Creatine nitrate

Amino-acidCreatine salt

What is it

Creatine nitrate is a salt of creatine bound to nitrate, marketed in pre-workouts as combining creatine's effects with extra nitric oxide support from nitrate.

Evidence for 2 uses

AI-assisted evidence assessment — talk to your doctor before relying on any single supplement.

Strength and power performance

Limited Evidence

Creatine monohydrate has strong evidence (grade A) for performance. Creatine nitrate at typical pre-workout doses delivers smaller amounts of creatine, so effects on muscle creatine stores are likely modest.

Pump/vasodilation

Limited Evidence

The nitrate component can contribute to acute vasodilation. Magnitude is dose-dependent.

How it works

After ingestion, creatine nitrate dissociates into creatine and nitrate ions. Creatine is taken up by muscle and used for ATP regeneration via phosphocreatine. Nitrate is converted by oral bacteria and tissues to nitrite and then to nitric oxide, supporting vasodilation. Creatine nitrate effectively delivers two separate active compounds; both effects are dose-dependent.

Dosage

Most creatine nitrate products provide 1-2 g of creatine nitrate per serving (typically much less elemental creatine than monohydrate's 3-5 g/day target). Doses high enough to match standard creatine monohydrate would also deliver larger nitrate loads.

When and how to take it

Often taken pre-workout, 20-30 minutes before exercise.

1 commercial form

Compare the main delivery options and what they’re best suited for.

Creatine nitrate

Pre-workout marketing emphasizes solubility.

Both creatine and nitrate orally bioavailable; doses are usually lower than monohydrate.

Safety

Generally well tolerated. Headaches and lightheadedness occasional due to vasodilation. Nitrate intake at supplement doses is well below dietary nitrate from vegetables.

Who should be cautious

Avoid with nitrate medications and PDE5 inhibitors. Caution with antihypertensives. Pregnancy and breastfeeding data limited.

Interactions

Possible additive effects with blood-pressure-lowering medications (especially PDE5 inhibitors and nitrates), with risk of hypotension.

Food sources

Not present in food as creatine nitrate

Amount
n/a
%DV
—

Frequently asked questions

Is creatine nitrate better than creatine monohydrate?⌄

Not in terms of muscle creatine loading. Monohydrate has decades of strong evidence and is much cheaper. Nitrate adds vasodilation but the creatine doses are usually lower.

Can I use creatine nitrate with blood pressure medications?⌄

Use caution. Both creatine nitrate and BP medications can lower blood pressure, and the combination with nitrate drugs is potentially dangerous. Discuss with your clinician.

References

Creatine nitrate on Wikidata — Wikidata link

Creatine nitrate on NIH DSLD (US supplement label database) — NIH Dietary Supplement Label Database link

Research on Creatine nitrate (PubMed search) — PubMed link

Track Creatine nitrate with Pilora

Set up dose reminders, check interactions, and join the community in the Pilora iPhone app.

Coming to App Store
Evidence-based·How we grade evidence

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This page is educational, not a substitute for personalized medical advice. Evidence grades are AI-assisted assessments — talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement, especially if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, on medications, or managing a chronic condition.