VITAMINS & SUPPLEMENTS · COMPARED
Creatine vs Beta-Alanine, HMB and BCAAs: What Each Has Been Studied For
Creatine, beta-alanine, HMB and BCAAs were studied for different training outcomes; this page sets out what position stands and reviews found for each, without ranking them.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Back to Creatine: What It Is, Evidence, Tolerability and SafetyQuick answer
These four are different substances studied for different things. Creatine has the broadest base of trials for strength and lean mass. Beta-alanine has been studied for efforts lasting roughly 30 seconds to 10 minutes. HMB has mixed results in trained people. BCAAs have been studied mainly for muscle soreness and muscle building, with disputed results. We found no trial that put all four head to head (Proper evidence not found).
How the evidence is labeled
Position stand is a consensus statement by a professional society, here the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN). A meta-analysis pools trials. Effect size is a unit-free measure of how big a difference is. Biomarker changes (blood creatine kinase) are not the same as performance.What each one is
- Creatine is covered at what creatine is.
- Beta-alanine is an amino acid whose main reported side effect is tingling (paraesthesia). [1] See beta-alanine.
- HMB is a metabolite of leucine; calcium HMB and a free acid form have been studied. [2]
- BCAAs are leucine, isoleucine and valine; see BCAAs.
What the sources found
| Substance | What the source found | Strength of evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Creatine | A review of long-term supplements found creatine consistently increased or preserved muscle mass and strength; BCAAs and HMB had mixed or unclear evidence. [3] | Narrative review; evidence level A for creatine |
| Creatine plus resistance training | Compared with training alone, creatine added 1.14 kg of lean body mass in adults under 50 across 12 studies. [4] In 23 studies, creatine added to upper- and lower-body strength; 20 of the 23 studies involved men, and women showed no significant gains. [5] | Meta-analyses; mostly male participants |
| Beta-alanine | A meta-analysis of 40 studies (1,461 people) found a small overall effect (0.18), with duration of the exercise (0.5 to 10 minutes) a significant moderator of effect. [6] The ISSN says more research is needed on strength. [1] | Meta-analysis and position stand |
| HMB | The ISSN says benefits may be seen in untrained people but are mixed in trained athletes. [2] A meta-analysis of 11 studies in young adults found no significant effect on lean mass or strength. [7] | Position stand and meta-analysis disagree in emphasis |
| BCAAs | A narrative review calls efficacy of BCAAs a long-running controversy. [8] A meta-analysis of 18 trials reported lower creatine kinase and soreness after damaging exercise. [9] | Mixed; soreness ratings and blood markers |
These are four different outcomes, and the table cannot rank them. "Strength" for creatine, "short high-intensity efforts" for beta-alanine, "body composition" for HMB and "soreness" for BCAAs measure different things. Biomarker changes such as creatine kinase do not show better training results. [9]
No universal winner
They are not substitutes. For protein powders see creatine vs protein powder and BCAAs vs EAAs vs protein.Frequently asked questions
Which is best for building muscle?
Proper evidence not found for a head-to-head. Creatine has meta-analyses showing added lean mass and strength with training, while HMB meta-analyses are mixed. [4] [7]
Is beta-alanine the same as creatine?
No. Beta-alanine raises muscle carnosine and is studied for efforts of roughly 30 seconds to 10 minutes; creatine raises muscle creatine. [1] [10]
Do BCAAs work?
Trials report lower soreness and creatine kinase after damaging exercise, but muscle-building benefits remain disputed. [9] [8]
Are they safe?
The ISSN calls creatine and HMB safe in studies up to 5 years and 1 year respectively. [10] [2] People with medical conditions should ask a clinician first.
Can I combine them?
Proper evidence not found here for a safe or beneficial stack. This site gives no stacking advice; ask a clinician or pharmacist.
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Limits and uncertainty
- Most creatine strength trials in that meta-analysis involved men, so results for women are less certain. [5]
- Each review cited here pools trials with different amounts and durations. Study amounts are not recommendations.
- One author of the 2024 creatine strength meta-analysis declared support from companies that make creatine products. [5] Industry links are stated plainly because they matter when reading results.
Safety and who should ask first
- Creatine: the ISSN states supplementation is safe and well tolerated in healthy people and in some patient groups. [10] A 2025 meta-analysis found a small rise in serum creatinine and no significant change in GFR, which the authors attribute to metabolic turnover rather than kidney impairment. [11] People with kidney disease or on kidney-affecting medicines should ask a clinician first; see creatine and kidney questions.
- Beta-alanine: tingling is the only side effect the ISSN reported. [1]
- HMB: the ISSN found chronic use safe up to at least one year. [2]
- BCAAs: Proper evidence not found for long-term safety in the sources we read. A 2023 review notes no national agency has set upper intake levels for amino acids. [12]
- Interactions, pregnancy, children, liver and surgery: Proper evidence not found for beta-alanine, HMB or BCAAs in the sources we read. Talk to a clinician or pharmacist and see medication interactions.
- Sport: products can be contaminated; see quality testing and certifications.
References
- Trexler ET, Smith-Ryan AE, Stout JR, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: Beta-Alanine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2015 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Rathmacher JA, Pitchford LM, Stout JR, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB). J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2025 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Valenzuela PL, Morales JS, Emanuele E, Pareja-Galeano H, Lucia A. Supplements with purported effects on muscle mass and strength. Eur J Nutr 2019 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Desai I, Wewege MA, Jones MD, et al. The Effect of Creatine Supplementation on Resistance Training-Based Changes to Body Composition: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res 2024 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Wang Z, Qiu B, Li R, et al. Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training on Muscle Strength Gains in Adults <50 Years of Age: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2024 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Saunders B, Elliott-Sale K, Artioli GG, et al. β-alanine supplementation to improve exercise capacity and performance: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med 2017 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Jakubowski JS, Nunes EA, Teixeira FJ, et al. Supplementation with the Leucine Metabolite β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) does not Improve Resistance Exercise-Induced Changes in Body Composition or Strength in Young Subjects: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients 2020 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Plotkin DL, Delcastillo K, Van Every DW, Tipton KD, Aragon AA, Schoenfeld BJ. Isolated Leucine and Branched-Chain Amino Acid Supplementation for Enhancing Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy: A Narrative Review. Int J Sport Nutr Exerc Metab 2021 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Salem A, Ben Maaoui K, Jahrami H, et al. Attenuating Muscle Damage Biomarkers and Muscle Soreness After an Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage with Branched-Chain Amino Acid (BCAA) Supplementation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis with Meta-regression. Sports Med Open 2024 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr 2017 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Naeini EK, Eskandari M, Mortazavi M, Gholaminejad A, Karevan N. Effect of creatine supplementation on kidney function: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Nephrol 2025 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
- Elango R. Tolerable Upper Intake Level for Individual Amino Acids in Humans: A Narrative Review of Recent Clinical Studies. Adv Nutr 2023 (abstract read). Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.