CleanSubject: We checked 16 creatine tubs. Only 12 passed our lab-report check.
Hi there,
Welcome to the first CleanAssay weekly. We read the lab reports so you don't have to, then tell you what we found in plain English. This week: creatine.
Did you know?
A scoop of "creatine monohydrate" isn't all creatine. About 12% of the weight is bound water (the "monohydrate" part). That's why so many labels say 3.4 g: it gives you about 3 g of actual creatine.
And 3 g is the number that matters. EU food safety experts reviewed the research (EFSA Journal, 2011), and the authorised claim is: creatine increases physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high-intensity exercise, with a daily intake of 3 g. We don't promise anything beyond that.
What we found in the lab reports this week
We track 16 creatine products sold in the EU and UK. 12 are lab verified, meaning a current independent report we've checked. Two more (Vilgain and Beyond Nutrition) publish reports, but the lab's reporting limits are too high to tell you much. The last two (OstroVit Creapure and Novoma) only have reports from 2024.
A real example: OstroVit's 500 g monohydrate was tested by J.S. Hamilton Poland (report dated 27 February 2026). Lead: below 0.010 mg/kg (EU limit 3.0). Mercury: 0.010 mg/kg, a tenth of the 0.10 limit. The catch is that arsenic wasn't tested. That happens a lot (4 of the 16 reports skip it), so check the "As" column before you assume "all clear".
Best value clean pick
OstroVit 100% Creatine Monohydrate 500 g: €6.33 at 3.4 g a day, so about €0.04 per day (EU). It's the cheapest lab-verified creatine we list in euros. In the UK: Hero Pro 100% Pure Creatine 1000 g, about £0.11 per day (£21.29 at 5 g a day).
Myth-buster: "Branded creatine is always cleaner"
Creapure is a respected raw material, and plenty of Creapure tubs have strong reports. But branded doesn't mean tested: both of our outdated reports are Creapure products, while some plain monohydrates were tested in 2026. The name on the tub is a start. The report is the proof.
Next week
Magnesium glycinate: why "500 mg magnesium glycinate" and "500 mg magnesium" are very different numbers.
See you next Friday,
R.R., CleanAssay
Information only, not medical advice. Food supplements are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to a healthcare professional before use, especially if pregnant or on medication.