Is Purity the Real Differentiator for 2026?

The supplement industry is wild. And the same can be said for the creatine category. New ingredients arrive with fireworks, new promises ripple through the trade shows, new “breakthroughs” are announced with a level of enthusiasm usually reserved for space missions. Some stick. Most fade. And through all of it, one ingredient has kept its head down, done its job, and quietly stayed relevant for over three decades: creatine.

I introduced creatine to the wider world back in ’92, when the entire conversation revolved around strength, speed, and performance. The Barcelona Olympics were its launchpad, and for a long time, that’s where the story stayed! In the weight rooms, the training camps, the athletic trenches. But as the science evolved and our understanding of health broadened, creatine’s role shifted. It’s no longer just the domain of athletes; it’s for anyone who wants to sustain their energy, preserve their vitality, and stay able to do the things that make life worth living.

That’s the beauty of it. And yet, despite 30+ years of research backing it, creatine is still wrapped in confusion. We’ve got an ingredient that is safe, proven, beneficial across age groups and lifestyles… and still misunderstood by half the market. People think of it as a “gym bro supplement,” a muscle-mass quick fix, or worse, something vaguely “steroidy.” Meanwhile, emerging research is connecting creatine to cognitive resilience, mood support, bone health, metabolic function, a myriad of groundbreaking women’s health benefits, and healthy ageing. It’s one of the few ingredients that truly sits at the intersection of physical and cognitive performance, together with therapeutic health, but the story hasn’t caught up.

And this is where the industry conversation often veers off course. Because while brands are obsessing over decimal points in purity (99.3% versus 99.5% versus 99.8%) the real bottleneck isn’t purity anymore. Don’t get me wrong, purity matters. Deeply. We can’t sell people toxins wrapped up as creatine. The basics still matter. But the biggest friction point in the market right now isn’t whether someone’s batch is 0.2% cleaner than their competitor’s.

It’s that consumers don’t understand creatine well enough to stay consistent, compliant, or loyal.

People drop off not because the powder isn’t pure enough, but because they don’t know how creatine works, how long it takes, what results to expect, or why consistency is non-negotiable. They’re confused about water retention and bloating. They mix up “loading” with “maintenance.” They’re suspicious of safety. They’re overwhelmed by too many formats, too many claims, and too much noise. The gap between science and public understanding has widened over the years, and that’s the real issue holding the category back.

What we’ve done, unintentionally, is make creatine sound complicated. In reality, creatine is simple. Practical. Properly ‘Northern’, if you will. It shows up every day, it does the job, it doesn’t demand much. But over time, the industry layered on jargon, marketing battles, and purity wars that confused the people we’re supposed to be helping. We reached safe levels of purity years ago. What we haven’t solved is education. And the brands that fix this will lead the next decade.

Because here’s where the opportunity sits: creatine isn’t just having a moment. No, it’s expanding into a new era. We’re entering a 2026 market defined by three major shifts:

1. Creatine is crossing over into mainstream longevity and cognitive wellbeing.
Consumers want sustained energy, mental sharpness, and resilience under stress. The research is finally catching up to what we’ve seen anecdotally for years.

2. Consistency is becoming the new differentiator.
If consumers don’t understand how creatine works, they don’t stay on it long enough to feel its effects, and you lose them. Education is now a sales driver, not a side note.

3. Format innovation is finally matching lifestyle behaviour.
People want convenience, taste, and trust. RTDs, fortified foods, functional beverages and creatine are moving from gym ritual to daily routine.

And for brands, manufacturers, formulators, retailers… this is where the real growth lies. Creatine is shifting from a performance supplement to a foundational nutrient. From athletes to everyday people. From brawn to brain to human health. From a niche product to an essential wellness ingredient.

So here’s my perspective after three decades in this space: we owe it to consumers to get this next chapter right. That starts with education before marketing, clarity before claims, and transparency before trends. When people understand creatine (properly understand it!), they engage with it differently. They see it not as a shortcut, but as a fundamental part of how they maintain their energy, their cognition, their health, and their longevity.

Purity will always matter. But understanding is what will shape the future.

If you’re a brand or a partner building in this space and you’re ready to lead with clarity rather than noise, then let’s talk. We’re shaping a category that’s only just beginning to realise its potential, and the companies that understand the moment will be the ones defining it.

That’s all for now. Let’s get the next chapter right.

We all rise together,

Steve Jennings | Co-Founder + CEO, Jenerise