Creatine malate is a compound combining creatine with malic acid. The most commonly studied form of creatine is creatine monohydrate, which has robust evidence supporting its role as an ergogenic aid in athletic and exercise performance, particularly for activities involving short bursts of high-intensity effort such as sprinting or weightlifting. Creatine malate is less studied than creatine monohydrate, but its use is based on the hypothesis that malate, an intermediate in the Krebs cycle, could further enhance energy production and potentially reduce muscle fatigue compared to monohydrate alone.

The available scientific literature on creatine malate specifically is limited, with only a few small studies and some preclinical evidence suggesting it may offer similar or slightly improved benefits in anaerobic power, muscle recovery, and fatigue resistance compared to creatine monohydrate. However, the overall body of evidence does not clearly demonstrate superiority, and more high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed. Most benefits attributed to creatine malate in sports and exercise can reasonably be inferred from the well-established effects of creatine in general, such as increased phosphocreatine stores in muscle, enhanced ATP regeneration, and improved training adaptations.

In summary, scientific evidence supports the use of creatine (including creatine malate) as an athletic and exercise aid, but the specific evidence for creatine malate is moderate and not as robust as for creatine monohydrate.