Backed by a multimillion-dollar innovation hub in Melbourne, the Australian brand has stabilised creatine monohydrate in water, a challenge researchers have chased for decades, and is putting it in a can for the first time: 3g of creatine and Australian spring water, nothing else.
Australian sports nutrition brand True Protein has solved one of the supplement industry’s longest-standing scientific problems: keeping creatine stable in liquid. Long regarded as the “holy grail” of sports nutrition, the breakthrough uses a proprietary, purely mechanical process developed with True Protein’s research partners, with no preservatives or chemical stabilisers.
Its first product, True Protein Liquid Creatine (355ml, Still), launches in early 2027 at trueprotein.com.au.
The launch comes as creatine’s popularity surges. Once seen as a bodybuilding supplement, it is now taken by athletes, everyday gym-goers, women, older adults and people interested in its cognitive benefits. That demand has sparked a wave of new formats, from gummies and chews to pre-mixed drinks, but none have solved the core problem of keeping creatine stable in liquid.
Conquering the Creatinine Challenge
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most researched supplements in the world, but it has one weakness: water. In liquid, creatine steadily converts into creatinine, a waste product the body clears through the kidneys, with none of creatine’s performance or cognitive benefits. Heat, acidity and time all speed that conversion up, which is exactly what a drink faces in a warehouse, delivery truck or gym bag.
That is why creatine has been sold almost exclusively as a powder. Liquid and gummy formats have typically relied on workarounds: chemical stabilisers to slow the breakdown, or far more creatine than the label states so that enough survives.
A Mechanical Answer to a Chemical Problem
Rather than slowing creatine’s breakdown, True Protein’s highly guarded, purely mechanical process stabilises the creatine itself, keeping conversion to creatinine extremely low. Because the stability comes from the process rather than the formula, the only ingredients needed are creatine and water. Stability data on the process is available to media and researchers on request.
“People in this industry have been trying to make creatine work in liquid for years, and everyone has hit the same wall,” said Ben Kierath, Founder & Managing Director of True Protein. “The usual answer has been to add chemicals or add more creatine and hope enough survives. We didn’t want to work around the problem. We wanted to solve it.”
Why It Matters: The Label Finally Means Something
External testing commissioned by True Protein on liquid and gummy creatine products found some contained as little as 10% of the creatine claimed on the label. Without stable creatine, the dose in any product depends on when it was made and how it was stored. Products made with True Protein’s process can be dosed at clinically relevant levels and deliver what the label says.
“I was genuinely surprised by what we found when we tested other products,” said Kierath. “Consumers are being asked to trust a number that often isn’t accurate. Solve the stability, and the label can be trusted.”
Backed by World-Leading Creatine Science
True Protein’s liquid creatine work is supported by its Scientific Advisory Panel, which includes Professor Sergej M. Ostojic, MD, PhD, FACP, a globally recognised physician-scientist specialising in clinical, public and sports nutrition, applied bioenergetics and mitochondrial medicine, and dietary supplementation. Internationally known for his contributions to creatine research, he has authored more than 400 peer-reviewed publications in nutrition, physiology and metabolic health.
As True Protein’s Independent Scientific Advisor, Professor Ostojic provides guidance on creatine science, product innovation and formulation, scientific substantiation, and the accuracy and integrity of the company’s scientific communication.
“Creatine monohydrate is exceptionally well studied, but maintaining its stability in an aqueous solution over time has been a persistent formulation challenge. Our laboratory has independently tested samples supplied by the team to assess creatine stability, and the results are encouraging under the conditions evaluated. Drawing on my experience testing creatine products over the years, these preliminary findings give me confidence to continue working with the team as it advances the technology toward commercialization.
If stability can be maintained throughout the intended shelf life of a ready-to-drink product, without relying on preservatives or substantial overages, this would represent a meaningful advance in creatine delivery and could make daily creatine nutrition, a conditionally essential nutrient, more accessible and practical for a broader population. The next step is to confirm these findings in commercially manufactured products through rigorous analytical testing, demonstrating that the stated creatine dose is maintained and conversion to creatinine remains minimal under real-world storage conditions.”
From Lab Bench to Commercial Scale
The stabilisation technology has been more than ten years in development by True Protein’s research partners. Work began in 2015 on stabilising amino acids before turning to a far harder challenge, creatine monohydrate.
In 2025, the researchers presented the technology concept to True Protein, which signed an exclusive agreement, brought them on full-time and built its Melbourne facility and innovation hub to take the process from concept to commercial scale.
“This is a watershed moment not just for True Protein, but for the global sports nutrition market,” said Kierath. “Scaling this technology from benchtop trials to commercial manufacturing has been the hardest part of the journey, and we’re incredibly proud it’s happening right here in Melbourne.”
Availability
True Protein Liquid Creatine (355ml, Still) will be available from early 2027 at trueprotein.com.au.
Stability data on the process is available to media and researchers on request.
About True Protein
From humble beginnings to becoming one of Australia’s most trusted nutrition brands, True Protein is the vision of Northern Beaches-based entrepreneur Ben Kierath. His mission was simple: create clean, natural, Australian-made supplements in a market flooded with overly processed, additive-laden products. What began with athletes and gym-goers has grown into a comprehensive wellness range for everyday Australians.
Website: www.trueprotein.com.au Instagram: @trueprotein
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