| Property | Creatine | Beta-Alanine |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Creatine monohydrate | β-Alanine |
| Safety rating | Generally Safe | Generally Safe |
| Evidence level | Strong | Moderate |
| Category | Amino Acids | Amino Acids |
| RDA | Typical 3–5 g | Typical 2–5 g |
| Tolerable UL | Extensively studied | No UL |
| Clinical pearl | Most extensively studied ergogenic aid with over 500 published trials [2]. Loading: 20 g/day (4 x 5 g) for 5–7 days, then 3–5 g/day maintenance. Alternative: 3–5 g/day without loading (saturation in 3–4 weeks) [2]. No alternative form (HCl, ethyl ester, buffered) has demonstrated superiority over monohydrate in any peer-reviewed comparison [2]. Creatine elevates serum creatinine — use cystatin C for kidney function assessment in users. | Beta-alanine loads muscle carnosine (pH buffer) over 4+ weeks — ISSN-endorsed for high-intensity exercise lasting 1–10 min. Tingling is harmless (MrgprD receptor). Does NOT help strength or long endurance. Like creatine: chronic loading, not acute dosing. Sustained-release reduces paresthesia [1] [2]. |
| Key interactions | See profile | See profile |
| US products (DSLD) | 576 | 428 |