Next to protein, creatine is the most effective natural
bodybuilding supplement available today. Creatine is an
amino acid derivative that helps boost muscle and strength
gains. Proven safe and effective, it is no wonder that
creatine has become one of the most popular supplements for
bodybuilders and strength athletes. Ever since creatine
became popular in the 90s, scientists have been continually
trying to make it even better. We have seen all sorts of
formulations such as creatine citrate, creatine phosphate,
creatine malate, creatine tartrate, creatine ester, etc.
Using creatine can allow many bodybuilders to add 5 to 10
pounds of lean muscle mass in a matter of weeks. Hundreds
of studies have been published on the safety and
effectiveness of creatine. Most of these studies were done
on creatine monohydrate, which was the first and most basic
formulation of creatine to hit the market. Creatine
monohydrate was found to be safe and effective in most of
these studies.
How does creatine work?
Creatine has two important functions for bodybuilders.
First,creatine increases the size, or volume of muscle
cells, which is the amount of water each cell can hold.
This slight expansion of each cell causes the entire muscle
to expand which triggers even further muscle growth. The
second important function of creatine is that it provides
muscle cells with immediate energy in the form of ATP
(Adenosine triphosphate), which is absolutely essential to
perform bodybuilding exercises. Having extra ATP within
the muscle cells will allow you to perform more repetitions
than you normally could, which translates into greater
muscle growth.
Unfortunately, creatine is only effective for about 70% of
athletes and bodybuilders. Those who do not respond to
creatine may already produce enough creatine phosphate in
their muscles that supplementing with creatine does not
make much difference.
Different types of Creatine Formulations.
Creatine Monohydrate.
Creatine monohydrate was the first creatine supplement
available and is still the least expensive form of
creatine. Most people respond well to this basic creatine
powder, although some people experience bloating, diarrhea
or cramps. This can occur if the creatine powder is not
ground up into small enough particles. Most of the
creatine monohydrate available today has been micronized,
which means it is ground up into an extremely fine powder,
which mixes much more easily with water. If you decide to
stick with creatine monohydrate, be sure that it is the
micronized version. This is the type of creatine that I use
and it works great for me, and it is cheap!
Creatine Anhydrous.
Creatine anhydrous is simply creatine with the water
molecule removed. This makes the creatine powder slightly
more pure, but this is a minor advantage. Creatine
monohydrate and creatine anhydrous are more or less equal.
Creatine Citrate.
Creatine citrate came out shortly after creatine
monohydrate gained popularity. Creatine citrate is simply
creatine molecule attached to a citric acid molecule.
Citric acid is used for energy production, and the theory
is that when taken with creatine, the combination would
provide more muscle energy than creatine taken by itself.
Although this sounds good, it has never been proven through
research. Creatine citrate, when compared serving for
serving, supplies, about 40% less creatine than the
monohydrate form, but it may dissolve more easily in water.
Creatine Phosphate
Creatine phosphate also popped up soon after creatine
monohydrate first hit the supplement market. This
formulation of creatine is a creatine molecule that is
already bound to a phosphate molecule. The bonding of
these two molecules normally takes place inside the muscle
cell and is something that must take place an order for
creatine to be effective at all. Creatine phosphate was
very popular when it first came out. However, most
bodybuilders found out that it was somewhat less effective
than creatine monohydrate.
Creatine Malate
Creatine malate is one of the newest forms of creatine. It
is created by binding creatine and malic acid. Malic acid
as well as citric acid, is an intermediate component of the
Krebs cycle, which is the metabolic pathway that creates
aerobic energy inside the muscle. This means that malic
acid is important for energy creation which is believed to
make creatine malate more potent than creatine monohydrate.
Creatine malate also dissolves easily in water and creates
less stomach discomfort. Unfortunately, research on
creatine malate is rare at this time, so its benefits are
still in question.
Creatine Ester.
Creatine Ester is one of the more recent formulations of
creatine, and is technically known as creatine ester ethyl
hydrochloride. Developed by scientists at the University
of Nebraska Medical Center, this version of creatine is
basically an alcohol mixed with acid. The theory behind
this formulation is that it will allow the creatine to
permeate cell membranes more easily in the intestines and
muscle cells. This should allow the creatine to be
absorbed and taken into muscle cells much more quickly than
the other forms of creatine.
Effervescent Creatine.
This type of creatine has been around for a while and
creates an effect similar to Alka- Seltzer. The
formulation is usually a creatine citrate or creatine
monohydrate mix together with bicarbonate and citric acid,
which causes the effervescent effect to separate the
carrier from the creatine. The creatine left over can
dissolve more easily in water, and is prevented from being
destroyed by stomach acid and may be better absorbed in the
intestinal tract. Some studies have confirmed that this
type of creatine does indeed remain stable in water much
longer than creatine monohydrate does. This would be a
good formulation of creatine to use if you plan on mixing
it several hours before you drink it.
Magnesium Creatine.
This is a form of creatine that is bound to a magnesium
molecule. This protects the creatine from stomach acid and
allows it to be absorbed more easily. Magnesium must be
present in order for creatine phosphate to be converted
into ATP, which is what creates energy in the muscle. At
least one study has shown that this form of creatine causes
the muscle to take in more fluid and creates greater
strength than taking creatine and magnesium separately. If
you're looking two use this type of creatine, you're better
off buying the actual combination, rather than just adding
magnesium as a separate supplement.
With all the different types of creatine available today,
and with very little research showing one being better than
another, I personally would recommend sticking with
creatine monohydrate in the micronized form, unless you
are experiencing some gastric distress. If this is the
case, try some of the other versions to see if they work
better for you.
Recommended dosage is 5 g before your workout and 5 g after
your workout taken with 30 to 50 g of whey protein and 50
to 100 g of simple carbohydrates.
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David Monyer has been involved in bodybuilding for the last
20 years, making most of his muscle gains in his basement
gym, as well as different clubs and gyms over the years.
For more information on training and recommended creatine
supplements, visit
http://www.RockSolidBodybuilding.com/creatine
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