Health, fitness and the supplement aisle. An independent South African desk.
Creatine · Answer
Stir 5 g of creatine monohydrate into 250–300 ml of warm (not boiling) water, juice or a shake and drink it straight away. Micronised creatine dissolves better than standard powder. Some grit is normal and harmless. Do not pre-mix a day ahead, because creatine slowly breaks down to creatinine once it sits in liquid.
Use about 250–300 ml of liquid per 5 g scoop and stir or shake for 20–30 seconds. Creatine monohydrate has limited solubility in cold water, so the powder often settles at the bottom. Warm water (not boiling) dissolves it noticeably faster, as does vigorous shaking in a shaker bottle. You can also stir it into tea, a protein shake, juice or a smoothie.
Yes. Micronised creatine is milled to finer particles, so there is more surface area and it dissolves faster, with less grit. ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine is described as 200-mesh. Standard powders are coarser and tend to leave more sediment, though they work just as well once swallowed. See micronised versus regular creatine.
| Method | Result |
|---|---|
| Cold water, spoon stir | Gritty, undissolved powder at the bottom |
| Warm water, stirred well | Mostly dissolved |
| Shaker bottle with water | Good, drink quickly |
| In a protein shake or smoothie | Grit is masked |
| Micronised powder | Dissolves best of all |
No. Undissolved creatine is harmless, you simply swallow the particles. If you hate the texture, drink the sediment last with a splash more water, or mix into thicker drinks.
Yes. Creatine is stable enough in everyday drinks for the few minutes before you drink them. It also goes down easily with a meal that contains carbohydrate and protein, which may help uptake slightly. We cover the coffee question in creatine with caffeine and coffee.
In water, creatine slowly converts to creatinine, a waste product with no performance benefit. Dry powder is stable, but a bottle left in the sun in a Durban car for a day is not a good idea. Mix each dose fresh and drink it within minutes to a couple of hours. Do not rely on a "creatine water" bottle made up for the week.
Unflavoured creatine tastes mildly chalky or slightly sour. If you do not like it, add squash, juice or a flavoured shake. Pure single-ingredient products are unflavoured by design: ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine has no sweeteners or flavouring, which keeps the label short but means you supply your own taste.
The usual dose is 3–5 g a day. Loading uses about 0.3 g/kg/day split into four doses, so mix each 5 g portion separately instead of stirring in 20 g at once. See how much creatine per day.
As of October 2026, ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine is R500 for 600 g (R4.17 per 5 g) at shop.atpfit.co.za. New Leaf's micronised creatine 150 g is R415 at Faithful to Nature (R13.83 per 5 g), a much higher price for the same compound. For a plain, cheap option, Pure Natural Options 500 g is R222 at Knysna Health (R2.22 per 5 g), but it is not described as micronised, so expect more grit.
| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per 5 g | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine Monohydrate | 600 g | R500 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | — | R4.17 | None |
| ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine Monohydrate | 250 g | R270 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | — | R5.40 | None |
| New Leaf Creatine Powder Micronised 150 g | 150 g | R415 (Faithful to Nature, 2026-10) | — | R13.83 | not stated |
| Pure Natural Options Creatine Monohydrate 100% 500 g | 500 g | R222 (Knysna Health (listing via PriceCheck), 2026-10) | — | R2.22 | not stated |
Educational information, not medical advice. Speak to a doctor, pharmacist or registered dietitian before using supplements if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, under 18, taking medication, or living with kidney, liver or heart disease. Prices were observed in October 2026 and are not offers.