PlainPill

ALCAR vs Creatine for energy

Short answer: For energy, users rate them about the same: 95% report improvement with ALCAR (234 reports) and 97% with Creatine (268 reports).

ALCAR has 46 meta-analyses and 86 randomized trials on PubMed; Creatine has 763 and 2,794.

Based on 1,190 reports about ALCAR and 2,279 about Creatine. Not medical advice.

ALCAR
Supplement
Creatine
Supplement
Users say it helped64%helped428 reports · high confidence72%helped1,048 reports · high confidence
Verdict
Mostly positive
Mostly positive
ResearchAResearch: StrongAResearch: Strong
Meta-analyses / RCTs46 / 86763 / 2,794
Mainly used for
Performance
% reporting improvement
89% (19)98% (542)
Energy
% reporting improvement
95% (234)97% (268)
Focus
% reporting improvement
91% (155)93% (249)
Mood
% reporting improvement
78% (89)87% (125)
Memory
% reporting improvement
90% (30)93% (85)
Common side effectsanxiety, insomnia, irritability, stomach issuesstomach issues, hair loss, insomnia, water retention
Typical dose reported1000 mg5 g / daily
ALCAR
Latest review conclusion

There is evidence for benefit of ALC on clinical global impression, but there was no evidence using objective assessments in any other area of outcome. Given the large number of comparisons made, the statistically significant result may be due to chance. At present there is no evidence to recommend its routine use in clinical practice. Although the intention of the review was to access ALC for the treatment of all dementias, the included trials had confined themselves to participants with Alzheimer's disease. Individual patient data may add to the findings, as would trials including other type

Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 2003 ↗
What a user said
“ALCAR is great. Great energy burst. I find it takes a few hours to kick in though.”
Full ALCAR profile →
Creatine
Latest review conclusion

The results of the meta-analysis suggest that creatine supplementation did not significantly alter serum creatinine levels (standardized mean difference = 0.48, 95% confidence interval 0.24-0.73, P = .001, I2 = 22%), and did not alter plasma urea values (standardized mean difference = 1.10, 95% confidence interval 0.34-1.85, P = .004, I2 = 28%). The findings indicate that creatine supplementation does not induce renal damage in the studied amounts and durations.

J Ren Nutr, 2019 ↗
What a user said
“I actually feel a lot better. Mentally clearer and more balanced, like I have my brain back.”
Full Creatine profile →

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Percentages come from first-hand user reports and are not clinical outcomes. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or combining anything. How we rate