Insight on creatine supplements

The final topic of commonly used supplements is creatine. If your Tiktok or Instagram feed is filled with gym content, chances are you have seen reels or memes on creatine and how it gets you bigger and super strong. But what actually is creatine?

Well first of all your body naturally makes creatine. It’s made primarily in the kidneys and completed in the liver, by three amino acids: glycine, arginine, and methionine. These amino acids are then converted into creatine phosphate and phosphocreatine which is then stored in the skeletal muscles and used for energy.

There are 6 types of creatine you can buy:

1.) Creatine Monohydrate: Creatine monohydrate can increase water content in muscle cells. This may lead to beneficial effects on muscle growth by sending signals related to cell swelling. Creatine monohydrate is the most studied and most commonly used form. A large amount of research indicates that it’s safe and effective, and new forms of the supplement should be compared to it.

2.) Creatine Ethyl Ester: Creatine ethyl ester may have different absorption and uptake rates than other forms. However, it does not appear to be as effective as the monohydrate form, and it’s not recommended for use.

3.) Creatine Hydrochloride: Creatine hydrochloride (HCl) has gained considerable popularity with some manufacturers and supplement users. Initial excitement about it was probably due to reports of its superior solubility. 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. So while the HCl form’s high water solubility is promising, it needs to be studied more before it can be recommended over other forms.

4.) Buffered 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. Supposedly, this could increase its potency and reduce side effects such as bloating and cramping. 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.

5.) Liquid Creatine: While most creatine supplements come in powdered form, some ready-to-drink versions have already dissolved the supplement in water. The limited research examining liquid forms indicates that they’re less effective than monohydrate powders. Liquid forms of the supplement appear to break down and become ineffective. They do not seem to improve exercise performance or produce other benefits.

6.) Creatine Magnesium Chelate: Creatine magnesium chelate is a form of the supplement that’s “chelated” with magnesium. This simply means that magnesium is attached to the creatine molecule. Some evidence shows that creatine magnesium chelate is as effective as the monohydrate form. However, limited information is available, and it doesn’t appear to be superior.

So at the end of the day based on the scientific evidence, creatine monohydrate is the recommended form. It’s backed by the strongest research, with studies demonstrating its effectiveness at increasing your body’s stores and improving exercise performance.

If you have any questions or would like further in-site on this topic feel free to email jaco@macromeals.co.za as well as for personal training &/or meal prep assistance.