Published by Isaac Robertson
Fact checked by Donald Christman, BHSc FACT CHECKED
Last updated: September 29, 2022
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No serious athlete is a stranger to creatine, no matter if they're a bodybuilder or some other professional sports player.
It's an essential part of their fitness routine for many good reasons, including building muscle mass, strength, and endurance. But, not all creatine is equal.
So, how does Creapure compare to creatine?
Let's see!
What is Creapure?
Creapure is a brand name for pure creatine monohydrate made by the German company AlzChem Trostberg GmbH. It's essentially a purer form of creatine.
However, to better understand what Creapure is, I need to explain some basics to you.
What is Creatine?
Creatine is an essential amino acid our bodies produce naturally. It has a vital role in transporting and storing energy in our muscle cells.
Like other substances, it's processed by our liver and kidneys.
Research has discovered that creatine is the most effective supplement for high-intensity training, explosive activities, weight lifting, sprinting, football, baseball, and other sports that require short bursts of energy [1].
The adult human body has 80–130 grams of creatine, which is just half of what we need, and spends between two and four grams per day with regular activity.
Since high-intensity training requires higher creatine intake, we need to consume it in the form of a dietary supplement.
How Creatine Works?
Creatine supplementation works by giving you more energy to sustain more reps. Every time your muscle cells contract during a workout, they lose phosphate and transform into ADP (Adeno-diphosphate).
Since your body can't use ADP to create the energy, it dips into your energy storage — phosphate creatine reservoir (PCR), during a workout, takes a phosphate and transforms the ADP into ATP (adenosine triphosphate).
ATP is the energy currency stored in your muscle cells, which is also the only acceptable energy currency for the body.
How to Supplement with Creatine?
You can supplement with different types of creatine available on the market, and some are even marketed with bold claims not supported by research. Creatine monohydrate is the oldest, most studied, and used form of creatine. Hundreds of studies support its effectiveness and safety.
Some of the Benefits of Creatine Use Include:
- Increasing muscle creatine stores by 10–40%, depending on your and your body's current creatine levels. If your levels are low, you may see even better results. You can achieve this by loading.
- The loading phase is the quickest way to maximize the amount of muscle creatine. You load by taking a high dose for a couple of days and then a lower dose for another few days.
- Typically, this would mean taking 20–25 grams of creatine per day, in 5-gram doses, for 5–7 days. You would then follow this with a maintenance dose of 3–5 grams per day.
- One study even suggests that creatine absorption can be improved with protein or carbohydrates [2], so you may want to think about taking creatine with your meal to achieve better results.
What Makes Creapure “Purer”?
The technical process of making this specific creatine monohydrate is what makes it purer compared to other types of creatine. AlzChem uses specialized facilities where they purify regular creatine monohydrates from dicyandiamide (DCD), Dihydrotriazine (DHT), Thiourea, and Creatinine (CTN).
While most creatine supplements on the market have 99.9% creatine and a couple of other ingredients, Creapure contains 99.99% pure creatine monohydrate.
Even though it’s just a 0.09% difference, many athletes prefer Creapure since even that amount of creatine can make a huge difference in their performance.
Creapure vs Creatine Monohydrate
The advantages of taking Creapure over the traditional creatine monohydrate are more than apparent.
Still, Creapure is way more expensive than regular creatine monohydrate because of the additional purifying processes it goes through.
So, you should seriously consider if it's worth the extra price.
Many professional athletes, myself included, believe it's worth it and are willing to pay extra for the difference that 0.09% make.
Regular creatine typically contains impurities such as Dihydrotriazine (DHT).
They're usually present in creatine when inferior raw materials are used in its production.
Dihydrotriazine (DHT) doesn't occur naturally in the human body.
Its pharmaceutical and toxicological properties are still unknown, but researchers discovered that it's structurally similar to compounds that have shown to have carcinogenic properties.
This is another reason many creatine users decide to use Creapure.
Creapure vs Other Forms of Creatine
Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE) is very popular because, unlike other creatine supplements, it's easy on the stomach.
It doesn't cause the most common side effects, but researchers have discovered that it's neither better nor worse than regular monohydrate.
“Creatine ethyl ester did not show any additional benefit to increase muscle strength or performance than creatine monohydrate or maltodextose placebo. Additionally, total body mass, fat mass, fat-free mass, and thigh muscle mass were not significantly enhanced with creatine ethyl ester supplementation compared to placebo or creatine monohydrate groups.”
- Mike Spillane, Ryan Schoch, Matt Cooke, Travis Harvey, Mike Greenwood, Richard Kreider & Darryn S Willoughby
The effects of creatine ethyl ester supplementation combined with heavy resistance training on body composition, muscle performance, and serum and muscle creatine levels.
CEE is also popular because it can be taken in smaller doses than regular monohydrate, delivering the same results.
Creatine Hydrochloride — HCL
HCL is known for its superior solubility in water compared. A study by Brandon T Gufford, Kamaraj Sriraghavan, Nicholas J Miller, Donald W Miller, Xiaochen Gu, Jonathan L Vennerstrom, and Dennis H Robinson discovered that HCL is 38 times more soluble compared to regular monohydrate [3].
Due to this, it can be used in lower doses (1.5 grams per day compared to the standard creatine monohydrate dose of 5–10 grams), hence avoiding common side effects, such as an upset stomach.
Buffered Creatine
Buffered creatine, or kre-alkalyn, is a blend of regular monohydrate creatine and alkaline powder. It was made specifically to improve creatine’s stability in the stomach. It increases your power and reduces side effects such as bloating.
Liquid Creatine
Even though popular, liquid creatine is less effective than other forms because creatine breaks down if sitting in liquid for several days.
Creatine Magnesium Chelate
Creatine magnesium chelate is essentially a monohydrate with an attached magnesium molecule. It's as effective as other forms, but not better.
What all these types of creatine have in common is that they're mass-produced. Hence, you can't know for sure how pure they are unless you thoroughly study each ingredient.
On the other hand, Creapure is 99.99% pure, which is essential for muscle growth and performance increase.
3 Reasons to Switch to Creapure
If you still can't decide on whether you should switch to Creapure, here's a shortlist of key reasons that will persuade you:
1. Purity
As I mentioned, Creapure contains 99.99% pure creatine, which is essential for every serious athlete. It guarantees quality, power, and more muscle mass.
2. More Muscle
Since it’s purer than other creatine supplements, Creapure has a higher concentration of phosphocreatine that replenishes your ATP reserve sooner.
This gives you more power and enables you to last longer in the gym. This means that you'll increase your number of reps which will then show in your muscle growth.
Creapure benefits will show in a larger muscle mass. Since creatine pulls water in your muscle cells to trigger protein synthesis, your muscles will swell mainly from water when you start taking the supplement.
However, later it will be actual muscles — a result of your hard and extended workout.
3. More Power
During exertion, creatine users notice a smaller decrease in muscle pH. As you know, creatine supplements are incredibly beneficial in sports that require speed and explosiveness, such as sprinting, long jump, or swimming.
Bodybuilders who engage in intensive strength training improve performance in the areas of maximum strength and endurance by using a creatine supplement.
When Should I Take Creapure?
You should take Creapure either less than one hour before or immediately post-workout. Using it after the workout is morebeneficial since high-intensity training stimulates blood circulation and supplies cells with creatine more quickly.
Nevertheless, you can take Creapure when most convenient to you.
Taking Creapure During Exercise-Free Periods
For the best effects and most benefits, you should take creapure continuously. Therefore, it is recommended for one to have a daily dose of 3–5 g of creapure.
Related Posts:
- What is Creatine Ethyl Ester?
- Creatinine vs Creatine - What's the Difference?
- Glutamine vs Creatine - Which is Better for Muscle Mass?
Creapure vs Creatine - Which Form is Better?
All types of high-quality creatine supplements can do wonders for your muscle mass.
However, if you can afford it, I'd recommend switching to Creapure since nothing beats that 99.99% purity that will bring you muscle growth, power, and strength much faster than regular creatine.
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2048496/
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10956365/
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FAQs
Which is better Creapure or monohydrate? ›
The difference is in terms of purity, while most creatine supplements are around 98-99% pure, Creapure is 99.99% Creatine Monohydrate.
What form of creatine is best? ›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.
What is the healthiest form of creatine? ›Most research done on the amino acid creatine shows that creatine monohydrate is the safest, most effective form of the supplement, says Andrew Jagim, Ph.
What are the benefits of Creapure creatine? ›To consistently perform at your highest level, you need a sufficient amount of creatine in your body. As we age, we can also benefit from taking Creapure®. In combination with moderate resistance training, Creapure® helps to stop the age related loss of muscle mass, strength and improves mental activity.
What are the side effects of Creapure? ›The only side effect that has been shown is a slight amount of weight gain. On one hand, this is caused by an increase in the accumulation of water in the muscles. On the other, this is caused by a gradual increase in muscle mass, which is exactly what many athletes want.
Is creatine complex better than creatine monohydrate? ›CEE has also been proven to be much more effective than monohydrate because massive amounts are absorbed into the muscle without harm. This is unlike creatine monohydrate, where users reported bloating, stomach pains, and diarrhea from using the product as suggested!
What are the two types of creatine and which is better? ›Because creatine HCL has greater solubility, you can take a smaller dose of creatine HCL than you would have to take with creatine monohydrate to see the same results: muscle growth, strength gains and lean mass gains. The attached HCL also makes the creatine molecule more stable.
What is the fastest absorbing creatine? ›Studies show that creatine HCL is absorbed better than other forms of creatine, which means that your body can utilize it more effectively. This results in improved exercise performance and faster results.
What are the 3 types of creatine? ›This is the case of creatine, one of the nutritional supplements most consumed by athletes and with great scientific evidence. It can be found in three main types: monohydrate, micronized and alkaline.
Do I need creapure creatine? ›As mentioned, Creapure contains 99.99% pure creatine, which is essential for every serious athlete. It guarantees quality, power, and more muscle mass. Since it's purer than other creatine supplements, Creapure has a higher concentration of phosphocreatine that replenishes your ATP reserve sooner.
Does creapure cause water retention? ›
Water retention and weight gain
If you take creatine to support an exercise program, a slight increase in weight can occur because of an increase in both muscle mass and water intake into your muscles. An increase in fat-free body mass of up to 1–3 kg tends to occur.
It's often used by athletes and fitness enthusiasts to improve muscle size, strength, power, and performance. Though creatine has a strong safety profile, some users experience bloating in the beginning stages of supplementing with it — also known as the loading phase.
Does creapure cause hair loss? ›In summary, the current body of evidence does not indicate that creatine supplementation increases total testosterone, free testosterone, DHT or causes hair loss/baldness.
Does creapure make you gain weight? ›Creatine can boost your energy stores and increase your athletic performance, but it may cause some water weight gain. Fluid retention might be temporary, or it might continue for as long as you use creatine. However, it may become less noticeable as you build lean muscle mass. Shop for creatine supplements online.
Is creapure banned? ›Creapure® is Cologne List approved and tested regularly for banned substances for the prevention of doping in (elite) sport.
Which creatine doesn t retain water? ›Since creatine HCL is so soluble, it results in minimal water retention. This is due to the fact that only a minute amount of water is required to facilitate the transport of creatine molecules. This results in strength and muscle gains without the downside of a “puffy” look.
How fast can you get big with creatine? ›Creatine is the world's most effective supplement for adding muscle mass ( 1 , 27 ). Taking it for as few as 5–7 days has been shown to significantly increase lean body weight and muscle size. This initial rise is caused by increases in the water content of your muscles ( 15 , 17 ).
How fast will creatine make you bigger? ›Creatine can help your muscles grow bigger.
First, creatine causes your muscle cells to store more water which causes your muscles to appear fuller and larger. You may notice the size increase a few days or weeks after starting creatine supplementation.
Creatine and protein are supplements that can help with health and physical fitness. Protein is best for muscle building and weight loss. Creatine can improve performance and help with recovery.
Should I take 3 or 5 g creatine? ›Taking too much creatine at one time can result in stomach discomfort and bloating, and it's a waste of money. After your muscles are fully saturated with creatine, it's recommended to take 3–5 grams (14 mg/pound or 30 mg/kg) daily to maintain optimal muscle stores.
How long does creapure last? ›
If stored properly, creatine monohydrate powder is stable for years.
When should I take creapure? ›The best time to take creatine is 30 minutes before a workout. It's also good to include in your recovery shake or post-workout meal, when muscles are growing and rebuilding.
What does creapure taste like? ›Creatine is almost flavourless. Most people find that they can mix creatine powder with anything and it won't affect the flavour. Some people do report a slight grittiness.
Is creapure really better? ›While most creatine available in the market has a creatine content of around 99.9 percent, Creapure is 99.99 percent pure creatine, which makes it the best creatine available for fitness fanatics and athletes, as the difference of 0.09 percent could have a substantial effect on their performance.
Does creatine increase testosterone? ›No, Creatine does not increase testosterone levels. It's a common misconception though, and there are quite a few reasons as to why people may think that. Creatine has a lot of benefits that look similar to increased testosterone, increased energy, increased muscle growth, strength etc.
Does creatine make your stomach bigger? ›One common side effect is creatine bloating. Creatine bloating is a typical side effect that accompanies creatine consumption. It is characterized by increased water retention in the body (particularly in the skeletal muscles), and can even cause gastrointestinal distress (e.g., intestinal bloating).
Should I take creatine on rest days? ›If you're wondering if you should take creatine on your off days, the simple answer is yes. Doing this will help you maintain all the progress that you have gained from your workouts. Of course, taking creatine on your workout days is also important for giving you a boost of energy and helping you build muscle faster.
Does creapure contain DHT? ›Due to our production process, it is impossible that Creapure® is contaminated with the harmful DHT (Dihydrotriazine). Materials used for Creapure® production are not of animal origin. Therefore, Creapure® is vegetarian and vegan friendly.
Does creapure dissolve in water? ›Creatine monohydrate and creatine supplements in general are often offered as a powder that should be dissolved in water or juice. Warm water or tea makes the dissolving process easier. Creatine monohydrate dissolves somewhat more slowly in cold water or other cold drinks but is not any less effective.
Why is monohydrate creatine better? ›One study found that monohydrate increases creatine content in the blood and muscles better than the ethyl ester form ( 9 ). Another study reported that participants' cycling performance increased by 10% when they took a monohydrate powder, but did not increase when they took liquid creatine ( 11 ).
Is creapure a monohydrate? ›
Creapure® is the brand name for pure creatine monohydrate produced by Alzchem Trostberg GmbH in Germany. Creapure® is the most widely studied form of creatine and is proven to be safe and effective.
Is creatine monohydrate still the best? ›Several forms of creatine are available as supplements, including buffered creatine, creatine hydrochloride and creatine magnesium chelate. While all have benefits, one form of creatine is the most effective. Research has shown that creatine monohydrate is the best form of creatine.
Is Creapure creatine monohydrate? ›Creapure® is the brand name for pure creatine monohydrate produced by AlzChem Trostberg GmbH in Germany. We guarantee high-quality products, such as Creapure®, which is exclusively produced at our specially-designed production facility in Trostberg.
Does form of creatine matter? ›Of course! Every type of creatine is different in composition, solubility, and effectiveness. Some creatines are more soluble than others, which, in turn, increases their effectiveness.
What are the negatives of creatine monohydrate? ›Side effects might include dehydration, upset stomach, and muscle cramps. When applied to the skin: There isn't enough reliable information to know if creatine is safe. It might cause side effects such as redness and itching.