Creatine + electrolyte drinks compared

By the DO IT team · Updated 2026-11-08

Of the 7 creatine and electrolyte drinks the DO IT team compared, only 4 give the 5 g of creatine monohydrate the research uses in one serving, and sodium ranges from 160 mg to 1,000 mg. Price per serving runs from about $1.00 to $2.00 before subscription discounts.

If you only want creatine, skip all of them and buy plain creatine monohydrate. It costs about $0.50 a day.

Who wrote this: we make one of the products in the table (DO IT Creatine Hydration). Every number below comes from the brand's own product page, read on 2026-11-08, with links at the bottom. Where a brand doesn't publish a number, we say so instead of guessing.

The comparison table

Per one serving (one scoop or one stick), as listed by each brand.

What else is in them, because it changes who each one suits:

• Create: 1,000 mg taurine.
• Stacked: 3 g BCAAs, acetyl L-carnitine, vitamins C, D, B6, B12 and folate. The only one here with sugar.
• TruLabs: 800 mg chloride and 19 vitamins and minerals.
• Hi-Lyte: BCAAs, citrulline, taurine, B6, B12 and sea minerals.
• Myprotein HYROX: 3 g HMB, 2.5 g betaine, ashwagandha, Peak ATP, 480 mg calcium. Labeled for use 30-45 minutes before a workout. Contains milk and Blue #1. It's closer to a pre-workout than a daily hydration drink.
• DO IT and mindbodygreen: nothing beyond creatine, the electrolytes, flavor and sweetener.

How to read the table

Creatine dose first. The ISSN position stand puts the effective maintenance dose at 3-5 g of creatine monohydrate a day. Products with 5 g cover the top of that range in one serving. The 3 g products are inside the range but at the low end; mindbodygreen says one to two sticks a day, and two sticks doubles the cost. Myprotein uses creatine HCl at 2 g, which is a different form. Almost all of the research is on monohydrate, so we can't tell you 2 g of HCl equals 5 g of monohydrate, and neither can anyone else with a straight face.

Sodium second. This is the electrolyte you lose most in sweat, and needs vary a lot between people. 160-350 mg is a light top-up. 500-550 mg is a typical sports drink range. 1,000 mg is a heavy-sweater or hot-weather dose, and it's too much as a daily default for anyone told to limit salt. Pick the one that matches how much you actually sweat, not the biggest number.

Price per 5 g of creatine third. Per serving prices hide the dose. Adjusted to 5 g of creatine at one-time prices: DO IT $1.19, Hi-Lyte about $1.67 (1.67 scoops), Stacked $1.83, TruLabs $1.87, Create $2.00, mindbodygreen about $2.78 (1.67 sticks).

Testing last, but it matters if you compete. If you're in a drug-tested sport, buy a product with NSF Certified for Sport or Informed Sport. In this table that's Create, and mindbodygreen's Lemon Lime flavor. DO IT publishes a batch certificate of analysis (creatine, electrolytes, heavy metals, microbes) but is not sport-certified. "Not stated" means the product page doesn't mention it; the brand may still test.

When NOT to buy a combo

A combined drink is a convenience product. It doesn't make creatine work better. A 2009 systematic review and the ISSN's 2021 myths paper both found creatine doesn't cause dehydration, so you don't need electrolytes to take it safely.

Skip the combo if:

• You only want creatine. Thorne Creatine is 90 servings of 5 g for $44 one-time ($0.49 a day) and is NSF Certified for Sport. That's less than half the price of the cheapest combo per day.
• You don't sweat much or you limit sodium. A daily sodium drink isn't a default. With high blood pressure, kidney disease or a sodium-restricted diet, ask your doctor first.
• You want to dose them separately. On a long, hot race day you may want three times the sodium and no extra creatine. Separate products let you do that.

What separate costs, one-time prices, 2026-11-08:

Transparent Labs doesn't sell a single creatine + electrolyte product. Both of its tubs are third-party tested per batch, and the two-tub stack is the most flexible setup here, at the highest daily cost.

So the honest math: if you'd buy both every month anyway, a combo is usually cheaper than two products and is one thing to remember. If you'd only buy one, buy plain creatine.

Where DO IT fits

DO IT Creatine Hydration is the high-sodium option: 5 g creatine monohydrate, 1,000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium, no caffeine, stevia-sweetened lemon, one scoop a day, $35.70 for 30. It suits people who train hard, sweat a lot and want one daily scoop. It doesn't suit you if you want a light sodium top-up, need a sport-certified product, or want sugar for fuel during long sessions. For a light top-up, look at Hi-Lyte or mindbodygreen. For sport certification, Create or mindbodygreen Lemon Lime. For sugar, Stacked.

Product facts · Shop

Related: Creatine and electrolytes in one drink: is it worth it? · Should you take creatine on rest days? · How much sodium do you need during Hyrox?

FAQ

Sources

Brand product pages, read 2026-11-08. Prices are one-time unless marked; they change, so check before buying.

1. DO IT Creatine Hydration product facts: https://dothework.fit/shop/facts/creatine-hydration ; certificate of analysis lot 5120130 (dated 03/04/2026).
2. Create Creatine + Electrolytes Mix: https://trycreate.co/products/creatine-electrolytes-mix
3. Stacked TONE Creatine + Hydration Electrolyte Mix: https://drinkstacked.com/products/creatine-hydration-electrolyte-mix-tone
4. TruLabs Hydrate + Creatine: https://trulabs.com/products/hydrate-creatine
5. mindbodygreen creatine with electrolytes+: https://shop.mindbodygreen.com/products/electrolytes-with-creatine
6. Hi-Lyte Electrolytes + Creatine: https://hi-lyte.com/products/electrolytes-creatine-powder-mix (supplement facts panel)
7. Myprotein THE Creatine (HYROX): https://us.myprotein.com/p/sports-nutrition/the-creatine-hyrox/13910482/
8. Transparent Labs Hydrate: https://www.transparentlabs.com/products/hydrate ; Creatine HMB: https://www.transparentlabs.com/products/creatine-hmb
9. Thorne Creatine: https://www.thorne.com/products/dp/creatine ; LMNT Recharge: https://drinklmnt.com/products/lmnt-recharge-electrolyte-drink
10. Kreider RB, et al. ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
11. Antonio J, et al. Common questions and misconceptions about creatine supplementation. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2021;18:13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12970-021-00412-w
12. Lopez RM, et al. Does creatine supplementation hinder exercise heat tolerance or hydration status? J Athl Train. 2009;44(2):215-223. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-44.2.215

Disclosure: DO IT is a free workout app. We also sell DO IT Creatine Hydration, which is in this table. Brand names belong to their owners; no brand paid for or reviewed this page.