Episode 205 - Creatine Gummies Exposed – 9 Brands Tested, Half Failed

Creatine Gummies Exposed – 9 Brands Tested, Half Failed

Think your creatine gummies are doing the job? You might want to check the label again.

In this episode, we dive into the latest round of independent lab testing on creatine gummies—and the results are a wake-up call. Half the products tested had virtually no creatine in them. That’s right, you could be paying top dollar for glorified lollies. We unpack which brands flunked, which ones passed, and the Aussie company that’s finally raising the bar with transparency and batch testing.

You’ll learn:

• Why gummies are flooding the supplement market right now

• The red flags to look out for before adding to cart

• How to spot a legit creatine gummy from a total dud

• The ONE brand doing it right here in Australia

If you're relying on gummies to hit your training goals, you need to hear this.

Links:

James Smith Creatine Studies 

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Episode Transcription

Episode 205: Creatine Gummies Exposed – 9 Brands Tested, Half Failed

Welcome to the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast. The show designed to serve you up evidence-based sports nutrition advice from the experts. Hi, I'm your host Taryn, Accredited Practicing Dietitian, Advanced Sports Dietitian and founder of Dietitian Approved. Listen as I break down the latest evidence to give you practical, easy-to-digest strategies to train hard, recover faster and perform at your best. You have so much potential, and I want to help you unlock that with the power of nutrition. Let's get into it.

Taryn Richardson (00:00)

Back in May, I recorded episode 188 of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast where I dug into creatine gummies versus creatine powder. We talked about the pros and cons of both forms and how gummies look tasty and are super convenient, but independent testing around that time showed that many brands didn’t actually contain the amount of creatine stated on the label. Some had virtually no creatine in them whatsoever.

That episode is definitely worth a listen if you haven’t heard it yet, just for some context and background to this one. So jump back to episode 188 first and then come back here.

Because the story hasn’t stopped there. Since then, more independent testing has been released. I want to give you an update and talk through some of those results. Some brands delivered as promised, but others are still absolute shockers when it comes to creatine content. The good news is I’ve also come across a brand in Australia batch-testing their gummies in local labs to confirm creatine content.

Today I’ll take a look at the latest data from independent testing of creatine gummies, which brands to avoid right now, and how the industry might finally be shifting in the right direction.

Creatine marketing is everywhere. It’s in the news, all over social media, and appearing in more mainstream formats than ever. Just last month, the ABC ran a story by Paige Cockburn highlighting the surge in creatine popularity. It’s no longer just a niche supplement for bodybuilders. Everyday athletes, gym goers, and even busy mums are being targeted with flashy marketing.

But as that article pointed out, the evidence still sits firmly with good old-fashioned creatine monohydrate powder. Everything else, including gummies, really needs to be viewed with a sceptical eye before you take it.

Creatine Basics

Creatine is a compound made from three amino acids naturally found in our muscles and brain. It helps regenerate ATP, the energy currency our body uses, particularly for quick, explosive movements like sprinting, heavy lifting, or surging uphill.

Supplementing can help increase muscle creatine stores, translating over time to better strength, increased muscle mass, and improved repeated sprint performance.

Not everyone needs creatine, but some groups benefit more, including:

• Athletes in power and strength sports such as sprinters, team sports players, and powerlifters
  
  

• Masters athletes dealing with age-related muscle loss
  
  

• Vegetarians and vegans who have naturally lower creatine levels due to diet
  
  

Creatine is not a magic bullet. It won’t shave minutes off your 70.3 time, but it can help in repeated high-intensity efforts and with maintaining muscle mass.

The Problem with Gummies

Creatine works by saturating muscle stores, which means consistency over time is key. Whether taken as powder, capsules, or gummies, the right dose matters. Gummies often fall short because the label claim doesn’t always match the actual content.

This year, James Smith, originally a UK personal trainer now based in Sydney, decided to test creatine gummies. He spent about $300 USD per test on nine of the biggest gummy brands, mostly sold online in the UK and US.

The results were shocking:

• Failed brands (contained virtually no creatine): Overload, Unique Physique, Gains Nutrition, and Push Gummies (both Apple and Strawberry).
  
  

• Brands that passed (contained 3–5 grams per serve): MyVitamins, No Nutrition, Well Boost, and Create.
  
  

Half of the brands tested were essentially glorified lollies. The others were close to their label claims.

Signs of Change

Although the market is still hit-and-miss, there are signs of improvement. An Australian company, Buff Bear Gummies, now independently batch-tests their products in ACS laboratories in Victoria. Each gummy contains 1.245 grams of creatine monohydrate, with reports publicly available.

This is a huge step forward in transparency and exactly how supplement companies should operate.

Tips to Spot Real Creatine Gummies

1. Look at the appearance – real creatine recrystallises in gummies, leaving them cloudy or grainy. Perfectly clear, glossy gummies are a red flag.
   
   

2. Check the texture – real creatine gummies have a slightly grainy bite, not a smooth lolly texture.
   
   

3. Look for lab testing – genuine brands should publish third-party batch test results with clear batch numbers matching the product on sale.
   
   

If those results are missing or fake, don’t buy.

Final Thoughts

Creatine is still one of the most researched supplements, but it’s only effective if you’re taking the right dose consistently. The big issue with gummies is that half the brands tested had little to no creatine.

Until more companies lift their game, good quality creatine monohydrate powder remains the safest and most reliable option.

If you want to learn how to use creatine properly in your training—how much, when, and whether it’s right for you—I teach this inside the Triathlon Nutrition Academy program at dietitianapproved.com/academy.

Thanks for tuning in. Please share this with a training buddy or anyone using creatine gummies. Let’s all be more critical of what we put in our bodies and what we spend our money on.

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Thanks for joining me for this episode of the Triathlon Nutrition Academy podcast. I would love to hear from you. If you have any questions or want to share with me what you've learned, email me at [email protected]. You can also spread the word by leaving me a review and taking a screenshot of you listening to the show. Don't forget to tag me on social media, @dietitian.approved, so I can give you a shout out, too. If you want to learn more about what we do, head to dietitianapproved.com. And if you want to learn more about the Triathlon Nutrition Academy program, head to dietitianapproved.com/academy. Thanks for joining me and I look forward to helping you smashed in the fourth leg - nutrition!