Creatine is one of the most popular and best-studied supplements, with studies dating as far back as the 1960s and 70s. The compound wasn’t always popular but went mainstream in the early 1990s. These days, regular gym-goers, weekend warriors, and professional athletes take the product to elevate their performance and reach their goals.
The question is, which creatine form is best? Let’s discuss.
Firstly, what is creatine?
Creatine is an organic acid your body produces thanks to three amino acids: methionine, glycine, and arginine. The liver, kidneys, and pancreas collectively produce around a gram daily.
You can also find small amounts of creatine in certain foods, including red meat, fish, and eggs. Unfortunately, it’s impossible to get much creatine because most of it gets lost during the cooking process.
Most of the creatine in your body is stored in skeletal muscle, with small amounts existing in the liver, kidneys, and brain.
Four Fantastic Creatine Benefits
Creatine’s primary function is to promote the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules. ATP is the primary energy currency for all living cells, and quicker synthesis offers numerous benefits:
1. Muscular Endurance
Creatine supplements enhance muscular endurance, allowing trainees to train longer before reaching exhaustion.
2. Power Output
Supplementation leads to improvements in power output, leading to better workout outcomes.
3. Muscle Size
Regular creatine supplementation is linked to superior muscle hypertrophy. One likely explanation is that it improves training performance, leading to more disruptive workouts.
4. Cognitive Effects
Some research finds that creatine supplements improve cognitive abilities and performance on various tests. The findings make sense because the brain needs a lot of energy to function, and creatine helps produce it more efficiently.
A Look At The Most Popular Creatine Types (And How They Compare)
1. Creatine Monohydrate
Monohydrate is the most popular and widespread creatine form. The supplement is produced by binding creatine to water molecules. Creatine monohydrate is considered by many to be the best and most affordable option, with the most human trials. Browse our range of
Creatine Monohydate.
Most people need 5g, five times per day to achieve muscle saturation for the first 5 days. A maintenance dose of 5g daily thereafter should be sufficient.
2. Creatine HCL
Creatine HCL, also known as creatine hydrochloride, is another popular form. It is created by binding creatine to specific hydrochloride molecules.
A notable difference between HCL and other creatine forms is that it has a lower pH, making it slightly more acidic.
Most sources claim that HCL gets absorbed more readily, and we need smaller doses (a gram or less) to saturate our muscles and reap all associated benefits.
3. Creatine Blend
As its name suggests, a creatine blend is a product that combines two or more creatine forms and may also include more ingredients such as simple carbs to aid in uptake.
You can view our range of
creatine blends here.
Conclusion
Creatine is one of the most studied and beneficial sports supplements on the market. All forms provide different benefits, and you should pick the one that best fits your preferences and pocket at the end of the day.
OUR TOP 3 CHOICES
