Creatine Nitrate vs. Magnesium Creatine Chelate
Among 442 on-market creatine products with an identifiable primary form, 48.4% use Creatine Nitrate (214 products) and 27.1% use Magnesium Creatine Chelate (120).
| Creatine Nitrate | Magnesium Creatine Chelate | |
|---|---|---|
| Quality tier | Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
| Creatine by weight | — | — |
| Share of market | 48.4% | 27.1% |
| On-market products | 214 | 120 |
| Median declared dose | 1,000 mg middle half: 1,000–1,000 | 550 mg middle half: 550–550 |
| Most common brands | PS ProSupps, Cellucor, Nutrabolt | NutraBio, Axe & Sledge Supplements, Seeking Health |
Doses are declared per serving in mg. “By weight” is the share of the ingredient that is the nutrient itself (e.g. elemental magnesium in a magnesium salt).
Why Creatine Nitrate is tier 2
A dose-ranging safety/efficacy trial found comparable safety markers and performance outcomes to monohydrate, but the evidence base is much smaller and mostly industry-affiliated.
Source: Galvan E et al. 2016, J Int Soc Sports Nutr 13:12, DOI 10.1186/s12970-016-0124-0
Why Magnesium Creatine Chelate is tier 3
A single small (n=35) 2003 RCT showed greater increase in intracellular water vs plain creatine+MgO, but never independently replicated and no trial has shown superior strength/performance outcomes vs monohydrate.
Source: Brilla LR et al. 2003, Metabolism 52(9):1136-40, PMID 14506619