Creatine Not Dissolving? (6 Instant Fixes To Try Now!)

It can be incredibly frustrating when your creatine is not dissolving properly.

If this happens to you, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we look at 6 simple ways to help dissolve your creatine, as well as whether it actually matters if your creatine has dissolved or not.

Creatine Not Dissolving? Here’s How To Fix It

After some trial and error, I’ve found the 6 following methods help dissolve creatine instantly:

• Mix Creatine With Warm Water
• Use Less Creatine
• Mix It With More Water
• Use A Different Type Of Creatine
• Stir Your Creatine
• Use A High-Quality Creatine Supplement

Let’s explore these in more detail.

Mix Creatine With Warm Water

Most people who have difficulties with their creatine dissolving mix it in cold water.

But powders, including creatine, tend to dissolve worse in cold water. This is even more profound with creatine since it has poor solubility.

While I wouldn’t recommend using boiling water, mixing your creatine in at least room temperature water will help its solubility.

Use Less Creatine

At the start of a creatine cycle, you’ll often see people adding up to 20g of creatine into their creatine drink.

But if you remember your high-school science class, you’ll know that the more powder you add to a liquid, the less likely it is to dissolve.

If you insist on taking 20g of creatine a day, then spreading it out into 4 servings of 5g will not only help it dissolve better but may even be more effective too!

(This is because excess creatine is converted to creatinine, which is a waste product. If you take 20g of creatine in a single serving, you may end up peeing some of the creatine out.)

Use More Water

Since creatine can have a bitter taste, lots of people will mix it in a tiny amount of water so they can gulp it down like a shot of liquor.

But going back to your high-school science class, you’ll have also learned that the more water you use to mix a powder, the more soluble it is.

If you only use a small amount of water to mix your creatine, then simply increasing the amount of water you mix it in will help it dissolve.

Use A Different Type of Creatine

The most common type of creatine available to buy is creatine monohydrate. This form of creatine has a molecule of water bonded to each creatine molecule.

Despite being the most popular (and researched) form of creatine, it unfortunately doesn’t dissolve very well.

Luckily, there are many forms of creatine, and some of them dissolve more effectively than creatine monohydrate.

Let’s take a look at some of these other forms.

Micronized Creatine Monohydrate

Micronized creatine monohydrate is just creatine monohydrate where the particles have been broken down in size.

And the finer the creatine particles, the more easily it will dissolve.

I’ve been using Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine for years and I’ve never had any issues with dissolving it.

Creatine Nitrate

This version of creatine is relatively new and is less studied than creatine monohydrate.

However, creatine nitrate dissolves much better than monohydrate. It’s usually more expensive than monohydrate though.

Creatine HCL

Another common type of creatine is creatine HCL (creatine hydrochloride).

Interestingly, research suggests that it’s significantly more soluble than creatine monohydrate.

But like creatine nitrate, it tends to be a more expensive alternative to creatine monohydrate.

Stir Your Creatine  

If you’re a James Bond fan, you’ll know that he likes his Martinis shaken, not stirred.

However, when it comes to creatine, you’ll want it stirred, not shaken.

It’s been well documented that particles, like creatine, are much more soluble when stirred in a liquid.

The same can’t be said for particles that are shaken in a liquid.

Use A High-Quality Creatine Supplement

Since creatine monohydrate is so common and cheap to make, many poor-quality creatine powders sneak their way onto the market.

But poor-quality creatine tends to be clumpy and hard to dissolve.

Any creatine you purchase should be third-party certified, meaning that an independent company with no affiliation with the supplement company tests the quality and purity of the product.

Always look out for the seal on the label which tells you that it’s third-party certified.

Why Does Creatine Not Dissolve Well?

Like any soluble particle, creatine dissolves in liquid in the right conditions.

These conditions being:

• The correct ratio of creatine to liquid.
• Suitable temperature of liquid.
• The creatine is stirred in the liquid.

If these conditions aren’t satisfied, then you may have difficulties dissolving your creatine.

Does Creatine Need To Fully Dissolve?

There’s currently no scientific evidence to suggest that creatine is less effective when it isn’t fully dissolved.

However, you’re more likely to experience side effects, like bloating, when it’s not completely dissolved.

This is because creatine is hydrophilic, meaning that it attracts water. So, if you have undissolved creatine particles in your stomach, then your stomach may attract more water, leading to bloating and stomach cramps.

Conclusion

If your creatine is not dissolving, then don’t panic as there are lots of solutions to try:

• Mix Creatine With Warm Water
• Use Less Creatine
• Mix It With More Water
• Use A Different Type Of Creatine
• Stir Your Creatine
• Use A High-Quality Creatine Supplement

That’s all for dissolving creatine, but how do you know if creatine is working? Or can you take creatine and l carnitine together?

Thanks for reading!

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Creatine Dissolve In Hot Water?

Yes, creatine dissolves well in hot water, and the water won’t affect the effectiveness of the creatine. That being said, you shouldn’t mix creatine in boiling water as you may get burned.

Does Creatine Dissolve In Milk?

Creatine can mix effectively in milk. You may even get more benefits from dissolving it in milk, as the milk sugars may help improve absorption.

Does Creatine Dissolve In Juice?

Creatine dissolves well in juice, as long as it isn’t too cold. You’ll have difficulties mixing creatine in any liquid that’s chilled.

Like with milk, the sugars in the juice may help absorption.

Does Creatine Dissolve In Coffee?

If you don’t mind the taste of creatine, then dissolving it in coffee is perfectly fine. And since coffee is typically consumed warm, it may even dissolve better than in water.

Does Creatine Dissolve In Cold Water?

You may have difficulties dissolving creatine in cold water. The colder a liquid, the less soluble creatine is when mixed in it.