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    Evidence Comparison

    Compare Ingredients

    Compare the research strength, evidence scores, goal ratings, and safety profiles of up to 4 ingredients side by side.

    Data last reviewed: 2026-06-23

    Creatine MonohydrateBeta-AlanineCaffeine Anhydrous

    Who wins on evidence?

    Creatine Monohydrate winsby 4 pts (95% vs 91%)

    Averaged across overall, human clinical, meta-analysis, mechanistic, real-world and safety scores.

    Creatine Monohydrate95%
    Overall: 94/100Human Clinical: 94/100Meta-Analysis: 95/100Mechanistic: 95/100Real-World: 96/100Safety: 94/100
    Caffeine Anhydrous91%
    Overall: 90/100Human Clinical: 95/100Meta-Analysis: 92/100Mechanistic: 92/100Real-World: 90/100Safety: 88/100
    Beta-Alanine81%
    Overall: 78/100Human Clinical: 82/100Meta-Analysis: 80/100Mechanistic: 85/100Real-World: 72/100Safety: 88/100

    Verdict is calculated from objective evidence signals only (clinical research volume, evidence quality, validation markers). It does not account for individual goals or tolerability.

    Evidence Scores

    Overall
    Creatine Monohydrate
    94★
    Beta-Alanine
    78
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    90
    Human Clinical
    Creatine Monohydrate
    94
    Beta-Alanine
    82
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    95★
    Meta-Analysis
    Creatine Monohydrate
    95★
    Beta-Alanine
    80
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    92
    Mechanistic
    Creatine Monohydrate
    95★
    Beta-Alanine
    85
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    92
    Real-World
    Creatine Monohydrate
    96★
    Beta-Alanine
    72
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    90
    Safety
    Creatine Monohydrate
    94★
    Beta-Alanine
    88
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    88

    Research Volume

    Metric
    Creatine Monohydrate
    Beta-Alanine
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    Evidence Level94/10078/10090/100
    Total Studies531
    Human Trials000
    Meta-Analyses220
    Latest Study201820172021
    Athlete Studies031
    CategoryErgogenic CompoundsAmino AcidsNootropics
    OriginSyntheticSyntheticSynthetic
    Trademarks211

    Goal Ratings

    Muscle Gain
    Creatine Monohydrate
    5
    Beta-Alanine
    2
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    —
    Strength
    Creatine Monohydrate
    5
    Beta-Alanine
    2
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    3
    Endurance
    Creatine Monohydrate
    3
    Beta-Alanine
    5
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    5
    Cognition
    Creatine Monohydrate
    3
    Beta-Alanine
    —
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    5
    Focus
    Creatine Monohydrate
    2
    Beta-Alanine
    —
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    5
    Recovery
    Creatine Monohydrate
    4
    Beta-Alanine
    3
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    —
    Fat Loss
    Creatine Monohydrate
    2
    Beta-Alanine
    2
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    3
    General Health
    Creatine Monohydrate
    3
    Beta-Alanine
    —
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    —
    Hydration
    Creatine Monohydrate
    3
    Beta-Alanine
    —
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    —

    Safety Overview

    Aspect
    Creatine Monohydrate
    Beta-Alanine
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    Safety Score94/10088/10088/100
    Side EffectsTransient water retention (1–2kg); Occasional GI discomfort at high dosesParesthesia (harmless tingling, dose-dependent)Jitters; Insomnia
    ContraindicationsPre-existing kidney disease (consult physician)Paresthesia-sensitive individuals at single doses >800 mg (use sustained-release); Children under 18 (limited safety data)Severe anxiety disorders; Uncontrolled hypertension
    Drug Interactions1 known1 known4 known
    Effective Dosage3–5g/day3.2–6.4g/day split into multiple doses3–6 mg/kg 30–60 min pre-exercise

    Quick Verdict

    Creatine Monohydrate
    94/100

    5 studies · 2 meta-analyses

    Muscle GainStrengthRecovery
    Beta-Alanine
    78/100

    3 studies · 2 meta-analyses

    Endurance
    Caffeine Anhydrous
    90/100

    1 studies

    EnduranceFocusCognition

    Citations

    Creatine Monohydrate(5 studies)

    1. Effect of creatine supplementation on body composition and performance: a meta-analysis (2003, Meta-Analysis) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12945830/
    2. Effects of creatine supplementation and resistance training on muscle strength and weightlifting performance (2003, Systematic Review) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14636102/
    3. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (2017, Systematic Review) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28615996/
    4. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (2018, Systematic Review) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29704637/
    5. Creatine supplementation and lower limb strength performance: a systematic review and meta-analyses (2015, Meta-Analysis) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25946994/

    Beta-Alanine(3 studies)

    1. Beta-alanine supplementation to improve exercise capacity and performance (2015, Meta-Analysis) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26175657/
    2. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine (2015, Systematic Review) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26175657/
    3. Effect of beta-alanine supplementation on high-intensity exercise performance (2017, Meta-Analysis) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27797728/

    Caffeine Anhydrous(1 study)

    1. Caffeine and exercise performance: international position stand (2021, Systematic Review) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33388079/