Creatine Q & A
Q. Is there a difference between types of creatines that are currently
available?
A. As some people are aware, you can now find creatine on the market in three
forms: phosphate, citrate, and monohydrate. My feeling is that the phosphate
variety is not easily absorbed by the body and for this reason will not yield
effective and substantial results. The citrate variety seemed to be catching on
for a time, but again the research is sketchy here. In fact, nearly all the
positive clinical studies that have been done on creatine have utilized the
monohydrate form, and this is the only form that I currently recommend.
Q. Is all creatine monohydrate alike, or are the name brands really
better?
A. There’s a ton of cheap, generic creatine monohydrate on the market
(especially on the web), but I’m convinced that most of it is of significantly
lower quality than the reputable brand name versions. Supplement companies and
distributors in the U.S. currently get their raw creatine from two primary
sources: China and Germany. The creatine that comes in from China is almost
always less expensive, but it’s also much more likely to be impure. Typically,
it’ll be cut with the complex carb maltodextrin. This is the dirt cheap
“creatine” that many wholesalers offer. No wonder some people don’t see any
results. Reputable creatine suppliers prefer the German version, which is a bit
more expensive but tests out at a significantly higher level of quality. With
creatine you really do get what you pay for.
Q. Is micronized creatine just hype or is it really better?
A. Micronized creatine is very interesting. Basically, it’s produced through
a process that finely grinds or “micronizes” the creatine particles themselves
into particles that are 10, 15, even 20 times smaller than regular creatine
particles. There’s no doubt that micronized creatine dissolves better in
liquid—this just makes sense. It’s also theorized that the smaller particle size
leads to easier and faster digestion and uptake into the blood. Individuals who
report stomach upset with regular creatine intake almost always find the problem
alleviated by switching to the micronized version. Many of the top creatine
monohydrate products on the market—including AST’s Creatine HSC—have already
switched to using micronized particles. This trend is likely to continue and
accelerate in the near future.
Creatine Product Guide
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Creatine
Monohydrate Supplements
