose that actually does something, and the myths that won't die. No proprietary blends, no gimmick forms. Just the evidence, and how Eddie Hall uses it himself, every day, training or not.
Creatine is a compound made naturally in the liver, kidneys and pancreas, and stored mostly in skeletal muscle, with a smaller amount in the brain. Red meat and fish are the richest food sources, but you'd need well over a kilogram of steak a day to match a standard 5g dose. Supplementation, not diet, is how you actually saturate your stores.
In the muscle, creatine is stored mainly as phosphocreatine: a rapid-reserve fuel tank for ATP, your cells' primary energy currency.
How Does Creatine Work?
Short, high-intensity effort (a heavy set, a sprint, a max lift) burns through ATP fast. Phosphocreatine donates a phosphate group to regenerate that ATP almost instantly, buying you a few extra reps before fatigue sets in.
More creatine in the muscle means a bigger phosphocreatine reserve, faster ATP regeneration, and more total work before you hit the wall. No magic. Just a bigger fuel tank for the exact system that limits heavy lifting.
Types of Creatine (and Why Beast Only Sells One)
Walk into any supplement aisle and you'll see HCl, ethyl ester, buffered, magnesium chelate, nitrate. A dozen variants, most promising better absorption or fewer side effects than standard creatine monohydrate.
The research doesn't back it. A 2021 review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition examined the alternative forms against monohydrate and found no evidence any of them outperform it on muscle uptake, strength gains, or athletic performance.1 Monohydrate remains the most-studied, most cost-effective, and most reliably effective form there is.
That's why Beast Creatine is exactly one thing: 100% pure, 200-mesh micronised creatine monohydrate. No proprietary blend, no filler, no gimmick form charging a premium for a marketing story the evidence doesn't support. Each scoop is a full 5g efficacious dose, not the 3g a lot of brands quietly shrink a "serving" down to while charging full price.
Benefits of Creatine
Strength and power output. By speeding up ATP regeneration, creatine lets you complete more reps at a given load, or lift heavier for the same reps: the direct driver of strength adaptation over time.
Muscle growth. More total work per session is one of the strongest known drivers of hypertrophy. Creatine also draws water into muscle cells, supporting an anabolic environment on top of the performance effect.
High-intensity endurance. Repeated short efforts (sprint intervals, circuit work, strongman events) rely on the same phosphocreatine system, so the benefit extends well beyond the powerlifting platform.
Recovery between efforts. A larger phosphocreatine reserve replenishes faster between sets, helping you maintain output for longer within a session.
Every one of these effects rests on the same mechanism: a bigger, faster-cycling energy reserve in the muscle. It's not a fat burner, not a pump product, and it won't do anything sat on a shelf. It works by being in your system every day.
How Much Creatine Should You Take?
5g a day, every day. That's the whole protocol. Creatine works through daily saturation, not an acute dose, so there's nothing else to manage: no loading, no cycling, no timing window to hit. This is exactly how Beast Creatine is dosed: one scoop, once a day.
The "loading phase" is a myth. You'll often see it recommended: 20g a day, split into doses, for around 5 days, before dropping to a maintenance dose. It doesn't get you anywhere a steady 5g daily dose won't, saturation is typically reached within 3 to 4 weeks either way, and the loading protocol itself is usually what's behind the stomach issues people tend to blame on creatine in general.
Skipping the odd day doesn't ruin your progress outright, but consistency is what keeps the tank full. Treat it as a daily habit, not a pre-workout extra.
Does Timing Matter?
No. Creatine is a saturation product: the goal is a fully topped-up muscle store, not an acute spike around your workout. Take it before training, after training, or with breakfast. Split it into two smaller doses or take the full 5g in one go, the total is what counts, not the schedule. The only thing that actually matters is taking it every day, training or not.
Side Effects and Safety
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most extensively safety-tested supplements on the market. The ISSN's 2017 position stand concluded that long-term use shows no evidence of harm in healthy individuals at recommended doses.2
Water retention. Creatine draws water into muscle cells, which can show up as a small weight increase in the first week or two. This is intramuscular water: it adds to muscle fullness, not the bloating people tend to picture.
Stomach discomfort. More common during a loading phase, when large doses are more likely to sit poorly. Splitting doses through the day, or skipping loading altogether, usually resolves it.
Tingling. Plain creatine monohydrate doesn't cause tingling. If you've felt that on a Beast product before, that's beta-alanine paraesthesia from a stacked formula like BIG D, not the creatine. It's harmless, well documented, and fades with consistent use.
Kidney function. No study has shown that creatine damages healthy kidneys at recommended doses. Anyone with a pre-existing kidney condition should still talk to a doctor before starting any new supplement.
Creatine FAQs
Eddie's take: "Creatine is one of maybe three supplements I've never stopped taking, because it's one of maybe three where the science has never once wobbled. I don't load it, I don't cycle it. One scoop, every day, whether I'm training or not. That's it."
The most researched supplement on the planet. 100% of it.
Beast Pharm Creatine is 100% pure 200 mesh micronised creatine monohydrate. Nothing else. No proprietary blend. No filler. No reason to add anything, because nothing needs adding.
Each scoop is a full 5g efficacious dose. Most brands charge full price for 3g and call it a serving. Beast doesn't. Ultra-fine particle size, clean dissolution, proven to increase strength, power, and endurance in study after study.† A daily staple for Eddie Hall himself.
Creatine works through daily saturation. Take it every day, training day or not.
†Consuming at least 3g of creatine daily increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise.
Directions
Mix 1 scoop (5g) with 250ml to 350ml of water.
Consume 1 serving per day. Do not exceed recommended dosage.
Ingredients
100% Micronised Creatine Monohydrate.
NET WT. 300g No artificial colours.
Warnings
Please consult your physician prior to use (especially if you have a medical condition). Not recommended for anyone under the age of 18. Do not take this product if you are pregnant or breast feeding. If you are taking any medication consult your doctor before taking this product. Do not exceed the suggested use. Keep out of the reach of children. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
Allergens
Manufactured in a facility that processes celery/celeriac, crustaceans, fish, milk, mustard, peanuts, soya, gluten, egg, lupin, molluscs, nuts, sesame and sulphur dioxide.
Delivery
All UK orders are shipped using a 1-2 working day service.
Free Tracked 24 shipping is available on all orders over £25, for orders under £25 shipping is charged at £4.99
Orders placed before 1pm on weekdays are shipped the same day.
Orders placed at weekends and bank holidays will be processed on the next working day.
Europe - Please allow 5 - 10 business days for delivery. Orders under 150 EUR - including shipping costs - will not incur any customs or VAT charges.
Rest of the World - Please allow 7 - 14 business days for delivery.
DHL EXPRESS WORLDWIDE - 1 - 3 business days.
All orders are shipped tracked - a tracking link will be provided in your shipping confirmation email.
Additional Charges
Customers may incur VAT charges and Customs Duty specific to their country. The buyer assumes responsibility for any importation costs. If customs and duty fees imposed by your country are not paid, we cannot accept responsibility for the items. It is essential to familiarize yourself with your country's regulations regarding the importation of goods. If an item is confiscated due to regulations, we are not liable, and any resulting charges will be the customer's responsibility. For information regarding return shipping costs, please refer to our Refund Policy.
The most researched supplement on the planet. 100% of it.
Beast Pharm Creatine is 100% pure 200 mesh micronised creatine monohydrate. Nothing else. No proprietary blend. No filler. No reason to add anything, because nothing needs adding.
Each scoop is a full 5g efficacious dose. Most brands charge full price for 3g and call it a serving. Beast doesn't. Ultra-fine particle size, clean dissolution, proven to increase strength, power, and endurance in study after study.† A daily staple for Eddie Hall himself.
Creatine works through daily saturation. Take it every day, training day or not.
†Consuming at least 3g of creatine daily increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise.
Directions
Mix 1 scoop (5g) with 250ml to 350ml of water.
Consume 1 serving per day. Do not exceed recommended dosage.
Ingredients
100% Micronised Creatine Monohydrate.
NET WT. 500g No artificial colours.
Warnings
Please consult your physician prior to use (especially if you have a medical condition). Not recommended for anyone under the age of 18. Do not take this product if you are pregnant or breast feeding. If you are taking any medication consult your doctor before taking this product. Do not exceed the suggested use. Keep out of the reach of children. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
Allergens
Manufactured in a facility that processes celery/celeriac, crustaceans, fish, milk, mustard, peanuts, soya, gluten, egg, lupin, molluscs, nuts, sesame and sulphur dioxide.
Delivery
All UK orders are shipped using a 1-2 working day service.
Free Tracked 24 shipping is available on all orders over £25, for orders under £25 shipping is charged at £4.99
Orders placed before 1pm on weekdays are shipped the same day.
Orders placed at weekends and bank holidays will be processed on the next working day.
Europe - Please allow 5 - 10 business days for delivery. Orders under 150 EUR - including shipping costs - will not incur any customs or VAT charges.
Rest of the World - Please allow 7 - 14 business days for delivery.
DHL EXPRESS WORLDWIDE - 1 - 3 business days.
All orders are shipped tracked - a tracking link will be provided in your shipping confirmation email.
Additional Charges
Customers may incur VAT charges and Customs Duty specific to their country. The buyer assumes responsibility for any importation costs. If customs and duty fees imposed by your country are not paid, we cannot accept responsibility for the items. It is essential to familiarize yourself with your country's regulations regarding the importation of goods. If an item is confiscated due to regulations, we are not liable, and any resulting charges will be the customer's responsibility. For information regarding return shipping costs, please refer to our Refund Policy.
Creatine. Evolved.
Beast BIG D is the daily saturation formula. 200 mesh creatine monohydrate plus five additional clinical-grade ingredients in one scoop. Same daily habit as plain creatine. Six times the formula.
Peak ATP® delivers ATP directly, not a precursor. Wellmune® protects immune health during hard training blocks. AstraGin® maximises absorption of everything else. Beta-Alanine extends endurance. Betaine Anhydrous supports power output.
The daily non-negotiable. Developed and approved by Eddie Hall, World's Strongest Man.
WARNING: BIG D will likely produce a temporary tingling sensation. That's Beta-Alanine paraesthesia, harmless, well-documented, and proof the formula is working. It fades with consistent use.
†Consuming at least 3g of creatine daily increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise.
Directions
Mix 1 scoop (13g) with 500ml to 750ml of water.
Consume 1 serving per day. Do not exceed recommended dosage.
Ingredients
Creatine Monohydrate, Beta Alanine, Betaine Anhydrous, Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (as Peak ATP®) Bakers Yeast Beta Glucan Saccharomyces cerevisiae (as Wellmune®), Astralagus membranaceus Extract (root) (as Astragin®) Flavouring, Citric Acid, Sweetener (Sucralose).
NET WT. 390g. No artificial colours.
Warnings
Please consult your physician prior to use (especially if you have a medical condition). Not recommended for anyone under the age of 18. Do not take this product if you are pregnant or breast feeding. If you are taking any medication consult your doctor before taking this product. Do not exceed the suggested use. Keep out of the reach of children. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or illness. Food supplements should not be used as a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and healthy lifestyle.
Allergens
Manufactured in a facility that processes celery/celeriac, crustaceans, fish, milk, mustard, peanuts, soya, gluten, egg, lupin, molluscs, nuts, sesame and sulphur dioxide.
Delivery
All UK orders are shipped using a 1-2 working day service.
Free Tracked 24 shipping is available on all orders over £25, for orders under £25 shipping is charged at £4.99
Orders placed before 1pm on weekdays are shipped the same day.
Orders placed at weekends and bank holidays will be processed on the next working day.
Europe - Please allow 5 - 10 business days for delivery. Orders under 150 EUR - including shipping costs - will not incur any customs or VAT charges.
Rest of the World - Please allow 7 - 14 business days for delivery.
DHL EXPRESS WORLDWIDE - 1 - 3 business days.
All orders are shipped tracked - a tracking link will be provided in your shipping confirmation email.
Additional Charges
Customers may incur VAT charges and Customs Duty specific to their country. The buyer assumes responsibility for any importation costs. If customs and duty fees imposed by your country are not paid, we cannot accept responsibility for the items. It is essential to familiarize yourself with your country's regulations regarding the importation of goods. If an item is confiscated due to regulations, we are not liable, and any resulting charges will be the customer's responsibility. For information regarding return shipping costs, please refer to our Refund Policy.
Jäger, R., Purpura, M., Shao, A., Inoue, T., & Kreider, R. B. (2011/2021 review context). Analysis of the efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of novel forms of creatine. Amino Acids. See also: Antonio, J. et al. (2021). Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 18(1), 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w
Kreider, R. B., Kalman, D. S., Antonio, J., et al. (2017). International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 14, 18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
van der Merwe, J., Brooks, N. E., & Myburgh, K. H. (2009). Three weeks of creatine monohydrate supplementation affects dihydrotestosterone to testosterone ratio in college-aged rugby players. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 19(5), 399–404. https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181b8b52f
This article is for informational purposes and is not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional before starting any new supplement, particularly if you have an existing health condition, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or are under 18.
