What is another name for creatine and its most popular form?

December 2, 2025 •

4 min read

Creatine is one of the most widely researched and effective sports supplements available. While it is most commonly known by its official name, the supplement also goes by various other names, including scientific nomenclature like N-amidinosarcosine and marketing terms for different formulations. This article explores these alternative names and clarifies the differences between various forms of creatine.

Quick Summary

Creatine is known by several names, including the scientific name N-amidinosarcosine and its most studied form, creatine monohydrate. Other variations exist with different molecular structures, such as creatine ethyl ester, creatine hydrochloride, and creatine citrate.

Key Points

Creatine Monohydrate: The most common and scientifically-backed form of supplemental creatine.
Phosphocreatine: The active, energy-storing form of creatine found within your muscles.
N-amidinosarcosine: A technical chemical name for creatine, less common in consumer language.
Different forms have different names: Names like creatine ethyl ester, creatine hydrochloride, and creatine citrate refer to variations with modified chemical structures.
Not to be confused with Creatinine: Creatinine is the waste product your body excretes after using creatine.
Creapure® is a brand name: This trademark indicates a pure form of creatine monohydrate from a specific manufacturer.

Unpacking the Chemical Names for Creatine

Creatine is an organic nitrogenous acid that is naturally produced in the body and stored primarily in the muscles. The formal chemical name for the compound provides a more specific description of its molecular structure.

Systematic IUPAC name: 2-[Carbamimidoyl(methyl)amino]acetic acid.
Other scientific names: Methylguanidoacetic acid and N-amidinosarcosine. These names refer to the specific chemical components and structure that make up the creatine molecule.

While these names are accurate, they are almost never used in a consumer or sports nutrition context. The bodybuilding and fitness communities prefer simpler, more marketing-friendly names, often referring to creatine by its most prevalent supplemental form.

The Various Forms and Market Names

For consumers, creatine's "other names" typically refer to the different supplemental forms available on the market. Each form has a unique chemical structure intended to improve absorption, solubility, or provide other benefits, although many have less scientific backing than the original compound.

The Industry Standard: Creatine Monohydrate

This is the most common and widely researched form of creatine available. For many, when asked "what is another name for creatine?", the answer would simply be "creatine monohydrate". It is a creatine molecule with one molecule of water attached. Its effectiveness, safety, and low cost make it the industry benchmark. A very pure form of creatine monohydrate is even sold under a specific brand name: Creapure®.

Other Supplemental Forms

Beyond monohydrate, several other types have been developed and sold as performance enhancers. Some of the most notable include:

Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE): An ethyl ester derivative of creatine, also known as "cre-ester". It was marketed for superior absorption but has been shown in some studies to be less effective than monohydrate.
Creatine Hydrochloride (HCl): A form of creatine attached to a hydrochloric acid molecule. Proponents claim it has better water solubility, which may reduce stomach discomfort, but research is still developing.
Creatine Citrate: This form is bonded with citric acid, which can improve its water solubility and mixing ability.
Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn): Marketed to be more stable in liquids and to prevent conversion to the waste product creatinine, this form has limited research to support its claimed advantages.

Comparison of Common Creatine Forms


Feature	Creatine Monohydrate	Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE)	Creatine Hydrochloride (HCl)
Research Support	Extensive (hundreds of studies)	Weak (underperformed in studies)	Moderate (early trials)
Solubility	Moderate	Moderate	High
Bioavailability Claim	Established and proven	Promoted as superior, but lacking strong evidence	Promoted as superior, may be better for sensitive stomachs
Primary Use	General fitness and strength gains	Largely phased out	For those with gastrointestinal sensitivity
Side Effects	Some report mild bloating or stomach issues	Reportedly less bloating, though efficacy is questioned	Marketed as minimizing GI issues due to high solubility

The Creatine Phosphate System

Within the body, creatine has another key role and related name as a component of the energy system. In muscle tissue, creatine is stored as phosphocreatine, or creatine phosphate. This molecule is critical for regenerating ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the body's primary energy currency, during short bursts of high-intensity activity. When ATP is used, it loses a phosphate group and becomes ADP (adenosine diphosphate). Phosphocreatine rapidly donates its phosphate to ADP, converting it back to ATP so the muscle can continue to contract.

Creatinine: The Metabolite to Avoid Confusion

It is also important to differentiate creatine from creatinine. Creatinine is a waste product that is created when creatine is broken down. It is excreted by the kidneys and is often used as a marker of kidney function in medical tests. While the names are similar, creatinine is a metabolite of creatine and has no ergogenic properties.

Conclusion

While the most precise scientific terms for the compound include N-amidinosarcosine and Methylguanidoacetic acid, the term "creatine monohydrate" is the most well-known and widely used alternative name in the context of dietary supplements. In its energy-buffering role within the body, it is stored as phosphocreatine. While other supplemental forms exist, such as creatine ethyl ester and creatine hydrochloride, they do not have the same level of scientific backing as creatine monohydrate. Understanding these different names is crucial for anyone looking to purchase the most effective and reliable creatine supplement on the market.

For more comprehensive information on creatine, its metabolic function, and therapeutic potential beyond athletic performance, the National Institutes of Health provides a detailed review in their PubMed Central repository: Creatine in Health and Disease.

What is another name for creatine? Summary

Creatine Monohydrate: The most popular and well-researched form of creatine supplement, often simply called creatine.
Phosphocreatine: The name for creatine once it is stored in the muscles, ready to donate a phosphate for energy production.
N-amidinosarcosine: One of the scientific chemical names that accurately describes creatine's molecular structure.
Creatine Ethyl Ester: A form sold as a supplement with claims of better absorption, but with weak evidence to support its superiority over monohydrate.
Creatine Hydrochloride: Another supplemental form marketed for improved solubility and reduced stomach discomfort.
Creapure®: A specific brand name for a highly pure form of creatine monohydrate from Germany.
Creatinine: A waste product formed from the breakdown of creatine, not to be confused with the supplement itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Creatine monohydrate is the most effective and widely researched form of creatine available. It is backed by extensive scientific evidence for increasing muscle mass, strength, and high-intensity exercise capacity.

No, creatine is not the same as creatinine. Creatine is a compound used for energy, while creatinine is a waste product created from the breakdown of creatine. Creatinine is excreted by the kidneys and used as a marker in medical tests.

The different names for creatine are primarily due to different chemical forms (like creatine monohydrate), different brand names for specific products (like Creapure®), and scientific nomenclature (like N-amidinosarcosine). Each chemical form may have slightly different properties, though not all offer proven benefits over the standard monohydrate.

Creatine is technically an amino acid derivative, meaning it is synthesized in the body from the amino acids glycine, arginine, and methionine. While it's not one of the 20 protein-building amino acids, it is often grouped with them in a nutritional context.

Phosphocreatine, also known as creatine phosphate, is the form of creatine stored in muscle tissue. It provides a quick burst of energy by donating a phosphate group to convert ADP back to ATP, the body's main energy source during intense exercise.

For most people, creatine monohydrate is the recommended choice. It is the most studied, most cost-effective, and has the strongest scientific evidence for its benefits. Other forms, while sometimes marketed as superior, often lack the same level of proven efficacy.

The body naturally produces some creatine, and it is also found in foods like red meat and fish. However, dietary intake is typically lower than the levels needed to maximize muscle storage and performance, which is why supplements are used.