Much like all sports supplements, the world of creatine products is very murky and easy to get lost in. We are going to clear up the facts today, showing what the product does inside your body and which blend of it is superior.
As fitness instructors, we know that half the battle with supplements is won by being able to see the difference between facts and sales pitches. Every supplement you come across these days tells you that is' bigger, badder and better than anything else before it.
So how do we know which to trust and, more importantly, what is this actually designed to DO for your body?
There is an ever-growing list of different types of this supplement out there. Most supplement companies offer Monohydrate blends, Ethyl Esther blends, Kre-Alkalyn tablets and a whole host of others. But overall they are designed with one task in mind for your body and that is increasing your overall explosive strength.
What does it actually do inside your body?
If you start running as hard as you can right now you will notice that after around 15 seconds you get an undeniable burning pain in your quadriceps forcing you to stop or slow down. This is called lactic acid. It happens because your creatine levels have essentially ran out. You need to slow down until your body can generate enough for a second short burst.
By putting extra levels of this substance into your body with the use of a sports supplement you are able to perform explosively for slightly longer. This explains why it's an athletes best friend.
Take that mentality into a gym situation and it allows you to push out one more repetition of an exercise or add an extra plate. This supplement doesn't make you build muscle, but the aftermath of using it will.
With all the different blends out there, however, it can be almost impossible knowing which one to purchase.
You could be left now knowing which blend is superior, they all claim to be the best. The science points massively in the direction of Monohydrate. That's right, the first and cheapest option.
There is more evidence and research behind monohydrate than any other blend. Perhaps more than all of them put together. But as it's common knowledge that it's a cheap product to manufacture, companies have a difficult time trying to market new formulas. This is why they say unproven negative side effects occur with monohydrate such as water retention and bloating - both of which have been scientifically studied and proven wrong. It's like when a razor company sells a new product. Why should you spend $20 on a new razor when the last one was perfectly fine? They'll tell you the last one is obsolete and hype up the new one, of course. But ultimately they'd stop selling the old product if it was as bad as they make out when their new one is developed...
They need a reason for you to stop spending $10 per month and start spending $50 per month, basically.
Overall, when it comes to creatine supplements you cannot go wrong with the trusty monohydrate option. It simply works and, better still, is backed up of two decades of scientific fact and not a single marketing claim followed by an asterisk. If you are figuring out how to build muscle and are looking for supplements to help you along the way, this is it.
As fitness instructors, we know that half the battle with supplements is won by being able to see the difference between facts and sales pitches. Every supplement you come across these days tells you that is' bigger, badder and better than anything else before it.
So how do we know which to trust and, more importantly, what is this actually designed to DO for your body?
There is an ever-growing list of different types of this supplement out there. Most supplement companies offer Monohydrate blends, Ethyl Esther blends, Kre-Alkalyn tablets and a whole host of others. But overall they are designed with one task in mind for your body and that is increasing your overall explosive strength.
What does it actually do inside your body?
If you start running as hard as you can right now you will notice that after around 15 seconds you get an undeniable burning pain in your quadriceps forcing you to stop or slow down. This is called lactic acid. It happens because your creatine levels have essentially ran out. You need to slow down until your body can generate enough for a second short burst.
By putting extra levels of this substance into your body with the use of a sports supplement you are able to perform explosively for slightly longer. This explains why it's an athletes best friend.
Take that mentality into a gym situation and it allows you to push out one more repetition of an exercise or add an extra plate. This supplement doesn't make you build muscle, but the aftermath of using it will.
With all the different blends out there, however, it can be almost impossible knowing which one to purchase.
You could be left now knowing which blend is superior, they all claim to be the best. The science points massively in the direction of Monohydrate. That's right, the first and cheapest option.
There is more evidence and research behind monohydrate than any other blend. Perhaps more than all of them put together. But as it's common knowledge that it's a cheap product to manufacture, companies have a difficult time trying to market new formulas. This is why they say unproven negative side effects occur with monohydrate such as water retention and bloating - both of which have been scientifically studied and proven wrong. It's like when a razor company sells a new product. Why should you spend $20 on a new razor when the last one was perfectly fine? They'll tell you the last one is obsolete and hype up the new one, of course. But ultimately they'd stop selling the old product if it was as bad as they make out when their new one is developed...
They need a reason for you to stop spending $10 per month and start spending $50 per month, basically.
Overall, when it comes to creatine supplements you cannot go wrong with the trusty monohydrate option. It simply works and, better still, is backed up of two decades of scientific fact and not a single marketing claim followed by an asterisk. If you are figuring out how to build muscle and are looking for supplements to help you along the way, this is it.
About the Author:
Writer: Russ Howe PTI is a popular fitness coach. See how to build muscle with our new video guide giving the 5 steps to a more powerful physique and creatine.