Can You Mix Creatine with Protein, Coffee or Pre-Workout?

Yes, you can mix creatine with protein, and adding it to your daily shake is one of the easiest ways to remember it. Coffee and pre-workout are fine for most people too, although a small amount of older research suggests caffeine may blunt creatine's benefit during loading, and some pre-workouts already contain creatine. Here is what the research says about each mix, plus how to avoid doubling up.

Mixing creatine at a glance

The daily dose matters far more than the drink. The ISSN creatine position stand says 3 to 5 g a day keeps muscle creatine stores topped up once they are full.

Creatine and protein: a good match

The International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) says taking creatine with carbohydrate, or with carbohydrate and protein, has been reported to more consistently increase how much creatine your muscles retain. It also notes the effect on performance may not be bigger than taking creatine on its own. So mixing it into your shake is convenient and may help a little, but it is not essential.

The easy setup is one unflavoured 5 g scoop of Legit Creatine Monohydrate stirred into your usual shake. It has no taste, so it will not change the flavour of your protein. With R1 Whey Blend, which gives 24 g of protein per scoop, the pair costs roughly $2.86 plus $0.50 a day using the 5 lb tub and 500 g bag at the time of writing. Mixing your shake with milk or having it with a meal adds the carbs the ISSN mentions.

Creatine and coffee: what the research says

This is where the research is mixed. A 1996 study of nine men found that creatine loading (0.5 g per kg a day for six days) improved repeated muscle torque by 10 to 23%, but adding 5 mg per kg of caffeine a day completely cancelled that gain. That is a high caffeine dose, about 400 mg for an 80 kg person, every day during loading.

A larger 2016 study of 54 active men tested 20 g of creatine a day for five days with either 300 mg of caffeine or coffee giving about the same caffeine. It found no interference, although creatine alone did not improve performance in that short study either, so it could not settle the question. Four people taking creatine with caffeine reported mild stomach discomfort. A 2015 review concluded the research is scarce, and suggested any clash may come from opposing effects on muscle relaxation or from stomach upset when both are taken together, rather than caffeine stopping creatine from being absorbed.

The practical takeaway: your morning coffee is unlikely to be a problem for most people taking 3 to 5 g a day. If you are doing a loading phase, or your stomach does not like the combination, take your creatine a few hours away from caffeine.

Can you put creatine in hot coffee?

Yes, but drink it soon. The ISSN says creatine converts to creatinine (a waste product) faster at lower pH and higher temperature. In storage tests, creatine in an acidic liquid lost 4 to 21% to creatinine after three days at 25 °C, depending on acidity. There is little research on a hot cup drunk within minutes, so the sensible approach is to stir it in and drink it rather than leave it sitting.

Creatine and pre-workout: watch for doubling up

Mixing a scoop of creatine into your pre-workout is fine. The thing to check is whether your pre-workout already has some. Many do not, and some only include a token amount. For example, ON Gold Standard Pre-Workout has 3 g of creatine monohydrate per scoop, which is already in the 3 to 5 g daily range on training days.

• Pre-workout with 3 g or more of creatine: you can skip or reduce your separate scoop on training days, but keep taking creatine on rest days.
• Pre-workout with little or none: add your usual 3 to 5 g, or take it in your shake later.
• Not sure: check the panel for creatine monohydrate, creatine HCl or creatine nitrate and the amount next to it.

Our post on creatine vs pre-workout explains why the two do different jobs.

Which creatine should you mix?

Plain, unflavoured creatine monohydrate is the most researched form and the easiest to mix into anything. Legit Creatine Monohydrate is micronised, contains nothing but creatine, and has been our best-selling creatine over the last six months. The 1 kg bag works out to about $0.40 a serve at the time of writing. If you are choosing between brands, see our comparison of Legit vs ON vs Beast Labs creatine.

Our verdict

Mix creatine with whatever helps you take it every day. A protein shake is the most convenient and may slightly help creatine retention. Coffee is fine for most people, though you may want to space them apart during loading or if your stomach complains. With pre-workout, just check you are not doubling up. For more options, browse our creatine range or compare brands in our best creatine in Australia guide.

How our price compares

Here is what the same products cost at other Australian supplement stores, so you can check the difference yourself.

Supps247 prices come from our website. Other prices were checked on the websites of Nutrition Warehouse, Australian Sports Nutrition (ASN), Elite Supps and Supplement Mart on 29 October 2026 (same product and size, price for one unit) and can change at any time. Sale means it was on sale that day. Not listed means we could not find that exact product on their site. Other sizes only means they sell it in a different size. Supps247 members can use our Price Match Guarantee against Nutrition Warehouse, ASN, Elite Supps and Supplement Mart: we beat their full price by 5% or match their sale price (conditions apply).

Shop the products in this guide

Legit Creatine Monohydrate 500 g$49.95Legit Creatine Monohydrate 1 kg$79.95R1 Whey Blend 5 lb$199.95ON Gold Standard Pre-Workout 30 serves$59.95

Browse all creatine and whey protein powders.

FAQs

Can I mix creatine with my protein shake?

Yes. Creatine monohydrate mixes into any protein shake, and the ISSN says taking creatine with carbohydrate, or carbohydrate and protein, has been reported to more consistently increase creatine retention in muscle. An unflavoured creatine will not change the taste. Use 3 to 5 g a day and drink the shake soon after mixing.

Does coffee cancel out creatine?

Probably not for most people. One small 1996 study found high daily caffeine cancelled the benefit of creatine loading, but a larger 2016 study using 300 mg of caffeine or coffee found no interference. Research is limited, so if you are loading or get an upset stomach, take creatine a few hours away from your coffee.

Can I put creatine in my pre-workout?

Yes. Just check the label first, because some pre-workouts already contain creatine. ON Gold Standard Pre-Workout, for example, has 3 g of creatine monohydrate per scoop. If yours has 3 g or more, you may not need a separate scoop on training days, but keep taking creatine on rest days.

Does creatine go off if I mix it and leave it?

It slowly breaks down into creatinine once dissolved, faster in warm or acidic drinks. The ISSN reports losses of 4 to 21% after three days at 25 °C, depending on acidity. Mixing it and drinking it within the hour is fine. Avoid pre-mixing bottles days in advance.

What is the best drink to mix creatine with?

Whatever you will drink every day. Water, a protein shake, juice or coffee all work if you drink it soon after mixing. A shake or a drink with carbs may slightly help your muscles retain creatine, according to the ISSN, but consistency with 3 to 5 g a day matters far more than the drink you choose.

Sources: ISSN position stand: creatine supplementation (2017); Vandenberghe et al. 1996, caffeine and creatine loading; Trexler et al. 2016, coffee and caffeine during creatine loading; Trexler and Smith-Ryan 2015, creatine and caffeine review; product labels and brand nutrition panels, checked October 2026.

Order online with Australia-wide delivery, free on orders of $99.99 or more, with Afterpay available at checkout. You can also use click and collect at a store that offers it, or visit a Supps247 store in Melbourne, regional Victoria or Brisbane to compare products in person. Members can use our member price match on full-priced items.

Prices and stock were checked on 29 October 2026 and can change at any time. Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or take regular medication, check with your doctor first.