الكرياتين

Creatine monohydrate. It is the form used in almost every study showing benefit, and the alternatives — HCl, buffered, ethyl ester — cost more without outperforming it. Micronized monohydrate simply dissolves better; it is the same molecule.

Yes. Creatine monohydrate powder is synthesised chemically or derived from plant sources, with no animal-derived ingredients. Capsule forms are the only thing to check, since some capsules use gelatin.

No. Loading with 20 grams a day for five to seven days saturates the muscle faster, but 3 to 5 grams daily reaches the same saturation in three to four weeks with less stomach upset. Both end at the same place.

Not in healthy adults. Trials running up to five years at 3 to 5 grams daily show no adverse effect on kidney or liver function. Creatine does raise serum creatinine, which can look like a kidney marker on a blood test but reflects the supplement, not damage. Anyone with existing kidney disease should ask their doctor first.

Creatine draws water into the muscle cell, not under the skin. Most people gain half a kilo to one and a half kilos of intramuscular water in the first weeks. That is muscle saturation, and it is the mechanism working.

Yes, at the same 3 to 5 gram daily dose. Research shows comparable gains in strength and recovery, and there is no mechanism by which creatine causes bulky weight gain in women.