# Is USN creatine monohydrate any good in South Africa?

Source: https://www.healthnews24.co.za/answers/is-usn-creatine-monohydrate-good-south-africa/
Publisher: Healthnews24 (South Africa's supplement answer desk)
Updated: 2026-10-27

> USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate is a solid mainstream choice in South Africa: micronised, sold in 200 g, 300 g and 410 g tubs, widely stocked, and tagged vegan and halaal on USN's shop. As of October 2026 it costs about R4.98 per 5 g at 300 g (R279 to R299). It is not the cheapest, and no third-party testing is stated for it.

Key facts:
- USN Pure Creatine 300 g is R279 to R299 (about R4.98 per 5 g); 200 g is R5.47 per 5 g (October 2026).
- The 410 g tub ranges from R269 at Faithful to Nature to R439.99 at Dis-Chem, a gap above 60%.
- USN's shop tags Pure Creatine as Halaal and Vegan; no third-party testing is stated for it.
- USN CreaTest is a different product with D-aspartic acid and ashwagandha, not pure monohydrate.

## What is USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate?

USN is a South African sports nutrition brand. Its Pure Creatine Monohydrate is described as micronised creatine monohydrate, dosed at about one teaspoon (roughly 5 g) per serving, and sold in 200 g, 300 g and 410 g tubs. We read the sales listings rather than the label itself, so confirm the ingredient panel on your tub. Creatine monohydrate is an AIS Group A supplement with an ISSN maintenance dose of 3-5 g a day.

## How much does it cost?

| Pack | Price (October 2026) | R per 5 g | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200 g | R219 (USN shop, Takealot) to R249.99 (Dis-Chem) | R5.47 | 40 servings |
| 300 g | R279 to R299 (USN shop); R292.99 (Dis-Chem) | about R4.98 | 60 servings |
| 410 g | R269 (Faithful to Nature) to R439.99 (Dis-Chem); R419 (USN shop) | R5.11 at USN shop | retailer gap above 60% |

Cost per dose falls with tub size, and the 410 g tub shows the biggest retailer gap: at R269 it would be R3.28 per 5 g.

## How does it compare?

| Product (October 2026) | R per 5 g | Testing claim |
|---|---|---|
| Nutritech 500 g | R2.50 to R3.99 | none stated |
| ATP Fitness Micronised 600 g | R4.17 | none published |
| Biogen 500 g | R4.45 | Informed Sport stated by seller |
| USN Pure Creatine 300 g | about R4.98 | none stated |
| NPL 500 g (Dis-Chem) | R5.40 | none listed |

USN is dearer per dose than the large-tub rivals, but it is easy to buy and the small 200 g tub suits a first month.

## What are the strengths?

- **Widely available:** USN's own shop, Dis-Chem, Takealot, Faithful to Nature and Clicks (which carries USN products).
- **Micronised** powder that mixes easily.
- **Tags:** USN's shop lists Pure Creatine as Halaal and Vegan; these are USN's statements, and we did not see a certificate.

## What are the weaknesses?

- **No third-party testing is stated** for the Pure Creatine pages we read. USN's XTS Hyperdrive pre-workout cites Informed Choice, a different product and a retail-sampling scheme. If you are drug-tested, see [what Informed Sport means](/answers/what-is-informed-sport-certification-south-africa/); Biogen's creatine listing states Informed Sport (a seller claim to verify).
- **Price per dose** is higher than Biogen, ATP Fitness and Nutritech at their bigger sizes.
- **The Dis-Chem page** carries the notice that the product is an unregistered medicine not evaluated by SAHPRA, which reflects unfinished regulation rather than a safety finding.

Do not confuse it with **USN CreaTest**, which adds D-aspartic acid and ashwagandha and is not pure monohydrate; see [single-ingredient creatine](/answers/is-single-ingredient-creatine-better/).

## Verdict

Good, dependable creatine, best bought in the 300 g or 410 g tub at the cheapest retailer. If price per dose is your priority, look at Nutritech or ATP Fitness 600 g (a young brand with no published certification and unflavoured only); if batch testing matters, check Biogen's claim. See [Biogen vs USN creatine](/answers/biogen-vs-usn-creatine-south-africa/), the [best creatine in South Africa](/best/best-creatine-south-africa/) and the [USN brand page](/brands/usn/).

## Products mentioned

| Product | Size | Price (source, date) | Servings | R per 5 g | Sweeteners |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate 200 g | 200 g | R219-R249.99 (USN online shop, 2026-10) | — | R5.47 | not stated |
| USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate 300 g | 300 g | R279-R299 (USN online shop, 2026-10) | — | R4.98 | not stated |
| USN Pure Creatine Monohydrate 410 g | 410 g | R269-R439.99 (USN online shop, 2026-10) | — | R5.11 | not stated |
| Biogen Creatine Monohydrate Unflavoured 500 g | 500 g | R445 (Dis-Chem (listing via PriceCheck), 2026-10) | 100 | R4.45 | None (unflavoured) |
| ATP Fitness Micronised Creatine Monohydrate | 600 g | R500 (ATP Fitness shop, 2026-10) | — | R4.17 | None |

Disclosure: ATP Fitness is a commercial partner of Healthnews24 and its products are featured on this site. Rankings follow our published method, and every pick, including ATP Fitness, shows its price maths and trade-offs.

## Sources

- [Kreider et al. 2017, ISSN position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine (JISSN)](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5469049/)
- [Australian Institute of Sport Supplement Framework, Group A](https://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition/supplements/group_a)
- [Informed Sport (LGC) FAQ](https://sport.wetestyoutrust.com/about/frequently-asked-questions)
- [SAIDS (South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport) FAQ: supplements, strict liability, medication check](https://drugfreesport.org.za/faq/)