Transparent Labs

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB

Ranked #12 in Creatine

391 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

The most marketed creatine in the category, and an HMB blend you pay a premium for on claims plain monohydrate matches. Buy Thorne Creatine Monohydrate instead.

Consolidated from 23 cited sources across 19 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

14 positive sources
8 mixed sources
1 unconvinced source

See the sources

Flagged as a product to avoid

7 of 12 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.

It is a creatine-plus-HMB blend, and the added HMB drives the cost without adding proven benefit over plain monohydrate. The most aggressively pushed product in the category, crowned best supplement by Forbes Vetted and Fortune.
Flagged 16 September 2026

It is a creatine-plus-HMB blend, and the added HMB drives the cost without adding proven benefit over plain monohydrate. The most aggressively pushed product in the category, crowned best supplement by Forbes Vetted and Fortune.
Flagged 16 September 2026
It is a creatine-plus-HMB stack where the added HMB has never been shown to beat plain monohydrate at matching doses, so the premium over a basic monohydrate buys marketing, not muscle. Even Muscleology can only frame it as the budget way into Creapure pricing; Nutricost or Thorne are the better buys.
Flagged 16 September 2026
A creatine-plus-HMB blend where the added ingredients carry far weaker evidence than the monohydrate core, and buyers pay a premium for them. The scientific consensus reported by WIRED via the International Society of Sports Nutrition is that plain creatine monohydrate is the most studied, most effective and cheapest form.
Flagged 16 September 2026
An HMB add-on whose evidence does not justify flagship positioning; WIRED, citing the International Society of Sports Nutrition, notes plain monohydrate is the most studied, most effective and usually cheapest form. Well-made, but you pay a premium for an ingredient you do not need.
Flagged 16 September 2026
You pay a clear premium over plain monohydrate for added HMB, an ingredient whose evidence is far weaker than creatine's, while the creatine inside is the same molecule the budget tubs deliver. Buy Nutricost or Optimum instead and pocket the difference.
Flagged 16 September 2026
You are paying a flagship price for a blend whose second active, HMB, has far weaker evidence than the creatine itself. Plain monohydrate like Nutricost delivers the same proven benefit for a fraction of the cost.
Flagged 16 September 2026
The HMB add-on is a premium the consensus testers do not ask buyers to pay: Men's Health tells buyers to choose pure creatine monohydrate with no fillers, and Thrive's analysis of 143 randomized trials concludes the name on the tub and add-ons do not change what creatine does. Forbes Vetted is the only major outlet ranking it best overall, a single-outlet endorsement that does not outweigh the field's preference for pure monohydrate.
Flagged 16 September 2026

Why the boards include products to avoid

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Pros & cons

✓ Crowned best creatine supplement of 2026 by Forbes Vetted
✓ Named Best Creatine Overall by Fortune
✓ Forbes Vetted's top pick and Fortune's Best Creatine Overall
✓ Creatine monohydrate core
✓ Well-made product

✗ HMB add-on drives cost without proven benefit over plain monohydrate
✗ Premium blend rather than certified pure monohydrate
✗ Costs more than plain monohydrate for no proven gain
✗ The added HMB carries far weaker evidence than the monohydrate core
✗ Costs a premium over plain monohydrate for unproven extras

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.

Evidence 14 articles, 6 video reviews and 3 community sources

14 positive sources

mindbodygreen Article · Jul 2026

While creatine can be taken anytime of day, Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is a great option if you’re looking for post workout support. Each serving provides 5 grams of creatine monohydrate and 1.5 grams of HMB (the naturally occurring metabolite beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate.) HMB may help reduce muscle damage and muscle protein breakdown after exercise, which is why the brand recommends you take it within 30 minutes of a workout.

Read F FK Medicals FK Medicals · 301 subscribers · Oct 2022

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB before and after results are fast without any side effects.

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Goldman Laboratories Jordi Mascio · reviewer · Jul 2026

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB suits those who prioritise muscle preservation during caloric restriction. HMB's anti-catabolic properties reduce muscle protein breakdown [28] . Athletes who seek combined supplementation with creatine and HMB gain about 67% more lean muscle mass compared to creatine alone after three weeks [28] . The formula serves those willing to pay premium prices to bundle ingredients like vitamin D and BioPerine.

Read G Galactic Shopping Review Galactic Shopping Review · 52 subscribers · Mar 2026

Overall, Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is a solid choice for anyone serious about optimizing their muscle-building efforts and enhancing recovery. The combination of creatine and HMB in a clean, effective formulation makes it a standout product worth considering for your supplement stack.

Watch C

Consumer Health Digest Rachel Straub, MS, CSCS · reviewer · Dec 2022

By combining creatine monohydrate—the most studied form of creatine—with HMB, a powerful metabolite that reduces muscle breakdown, Transparent Labs Creatine HMB offers a comprehensive approach to muscle endurance, strength, and recovery. It’s quickly become a favorite among athletes seeking proven muscle growth supplements that accelerate progress.

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Men's Health Charles Thorp, NASM · reviewer · Jun 2022

Transparent Labs' Creatine HMB offers a clean and effective 5-gram serving, devoid of any hidden ingredients. In my experience, it effortlessly dissolves, often requiring no additional mixing effort. Simply add a scoop to water or juice, and it seamlessly blends with the liquid, delivering a silky, trouble-free mix to enhance your workouts.

Read F

Fortune Christina Snyder · reviewer · Dec 2025

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is our pick for best creatine supplement because it pairs creatine monohydrate with clinically effective HMB , which may help boost muscle growth, strength, and recovery in one straightforward formula. We also like that it’s third-party tested, naturally sweetened, and contains no fillers.

Read B

BarBend Whitney Linsenmeyer, Ph.D., R.D., L.D. · reviewer · May 2023

Transparent labs is by far one of our favorite creatine brands for muscle growth. As far as formulation goes, this product earned a high score, according to our expert. “Transparent Labs Creatine gets a 4.5 out of 5 for its formula,” Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, says.

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Generation Iron Fitness & Strength Sports Network Austin Letorney · reviewer · Aug 2026

Transparent Labs Creatine HMB is clean and effective for tackling all of your strength building needs. With no artificial additives or preservatives, what you get is pure creatine with added HMB for better strength.

Read F Facebook transparentlabs

If you want a stronger and more consistent performance on the track or trails, Creatine HMB can get you there.

View post F Facebook Facebook post

If you’re going to add a new supplement to your daily routine, make it this one.

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Goldman Laboratories Jordi Mascio · reviewer · Jul 2026

The product achieved a 4.7-star rating from 40,892 store reviews [36] .

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Generation Iron Fitness & Strength Sports Network Austin Letorney · reviewer · Aug 2026

Best Creatine Monohydrate Transparent Labs Creatine HMB $39.

Read I

Innerbody Daniel Imperiale · reviewer · Nov 2025

Best tasting: Transparent Labs Creatine HMB

Read

8 mixed sources

I Instagram Instagram post

It’s great product but 3g is the sweet spot to reap the real benefits. Other companies make it in proper ration of 5g creatine with 3g of HMB. So if you took it to get maximum benefits it would double the cost of an already expensive supp. Overall proven and great combo. I’ve just been let down by @transparentlabs customer service . I’ve been lied to and all sorts of stuff trying to get my money back on a purchase I didn’t make. I’ll likely be moving toward @nutrabio or the like.

View post B BarBend BarBend · 93K subscribers · Jan 2018

It is it's mild nonetheless, but um I got to say it's it's not as good as the artificial stuff. Okay, so let's take a close look at the nutrition label and the ingredients. So one scoop has 5 g of creatine. It's creatine monohydrate and it comes from Creapure. So that's a German company that manufactures creatine. They've got a pretty good reputation for the quality of their product. It's not micronized, so it does settle a little bit after you've uh shaken it up.

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Good Housekeeping Valerie Agyeman, R.D. · reviewer · May 2026

The experts in the Nutrition Lab note that while creatine itself is well-supported for strength and performance, the added components like HMB, vitamin D, calcium, and BioPerine introduce more variables, and the overall effect can vary more widely from person to person.

Read G Garage Gym Reviews Everything Garage Gym Reviews Everything · 21.6K subscribers · Mar 2024

Transparent Lab's Creatine HMB has high quality ingredients, but that price! Is it worth the money?

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Naked Nutrition Stephen Zieminski · reviewer · Mar 2026

It is best suited for athletes who specifically want creatine combined with HMB in a single product and are willing to pay accordingly.

Read I InstantGuide InstantGuide · 3.6K subscribers · Nov 2025

They like the transparent labeling, the no fillers or artificial dyes, the five grams creatine dose, and the inclusion of HMBB. However, they noted a few drawbacks. The product is fairly expensive, ranging from about $1.35 to $1.66 per serving.

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Home Court Athlete Article · May 2026

Creatine HMB is a quality product with a legitimate caveat worth understanding before you buy.

Read T Tech Tested Tech Tested · 3K subscribers · May 2026

Transparent Labs Creatine.

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1 unconvinced source

Legion Athletics Michael Matthews · reviewer · Jan 2026

That alone undermines all claims of product efficacy.

Read

Frequently asked questions

It ranks #12 of 17 on our creatine tier list, in C tier. That placement draws on 23 cited sources across 19 outlets.

1 of the 23 sources with a clear view is critical of it: Legion Athletics. HMB add-on drives cost without proven benefit over plain monohydrate. Premium blend rather than certified pure monohydrate. Costs more than plain monohydrate for no proven gain. The added HMB carries far weaker evidence than the monohydrate core. Costs a premium over plain monohydrate for unproven extras.