© 2005-2021 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Creatine is a very popular sports supplement. It just settles to the bottom of the glass of water like sand. Creatine hydrochloride (HCL) is made by attaching a hydrochloride (HCL) group to creatine to enhance its stability. However, several different forms of the supplement are sold, which can make choosing one confusing. While creatine is well-recognized by sport scientists and athletes as one of the most effective supplement ingredients you can take to promote muscle growth and strength gains, there can be a few issues with the standard form of creatine known as creatine monohydrate. I'm a fan of Creatine HCl for this reason (but be warned, it … Creatine magnesium chelate is a form of the supplement that’s “chelated” with magnesium. While several other forms exist, most of them have minimal research examining their effectiveness. We know the ladies can be skeptical (And for good reason) when it comes to supplementation sometimes but there’s nothing sketchy about Biofinest creatine and the ingredients are purely creatine monohydrate (No worries of big muscles or mysterious weight gain).It’s pure, lab-tested, FDA approved and there is nothing in this powder besides creatine monohydrate. Initial excitement about it was probably due to reports of its superior solubility. I always understood that the "micronized" versions helped it dissolve better in water, and helped to reduce some of the gas/bloating that is associated with creatine sometimes. Of those three, Germany (AlzChem manufacturer) produces the purest creatine without impurities. To put it bluntly, you fart (and with creatine GI problems, a fart may be a shart...you never know...) and poop a lot less with micronized. Based on the scientific evidence, creatine monohydrate is the recommended form. The remainder of this article will help you learn which form is best. Liquid forms of the supplement appear to break down and become ineffective. Actually micronized refers to a type of creatine monohydrate. Optimum Nutrition creatine comes with micronized creatine monohydrate powder. However, it comes in more than one form, so those looking to start cashing in on the benefits it offers might have some trouble deciding on which form to turn to. Creatine won't dissolve in water regardless of how fine it is. Some evidence shows that creatine magnesium chelate is as effective as the monohydrate form. Some evidence indicates it may be better absorbed than creatine monohydrate in the body (28). When minor side effects do occur, they typically involve an upset stomach or cramping. However, a study directly comparing buffered and monohydrate forms found no differences in regards to effectiveness or side effects (31). How are you getting it for 12x the amount for 3x the price? The optimal timing of creatine supplementation is hotly debated. Pure Creatine is designed to support protein synthesis which aids muscle gains, enhance recovery and improve physical performance. Micronization simply improves that. Right now, the two market favorites are creatine monohydrate and kre-alkalyn. Creatine ethyl ester vs. monohydrate: which is a superior form for increasing muscle growth and gym performance? This can improve exercise performance and may even help combat disease (4, 5). Micronized Creatine Monohydrate . Others have stated that improvements in strength are about 5% for chest exercises like bench press and about 8% for leg exercises like squats (15, 16). Micronized dissolves better. That’s because it’s involved in the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is a major source of cellular energy. Creatine monohydrate is a great option. You may wish to not take it with caffeine at the same time, as they may possibly counteract each other when taken at the same time.Taking caffeine after creatine ingestion on the other hand can be very ergogenic. It plays a critical role in energy production, and supplementing with it can increase its content in your cells. So maybe micronized creatine monohydrate will dissolve more readily. There are several dietary supplements that can help increase muscle mass and strength. Creapure is just a "brand name" in the creatine world, and is made in Germany, and my understanding is that they have always provided quality COAs and things like that. Here is a good video comparing micronized creatine to that of regular. There’s strong evidence that these supplements can improve exercise performance (8, 15, 16). Creatine 101 — What Is It and What Does It Do? Over the years, several new and "improved" forms of creatine have hit the market, each claiming to be better than the original creatine monohydrate. Because meat is a primary dietary source of creatine, vegetarians typically have lower amounts of it in their bodies than non-vegetarians (6). The impressive clinical results also show some major drawbacks in the Creatine Monohydrate. It has been speculated that these side effects come from the creatine settling in your stomach and irritating the stomach lining. Creatine monohydrate is the form used in most of the clinical studies on creatine. The removal of water increases the amount of creatine in each dose. It’s backed by the strongest research, with studies demonstrating its effectiveness at increasing your body’s stores and improving exercise performance. Overall, while buffered forms weren’t worse than monohydrate forms in this study, they weren’t better either. It’s the gold standard of creatine. Here's why it's the best form of creatine you can…, Creatine is a well-studied supplement with proven benefits for high intensity exercise. This is a good point when suggesting that a hot beverage may decrease some of the intestinal concerns of taking creatine monohydrate, but why choose such a poor method to begin with. Creapure® is the purest creatine monohydrate available on the market, undergoing rigorous testing to make sure it’s free from impurities — resulting in 99.99% pure creatine monohydrate. I believe, for people who want to stick with what's been proven and works, micronized creatine is best over monohydrate with the same effects and less of the side effects. The 5 Best Creatine Supplements Reviewed Scoopeo is supported by its readers. While the HCl form’s high water solubility is promising, it needs to be studied more before it can be recommended over other forms. This article explains how creatine can improve your exercise…. I don't think finer salt will be better absorbed than coarse salt, either. This doesn’t happen immediately, so it’s no problem to mix your powder with water right before you consume it. Learn about when to take creatine to maximize its impressive benefits. The truth is that creatine is actually very safe. Read around the bb forums that this is better absorbed by the body vs the normal creatine monohydrate because it is 'micronized' and purer? Most research has used powders that are mixed soon before use. Here are the 6 best supplements to gain more muscle. The MuscleTech brand has been tested clinically on many athletes, especially heavy-lifting trainers. Despite the presence of these two natural sources, consuming it as a dietary supplement can increase your body’s stores (2, 3). In addition to increasing strength, creatine monohydrate can increase water content in muscle cells. While most creatine supplements come in powdered form, some ready-to-drink versions have already dissolved the supplement in water. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and most commonly used form. Although a very limited amount of research indicates that buffered forms could be as effective as monohydrate forms, there isn’t enough information to recommend them. Supposedly, this could increase its potency and reduce side effects such as bloating and cramping. As creatine is stored in the body, you can take it any time. 10 Health and Performance Benefits of Creatine. Its effects include improved exercise performance and musculoskeletal health, as well as potential benefits for brain health (4, 5, 8). Because it’s safe, effective and affordable, creatine monohydrate has long been the gold standard for this supplement. If you do not find the exact resolution you are looking for, then go for a native or higher resolution. Furthermore, some research has reported that it can improve sprinting and swimming performance, but other research has failed to demonstrate consistent benefits (12, 18, 19, 20). If you purchase through some links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. You can read our creatine monohydrate vs. HCL blog for that. The smaller size allows you to take less HCL to achieve the same result yielded by larger doses of monohydrate. Creatine is a molecule found in the cells of your body. Creatine monohydrate appears to be better than the ethyl ester and liquid forms of creatine (9, 11, 17). Fortunately, a large amount of research indicates that creatine is safe to consume, and no serious side effects have been reported with its use (24, 25). 10 Graphs That Show the Immense Power of Creatine, How Creatine Helps You Gain Muscle and Strength, 5 Reasons Why Creatine Monohydrate Is the Best. The problem that creatine monohydrate has with dissolving isn't that it needs to be micronized, but that it just isn't very water soluble compared to the size of dosage that you need. A large amount of research indicates that it’s safe and effective, and new forms of the supplement should be compared to it. Creatine is one of the most widely studied dietary supplements in the world. While some personal trainers recommend taking it after a workout, this has no difference in uptake. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Micronized Creatine. Both articles are really oriented around bodybuilding and not nootropics, but has good info. In short, creatine is a great help to athletes, bodybuilders, and more. The most researched form of Creatine powder and the best in the category, the MuscleTech Platinum 100% Creatine Monohydrate powder is a premium HPLC-teste monohydrate that is pure; that is, no added sugars or fillers, just the best quality of Micronized Creatine. Press J to jump to the feed. There are many myths regarding the safety and side effects of creatine. Some supplement manufacturers have attempted to improve the stability of creatine in the stomach by adding an alkaline powder, resulting in a buffered form. Furthermore, you need reduced amounts of water, which prevents bloating and other gastrointestinal side effects linked to monohydrate. Since there isn’t any good evidence that buffered forms provide unique advantages, creatine monohydrate is the winner. However, it does not appear to be as effective as the monohydrate form, and it’s not recommended for use. One study found that the work performed during cycling was improved by 10% with a monohydrate powder, but not with a liquid form (32). It can help you gain muscle, increase strength, and improve brain function, to name a few. Because of its superior solubility in water, it’s speculated that a lower dose can be used, reducing relatively common side effects like an upset stomach. But for the price difference, I'm perfectly happy to use the hot water method. Based on the research, this is the recommended way to consume creatine supplements. Creatine ethyl ester may have different absorption and uptake rates than other forms. Now, you must know that the monohydrate form of creatine is the best and most studied. However, one study directly comparing the two found that it was worse at increasing creatine content in the blood and muscles (29). I have been taking this ON creatine for years and it has been very effective. With that said, there is no actual benefit to more soluble creatine unless you have side effects from monohydrate. Unlike creatine monohydrate, HCL is available in a micronized form. Trying to get you guys' opinions on this. I don't think overall absorption and effectiveness are any different. Edit: It seems that I may be mistaken. Creatine has poor solubility in water. Ever since creatine monohydrate made its way onto the bodybuilding scene in the 1990’s, supplement companies have been rushing to find the next “big thing”. One study compared bench press strength and endurance between groups consuming creatine monohydrate, creatine magnesium chelate or a placebo (35). Creatine hydrochloride (HCl) has gained considerable popularity with some manufacturers and supplement users. I've tried micronized and non micronized. Three countries mass produce raw creatine: Germany, China, and the US. Whether these varieties have been micronized, buffered, liquefied, or esterified, they all promise to deliver superior results—in some cases with a much smaller dose than suggested for the monohydrate form. This can aid energy production and improve exercise performance. main source of energy for sporting activities which require short bursts of high intensity exercise – this being an important factor for power based sports such as powerlifting Best Micronized Creatine: Bulk Supplements Creatine Monohydrate Editor’s note: The content on BarBend is meant to be informative in nature, but it should not be taken as medical advice. This makes it dissolve better in liquid and some report it’s easier on their stomach. Consuming creatine supplements can increase the amount of it in your cells. Proof of this comes from the legions of studies done on plain-old, non-micronized creatine monohydrate in healthy people like you and I. Micronized creatine will dissolved faster than regular, and this is why it is the preferred option. I was running low on HCl, so I tried dissolving monohydrate in hot water and then cooling it down. Creatine Monohydrate For the financial geniuses saying "waste of money" go look at the prices. Grit is bad, great for GI problems. While diet and exercise are important for gaining weight, certain supplements may also help. Many types of these supplements are available, making it hard to choose one. Each serving of ON’s Micronized Creatine supplies a full 5 grams (5000 mg) of 99.9% pure CreaPure brand Creatine Monohydrate. Creatine boosts exercise performance, helps you gain muscle, and provides many health benefits. Your body naturally produces this molecule, which serves a variety of important functions, including energy production (1). I found a pretty decent deal on Amazon, and it was a 1 month supply for about $8. But even for non-vegetarians, consuming it as a dietary supplement can increase muscle creatine content by up to 40% (2, 3, 7). Additionally, the monohydrate form is relatively cheap, effective and widely available. Any new forms need to be compared to it before they can be recommended (27). Given the large amount of data supporting the effectiveness of creatine monohydrate, the HCl form can’t be recommended as superior until the two have been compared in experiments. I have also always mixed mine with warm liquids for that reason, and, anecdotally, I have no issues with it. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. You don't want grit. Looking for a supplement to boost your exercise performance? Because of this, it seems that creatine magnesium chelate may be an effective form, but it isn’t better than standard monohydrate forms. Overall, exercise scientists widely agree that supplementing with creatine can improve strength and power production, or how much force can be produced in a certain amount of time, during exercise. However, this theory is only speculation until it is tested. However, limited information is available, and it doesn’t appear to be superior. As the name suggests, Micronized Creatine Monohydrate is a powdered form of creatine monohydrate, which has been micronized 20 times. This simply means that magnesium is attached to the creatine molecule. This article examines the top 4 weight gain supplements. A year's supply is like $30. In addition, some foods contain creatine, particularly meat. Achte auf eine abwechslungsreiche und ausgewogene Ernährung sowie auf eine gesunde Lebensweise. An extensively studied sports nutrition ingredient, creatine monohydrate has been shown to support muscle size and strength gains. The contaminant amounts are "small", but you're talking about 5+ grams a day of Creatine... Also check out www.brinkzone.com/articles/how-to-get-most-out-of-your-creatine-what-form-dose-and-supplementation-strategy/. Is Creatine Safe, and Does It Have Side Effects? Some research has found that they may increase strength gains from a weight training program by about 10%, on average (17). In terms of Creapure, see www.brinkzone.com/articles/what's-in-your-creatine/. Bench press strength and power production during cycling increased, regardless of which form was taken. It for 12x the amount for 3x the price difference, i 'm perfectly to. This simply means that magnesium is attached to the creatine molecule but good. Creatine supplements can improve your exercise… it dissolve better in liquid and some report it ’ s on. Are mixed soon before use if you do not find the exact resolution you are for... 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