Editorial Policy & Methodology

Creatine.my Editorial Team · · 8 min read
Fact-checked against peer-reviewed research · Our editorial policy
8 min read

Our 7-step editorial process exists so you never have to wonder: "Can I trust this?"

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Creatine.my is built on a foundation of scientific rigour. Every article, guide, and product review on this site follows a structured editorial process designed to ensure accuracy, transparency, and consistency. This page explains exactly how we research, write, review, and maintain our content so that you can evaluate the trustworthiness of our information for yourself.

We hold ourselves to a simple standard: every factual claim must be supported by evidence from peer-reviewed scientific literature. Opinions and editorial judgements are clearly labelled as such. Where the science is uncertain or evolving, we say so explicitly rather than presenting preliminary findings as established fact.

Research Methodology

Primary Sources

Our content is grounded in primary research from peer-reviewed journals. We draw primarily from the following sources:

  • PubMed / MEDLINE: The primary database for biomedical literature. We search for randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses related to creatine supplementation.
  • Cochrane Library: For high-quality systematic reviews that synthesise evidence across multiple studies.
  • Sports Nutrition Journals: Including the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (JISSN), Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, and the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
  • Position Statements: Official position papers from the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), and similar authoritative bodies.

Evidence Hierarchy

We prioritise evidence in the following order:

  1. Meta-analyses and systematic reviews that pool data from multiple studies for stronger conclusions.
  2. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with adequate sample sizes and proper methodology.
  3. Cohort and observational studies when RCT data is unavailable.
  4. Expert consensus and position statements from recognised scientific bodies.
  5. Mechanistic studies and animal models clearly labelled as preliminary evidence.

We never cite blog posts, social media content, manufacturer claims, or non-peer-reviewed sources as evidence for health-related claims. When we reference such sources for context (for example, to address a popular misconception), we clearly distinguish them from scientific evidence.

Citation Standards

Every factual claim in our articles includes an inline citation linked to the original source. We provide either a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) link or a PubMed ID (PMID) for every study we reference, allowing readers to verify our sources independently. Where a study is open-access, we link directly to the full text when possible.

Editorial Process

Content Creation

Each article follows a structured workflow:

  1. Topic Research: The writer conducts a comprehensive literature search, identifying relevant studies, reviews, and position statements.
  2. Outline Review: The article outline is reviewed by a second team member to ensure comprehensive coverage and logical structure.
  3. Drafting: The writer produces the first draft, incorporating citations for all factual claims.
  4. Fact-Check Review: A second editor independently verifies every cited claim against the original source material. Discrepancies are flagged and resolved.
  5. Editorial Review: The editorial lead reviews the article for clarity, readability, completeness, and adherence to our style guide.
  6. Publication: The article is published with proper date stamps, author attribution, and structured data markup.

Dual Review System

No article is published without passing through at least two independent reviews. The fact-check review focuses on scientific accuracy and source verification. The editorial review focuses on readability, comprehensiveness, and user value. Both reviewers must approve an article before it goes live.

Quarterly Content Updates

We review and update all published content on a quarterly cycle. During each review, we:

  • Search for new studies published since the last review.
  • Update recommendations if new evidence warrants changes.
  • Verify that all external links and citations remain active.
  • Refresh product pricing and availability data for the Malaysian market.
  • Update the "date modified" stamp to reflect the latest review.

If a significant new study or safety finding emerges between quarterly cycles, we update the relevant content immediately and note the out-of-cycle update.

Product Review Methodology

Independence

We purchase all products for review at full retail price from Malaysian retailers. We do not accept free samples, sponsored products, or payment in exchange for reviews. Our reviews reflect our honest, independent assessment based on standardised criteria.

Scoring Rubric

Every product is evaluated on a 1-to-10 scale across eight categories. Each score is accompanied by specific justification. The categories are:

  1. Purity & Ingredients (weight: 20%): Is it pure creatine monohydrate? Are there unnecessary fillers, artificial colours, or proprietary blends? Is the ingredient list transparent?
  2. Third-Party Testing (weight: 15%): Has the product been tested by an independent lab (Informed Sport, NSF, USP)? Are certificates of analysis available?
  3. Value for Money (weight: 15%): Cost per serving based on current Malaysian retail prices. We calculate and compare cost per 5g serving across products.
  4. Solubility & Mixability (weight: 10%): How well does the powder dissolve in water at room temperature? Any grittiness or residue?
  5. Taste & Palatability (weight: 5%): For unflavoured products, neutrality of taste. For flavoured variants, overall palatability.
  6. Brand Reputation (weight: 10%): Company track record, manufacturing certifications (GMP, HACCP), transparency, and history of recalls or controversies.
  7. Availability in Malaysia (weight: 15%): Ease of purchase through Malaysian retail channels, shipping times, and consistency of stock.
  8. Halal Status (weight: 10%): JAKIM certification, IFANCA certification, or other recognised halal certifications. Clear labelling of halal status.

The overall score is a weighted average of all eight categories, rounded to one decimal place. We do not adjust overall scores manually; they are calculated directly from the category scores.

Review Updates

Product reviews are updated whenever we identify a significant change in formulation, pricing, availability, or certification status. We re-evaluate and re-score products when warranted and note the date of the most recent review update.

Affiliate Disclosure

Creatine.my participates in affiliate programmes with select Malaysian retailers and international supplement distributors. When you click on a product link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Our affiliate relationships are governed by the following principles:

  • Affiliate commissions never influence product scores, rankings, or recommendations.
  • We review products regardless of whether an affiliate programme exists for that product.
  • Pages containing affiliate links display a clear affiliate disclosure notice.
  • We will recommend a product with no affiliate programme over a product with an affiliate programme if the former scores higher in our review.
  • Our editorial team does not know which products have affiliate programmes when conducting reviews. Affiliate links are added only after editorial decisions are finalised.

Affiliate revenue helps fund our operations, including purchasing products for review, maintaining the site, and paying our editorial team. We are grateful for reader support through these links, but your trust is more important to us than any commission.

Corrections Policy

We are committed to correcting errors promptly and transparently. If we identify a factual error in our content, or if a reader alerts us to one, we take the following steps:

  1. Verify the reported error against primary sources.
  2. Correct the content as quickly as possible.
  3. Add a visible correction note at the top of the article describing what was changed and why.
  4. Update the "date modified" stamp.

Minor typographical corrections and formatting changes do not receive correction notes, but the date modified stamp is still updated.

To report an error or suggest a correction, please email us at hello@creatine.my with the article URL and a description of the issue. We review all submissions and respond within 48 hours.

Questions About Our Process

If you have questions about our editorial methodology, want to understand how a particular article was researched, or wish to request our sources for a specific claim, please contact us at hello@creatine.my. We believe in full transparency and are happy to explain our reasoning and share our source material.