A simple but often unappreciated issue regarding creatine monohydrate is the need for it to be dissolved fully. This vid will help you get the most from your CM products!
Standard CM vs. Micronized CM
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67 Responses for Creatine: How To Get The Most From This Supplement
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makster:
July 08, 2010 07:41 amI never even thought about the absorption of creatine till it was discussed at BBR. I now dissolve it in tea or coffee as recommended. You can definately see the difference in your video between the cold and the warm water.
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anon:
August 02, 2010 01:41 amcaffeine stops the creatines effectiveness, wouldnt mix it with coffee, or even drink coffee while your using creatine bro
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edward:
July 08, 2010 08:00 pmAs usual your information is clear and to the point…Good info, thanks!!
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SUBROCK:
July 08, 2010 08:11 pmWill, great post. Question I've heard that mixes it with a little sucrose help its absorption in the body. Any comments on that?
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July 08, 2010 08:34 pm
Sucrose is table sugar and is not going to be an optimal choice. High GI carbs are what is recommended, such as malto, dextrose, and best yet, Vitargo. I recommend you read the many articles here on creatine that covers the carbs + Cr topic well, as does the free creatine report mentioned in the vids.
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mossy:
July 08, 2010 06:52 pmHey Will
Im not sure if the warm water thing makes that much difference as it enters your body which is 36-37 degree warm furnace, thereby creating a warm environment for the creatine to dissolve in liquids.
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willbrink:
July 08, 2010 07:42 pmMossy, yes, it matters. Best results for absorption and avoiding gasrtric issues is to make sure it's fully mixed and that's been known since the earliest studies, hence why they always used hot beverages to mix it in.
Dr. John Berardi has made a few comments that sum it up well:
"Since creatine is very hard to dissolve in regular room temperature beverages, researchers had been giving creatine in warm coffee and tea to ensure dissolution of the powder and to mask the taste. Also this dissolution makes taking creatine orally easier on subjects and their digestive systems."
" when the creatine gets to your gastrointestinal tract, the body tries to solubilize it. Why? Because nutrients cannot be absorbed if not solubilized or dissolved in a solution. They will just sit around in the pit of your stomach in powder form and eventually pass right out of you. So what the body does to remedy this is to suck fluids out of the cells of the digestive organs in order to provide enough fluid to dissolve the creatine. But what then happens is that all this fluid that's sucked into the GI tract needs to quickly be eliminated and this leads to diarrhea. So in solubilizing your creatine, the GI causes some nasty bathroom situations. Not to mention the fact that a lot of the creatine is lost during such porcelain episodes."
He's referring more to the loading phases I suspect that few people bother with anymore as far as "porcelain episodes" is concerned, but the fact is, best results will be had is you fully dissolve the creatine first.
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wes:
October 18, 2011 10:53 pmhey will i have some bulk pure creatine mono, my question is what volume is equivilant to 5 grams. i also pose the same question of volume to wieght for pure caffiene, thankyou
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Johnny:
July 09, 2010 01:19 amI'm like most of the readers, I never thought of TOTAL dissolution of Creatine before ingesting it. I had taken it back when it first hit the market as a huge benefit to bodybuilding adn simply mixed it with a fruit juice such as grape or apple. I mixed it in cold (usually refridgerated) liquid and thought that it was supposed to feel like sand going down. Then micronized creatine came out, but the issue wasn't about better dissolving, but whether or not it does better in the body than regular Creatine. I have read many reports on the different "types" of Creatine as well. Based on this "revelation" information, I will simply stick with REGULAR creatine but dislove it before ingestion. This make total sense. I have about 5 different bottles of Creatine, but didn't want to have to deal with the intestinal indigestion. Now I can use it with confidence and pass this info along to other friends who exercise. Great eye-opening info. SIMPLE concept right in front of my eyes, go figure!!
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mossy:
July 08, 2010 09:30 pm
Beradi has a very simple slant on it – thats for sure!
Powders DO NOT sit in your stomach like they do a glass of water. Your stomach is hot and its full of gastic juices which contain acids that would burn your hand off.
Please take into consideration that our body is hot at 36-37 degrees celsius which makes many so called cold pressed products and omega 3 products defunct and what IMHO also makes hot water creatine defunct too!
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willbrink:
July 09, 2010 08:17 am
I already responded to your Q Mossy, gave you a quote from someone who knows the topic (almost as well as I do!), and all you have done was repeat your opinion, which you supplied nothing as support. Dr John Berardi's quote as quite specific, yours was the "simple slant" and it's incorrect. Poor solubility is a well known factor for decreasing the absorption of various compounds, and making the compound soluble greatly improves absorption and reduces GI problems.
Methods Find Exp Clin Pharmacol 1998, 20(3): 211
Micronization: A method of improving the bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs
Chaumeil, J.C.For poorly soluble drugs, the digestive absorption depends on their rate of dissolution. Decreasing the particle size of these drugs improves their rate of dissolution. Fine grinding mills are use to micronize powders: either jar mills or fluid energy mills. These processes were applied to griseofulvin, progesterone, spironolactone and diosmin. For each drug, micronization improved their digestive absorption, and consequently their bioavailability and clinical efficacy.
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Irishdeerhunter:
July 09, 2010 12:38 pmMossy
If you think the stomach acids will dissolve the creatine efficiently, instead of first dissolving it in hot water, then go ahead and try your method. It is through trial & error that you will find which method works best. But, I warn you, watch out for some GI disturbances with your method.
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dave:
April 09, 2011 08:38 amthe burning from the acids have nothing to do with temperature…. dont the acids actually ruin the desired creatine effects if you dont already have it fully dissolved in warmer water because it would be exposed to the acids longer?
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lurker:
July 09, 2010 02:42 am
Mossy,
I was just wondering how many scientific studies you have done on the amount of creatine absorbed by the body. Furthermore I can personally attest to the affects of undissolved creatine in the GI tract. I have a moderately sensitive GI tract, but as soon as I started taking creatine I began having some "porcelain episodes." Now I can see why that is based on information from someone who is considered an expert in nutrition (Will) referencing someone who has done scientific studies and vast amounts of research on the subject (Beradi).
If you have information beyond just bringing up the acid and heat of the body please share with us so we can better understand the angle you are coming from.
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July 09, 2010 01:04 pm
"(Will) referencing someone who has done scientific studies and vast amounts of research on the subject (Beradi)"
Lurker, I have personally been published in scientific journals regarding creatine BTW. See the "about" section for more info if interested.
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tricepasaurus:
July 09, 2010 06:50 amInteresting pts!
It makes sense that your GI tract would treat creatine diffrently to how water does.
Having said – im sure putting creatine in hot water wouldnt harm either.
Just my 2 cents! -
Laurent:
July 09, 2010 07:46 amAt the moment, I use creatine magnesium chelate from Albion and am very satisfied with it. It dissolves very quickly and gives me absolutly no bloating neither "porcelain episode". After watching your clever videos, I guess you wouldn't recommend creatine in caps form, as the powder in the caps would reach your stomach undissolved.
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July 09, 2010 12:18 pm
Nope, I do not recommend creatine caps for that reason. I'm sure some gets absorbed, but it's wasting $$$$ no doubt.
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Darren:
July 09, 2010 09:29 amJust a thought but doesn't caffeine negate the effects of creatine or does John mean decaf? ;o)
Will Brink:
Dr. John Berardi has made a few comments that sum it up well:
"Since creatine is very hard to dissolve in regular room temperature beverages, researchers had been giving creatine in warm coffee and tea to ensure dissolution of the powder and to mask the taste. Also this dissolution makes taking creatine orally easier on subjects and their digestive systems."
Article Abstract:
"The ergogenic effects of creatine was shown to be blocked by caffeine, but was not shown to be tied to the inhibitory effects of caffeine in phosphocreatine production. Bodybuilders wanting to optimize creatine ingestion should stay away from caffeine-containing substances to realize the effects of creatine."
author: Rowley, Brian
Publisher: Weider Publications LLC
Publication Name: Joe Weider's Muscle & Fitness
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0744-5105
Year: 1998-
July 09, 2010 12:40 pm
Darren. That study had major flaws and didn't hold up over time, and also went against the "real world" effects people see using both. Berardi covers that here:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/berardi5.htmSome will still recommend not taking caffeine at the same time as creatine just to be sure, and that's one way to approach it if the caff/Cr issue is a concern.
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Darren:
July 09, 2010 01:05 pm
Thanks for clarifying that Will.
Darren.
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william mcniff:
July 09, 2010 05:37 pmThanks Will. I had given up on Creatine, trying to over come a 60lb weight loss due to cancer cachexia. What about l-glutamine in warm water. I am using it for colon health as the radiation and such have left it cranky so to speak.
bill-
July 09, 2010 06:40 pm
William, simply try your own test with glutamine and water. You should find it's very soluble in water.
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Martin:
July 11, 2010 10:25 amHi, I have a question; can you go too warm with the water? I like to use really hot water (i.e. steaming – I cool it down with icecubes afterwards) to make it dissolve even faster. Is this ok or could I damage the creatine with too hot water?
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July 11, 2010 05:58 pm
Creatine is fine in hot water, hence my referencing the use of hot tea in early studies to mix it. i wouldn't put it in boiling water for an hour, but short of that, it's fine.
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Paulc:
July 11, 2010 05:48 pmI've notice my hair thinning after being on creatine for several months, but has thickened up a few months after I stopped taking it. Of course I took up creatine again and notice my hair thinning again, so I'm off again hoping my hair with thicken up again.. I know that Jeff Anderson (muscle nerd) confirms this. What's your take on this Will?
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July 11, 2010 05:56 pm
There's no solid data to look at regarding any connection between Cr and MPB. There was one study that found CM increased DHT in soccer players I recall, but the study has various flaws and has not been repeated/confirmed. My hunch is there's no connection there, but there's a lack of data one way or another on that. Plenty of creatine users with plenty of hair out there.
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Dave:
July 11, 2010 01:55 pmGreat article Will,
Do the same principles apply to BCAA,s eg, taking tablet form over powder is more convienent & avoids the nasty after taste but is taking tablets less effective for the same reasons as creatine illustration.Dave
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July 11, 2010 06:02 pm
I don't have the solubility numbers for BCAAs off hand, but I doubt very much any of them are as insoluble as CM. Different compounds, nutrients, etc have different solubility. Amino acids as a rule are soluble in water.
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John:
July 13, 2010 10:32 pm
What if you just scoop the creatine into your mouth and wash down with water?
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July 13, 2010 10:41 pm
Errr, did you watch the vids? After watching the vids, does that seem like a good strategy for maximizing absorption?
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Brandon:
July 15, 2010 09:30 pmHi,
I read that creatine that is left in water for too long would change to creatinine which would then be useless. Is this true? Other than that, would it be better if I mix my protein powder, dextrose and creatine together in hot/warm water instead of cold water?
I'm sure you heard of Kre-Alkalyn before and they claim to be superior. Any comments on this whether is Kre-Alkalyn a good stuff or just a hype.
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Brandon:
July 15, 2010 09:50 pm
Btw, just read a bit around the blog and I saw that Kre-Alkalyn is actually not as good as they said and that creatine is actually stable in water.
But I still wonder whether creatine absorption will be better if I mix them in warm water together with protein and dextrose and drink them post workout.
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July 15, 2010 11:53 pm
Probably best to fully dissolve the creatine, then add to the PW drink. Using micronized speeds up the process, etc.
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Brandon:
July 16, 2010 12:01 pm
I usually make my post workout shake before I hit the gym so I will only down it after 2 hours from making it.
I think I'll just put the creatine inside warm water and let it dissolve and then only add in the protein powder and dextrose and bring it to the gym.
Please correct me if I'm doing anything wrong. Thanks.
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July 20, 2010 10:40 pm
Good ol' creatine monohydrate is the best and micronised versions are better still. I am not keen on the Kre-Alkalyn personally.
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Erik:
August 22, 2010 12:22 pmHey Will,
When would you say the best time to take creatine mono is?
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Cosmo:
September 04, 2010 03:45 pmWill, 5g/once a day (teaspoon) of Micronized Creatine gave me quite a bit of gas, my stomach had a lot of loud gurgling and my stool became very, very soft…pudding like. At your suggestion for the past 8 days I have been trying the micronized creatine again. This time however I've been using only about 1/2 teaspoon and stirring it in hot water. It does dissolve 100% very quickly…particularly with stirring for about a minute. I haven't had any GI issues anymore at all. I hope I don't end up extruding anymore massive mudslides like before.
Anyway, thanks again for your help. If all goes well for a month, would it be prudent to increase the creatine up to a full spoonful once a day? And if not, will I realize any results just taking 1/2 spoonful?
Thanks, Cosmo-
willbrink:
September 10, 2010 12:01 pm
3-5g is the typical dose. If 3 works for you, and is not bothering you, then stick to it.
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Joel:
September 24, 2010 08:38 amDoes the creatine powder really become useless if its left to stand in room temperature water for a few hours? After that time it also dissolves. I usually get the usual side effects when i used it that way i.e. gas and dehydration (if i dont have enough liquid). Shouldn't those effects indicate that the creatine is still doing its 'job'?
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willbrink:
September 24, 2010 08:45 am
Joel, my other vid on creatine stability covers that. Creatine is quite stable. Yes, after a few days, some % of it will convert to creatinine, but a few hours, especially if in the fridge, is not an issue, contrary to clams made by some companies.
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Joel:
September 24, 2010 09:07 am
Ok. Thanks alot. And sorry but i only noticed the two videos on this page. I think i prefer to use it this way because i experience what u referred to as 'porcelain episodes' shortly after using the creatine undissolved or with hot tea which gives me the impression that some of the creatine is being wasted. No such episodes with it left to stand however.
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geirge:
September 28, 2010 08:51 pmHow about taking creatine one week before a competition…….wouldnt this fill your muscles and look fuller
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george:
September 28, 2010 08:52 pm
I think i saw something you wrote on this topic……the creatine loading 5 days out from a comp…..most guys say no…some say yes……or is it 50/50
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forsyth:
September 30, 2010 09:33 pmWow, did not realize the poor absorption rate of creatine in cold water, I'll try warm water and watch it closely from now on. Thanks Will!
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cosmo:
October 01, 2010 05:45 pm
forsyth, I switched to hot water and stirred the micronized creatine for about 3 minutes and it dissolves almost 100%. More importantly, no runs, no drips and no errors…if you know what I mean
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Tony:
October 04, 2010 08:09 pm
Will, what about the use of grape juice to spike insulin for better Cr uptake? How does it stack up compared to dextrose, etc?
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TONY THE TIGER:
October 19, 2010 05:31 pm
Thanks for the creatine video.. i never knew how important waiting for the creatine to disolve was. Now i know better. Also it was very interesting comparison between Creatine Mono against Micronized Creatine.
Im using creapure now from Jarrow.
Thanks again. -
Atif :
October 25, 2010 10:35 amHi will , It was nice learning how to use creatine after seeing your short video. It was the first time some one gave such a thoughtful advise. But my question is when to take creatine , Before Work out Or after the Workout? And how about " the loading Phase " ? How does this creatine help the to build Muscles?
Take care ,
Atif. -
dp1:
November 20, 2010 05:02 pmwhat is the stuff from the micronised creatine powder that does not dissolve even after a minute of shaking in warm water..?
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willbrink:
November 20, 2010 05:15 pm
Just as the vid explains, it's non micronized "regular" creatine monohydrate
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dp1:
November 20, 2010 05:43 pm
Aha so your saying that product 'XXX' (labelled – micronised creatine monohydrate).. is usually manufactured with some non-micronised 'regular' creatine in the product too..
Thanks,
dp1
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Mitch:
November 21, 2010 04:32 pmWill,
Thanks for providing a no nonsense view regarding supplements, fitness, and bodybuilding. I started using Creapure micronised creatine this week. I mix it with warm water and add cold once it's fully mixed. I went ahead and started with a "loading" phase of four 5mg doses per day and drinking over a gallon of water per day. Instead of the expected 1-2 lb increase in water weight I have lost 3 lbs in the last four days. According to my scales with body fat % my composition has stayed the same so I'm assuming the weight loss has been mostly water.Other than the creatine my diet and training schedule has been the same with nothing remarkable regarding GI issues. Have you seen this experience before and what are your recommendations?
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Mitch:
November 21, 2010 04:47 pm
Sorry…5g doses. Not 5mg!
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willbrink:
November 21, 2010 04:59 pm
Never seen anyone lose weight no. You usually get either your non responders (approx 30%) or people who gain 4-6lbs in a few weeks. There's no mechanism by which I know of that creatine alone would have you losing 3 lbs.
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ranjyot:
December 22, 2010 07:49 pmhey will…..thanks for all ur creatine videos…i wanted to know how much glucose should be taken wid 5 grams of creatine for better absorbtion???and is it allright to take it preworkout??
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Dar:
January 16, 2011 02:01 pm
Will, What tempt water is too hot to dissolve creatine. EG. will water straight from a boiled kettle cause the creatine to denature?
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Damien:
January 27, 2011 06:27 pmI just purchased the cheapest Creapure Micronized creatine I could find. $20 for 1000 Grams. I was disappointed about how "well" it dissolved. But, because of the videos, I figured out a method to COMPLETELY dissolve it quickly. Here's how:
Put 12 oz of water in the microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds on high. Then pour 5 grams creatine into water and stir for 30 seconds. Now place 2 Ice cubes in the water and stir until they disappear. The water will be completely clear and cool enough to drink. It wasn't until the second dose that I perfected the method…LOL, simple. BTW, total prep time is about 4 minutes. -
Philip:
February 11, 2011 10:54 amhey,
this question was already been asked but not fully answered so ill write down the question again:
im a student, and im leaving from my house for 3-6 hours per day. Because of that i cannot make a good shake (protein or creatine) before work so i do it like this:
for my protein: i put it in my shaker with cold water and shake it for 10s, take it with me, and after gym(lets say after 5-7 hours) i shake it with my hand for 10s and drink it. The question about protein, is this ok? because i shake it 5-7 before i drink it, is it loosing it's effectiveness ?
for creatine: because i heard that micronized creatine need to be taken 30m before work out (since its been absorbed faster into the body (thats the whole point of micronized creatine)), i make it in my car using a cup of hot tea and drink it. But this is expensive since i have to buy every time a hot tea from the university's cafe. The question is, can i make this procedure (mixing it with hot water at my house as i do the protein) and take it again 3-5 hours after? 30min before my workout as i do regularly. it will loose the effectiveness since it will be in my car for so long?
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stephen:
February 22, 2011 01:46 pmdoes caffine have a negative affect on creatine? I take 200 mgs. caffine powder and 315mgs of green tea extract in the morning.
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Dan:
May 01, 2011 03:27 pmCommon sense stuff. I like it. What about taking creatine in grape juice. Is that better than water?
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Tony:
December 03, 2011 10:07 pmHi i did not notice if you have answered this question already but does citric acid say from orange juice break down the creatine making it less effective?
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TAMER LUKA:
December 11, 2011 10:58 amthis pice of information is very worth , it was a big problem for me to dissolve creatine and caused me a lote of bloating and gas , isearched the net to know how to solve the problem and i find this information about the dissolving of creatine in hot water but i do not trust at first but when i find it here by WILL BRINK i accepted it as WILL is trusted scientific man , but what i want to ask if i can put the boiling water on creatine or i should wait to warm the water at first? plz reply me
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Tom Gretchen:
December 23, 2011 05:37 pmI’m told CONCrete or creatine HCI is a better product and monohydrate is old school because prolonged use is hard on the liver and kidneys. I was also told taking it with a sugar will spike insuline levels and can lead to diabetes? I believe your videos but it’s hard to seperate lots of the info I get at the store. Keep up the good work Will.
Tom Gretchen
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Will Brink:
December 23, 2011 06:58 pmTom, there’s no data what so ever showing CM is hard on any organs, and a whole bunch of data showing it’s a safe long term supp, and I suspect you are hearing that from those selling forms competing with CM. Take a look at my article “the creatine graveyard” for additional info, and or download my free creatine report in the free download area.
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Rob:
January 16, 2012 08:13 pmWill – your information on the GI issue is very helpful. I will try the method of mixing the creatine in hot water.
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Jamie:
January 29, 2012 06:25 amHi Will,
I was having this discussion with a sports nutritionalist. After I saw your video I was talking to him about it and he said that creatine dissolving or not will still be assimilated by the body. The water running clear is purely psychological. Although I continue to make sure the water runs clear could you elaborate as to why undissolved creatine will simply pass thru the body, but a supplement of L-Leucine powder, which doesn’t seem to dissolve in any liquid hot or cold, will also be assimilated? Does our body struggle to absorb creatine over aminos?
