Creatine monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate (CAS 6020-87-7) is the monohydrate of N-(aminoiminomethyl)-N-methylglycine, molecular formula C4H9N3O2·H2O and molecular weight 149.15 g/mol. The anhydrous molecule (CAS 57-00-1) is 131.13 g/mol, so the crystal carries 87.9 % creatine base and roughly 12.1 % water of crystallisation — the figure to work from when a formulation is specified in creatine base. Thovek supplies it as a white to off-white, odourless crystalline powder that dissolves to only about 13 g/L in water at 20 °C, gives a near-neutral pH of 6.9 at 10 g/L, and decomposes rather than melting cleanly at around 292 °C. Physiologically, creatine is phosphorylated by creatine kinase to phosphocreatine, the intramuscular store that regenerates ATP during short bursts of high-intensity work — the established nutritional basis for its use in sports and active-nutrition products. Unlike most of the amino acids in this category, creatine is not a fermentation product. It is chemically synthesised from sodium sarcosinate and cyanamide under alkaline conditions, then crystallised, dried and milled. There is no animal-derived input anywhere in that route, which is why creatine monohydrate is routinely supplied against vegan and non-animal-origin declarations. The synthesis also defines the three impurities buyers audit: creatinine, dicyandiamide (DCD) and dihydro-1,3,5-triazine (DHT). EFSA's 2004 opinion set the reference limits the trade still works to — creatinine not more than 100 mg/kg, dicyandiamide not more than 50 mg/kg, and dihydro-1,3,5-triazine not detectable at a 4.5 mg/kg limit of detection — and every lot is tested against them. USP carries a Creatine Monohydrate monograph specifying 98.0–102.0 % creatine on the dried basis, and a GRAS notice for synthetic creatine monohydrate in food use (GRN 931) sits on the FDA docket. Two physical grades cover most manufacturing. Standard 80 mesh (about 180 µm) is the denser, free-flowing cut preferred for tableting, capsule filling and dense powder fills. 200 mesh micronised (about 75 µm) carries far more surface area and disperses faster in stick packs, pre-workouts and ready-to-mix beverages. A mesh figure only caps the coarse end, so ask for the laser-diffraction D50 and D90 — we report both on the certificate of analysis, alongside identity, assay, loss on drying, related impurities, elemental impurities and microbiological limits. Non-GMO, vegan, allergen, BSE/TSE, kosher and halal documentation is available. Export packing is 25 kg net in double food-grade LDPE liners inside fibre drums or multi-wall kraft bags, palletised and shrink-wrapped. One tariff note: creatine is an imine-function compound of HS 2925.29 (India ITC-HS 29252990), not the 2922 amino-acid subheading it is often mis-booked under.