Best Overall Creatine Product?

[Richard2002]

What will you use among Celltech, Cellmass and No Xplode?

[Armson Swole]

What will you use among Celltech, Cellmass and No Xplode?

I wouldn't classify no xplode under a creatine supplement even though it has a bit of creatine in it. As far as the other two, if I had to choose one, I'd go with Cellmass. In my own opinion, I've had just as much success with "lesser" creatine products like Crea-Tech and Phos****en HP.
I've tried Cellmass and am currently using SIZEON and I don't see a significant difference. Cellmass is a little short on carbs as far as post workout drinks are concerned. SIZEON is probably the best creatine supplement out there if you don't mind spending $$$.

[Jamie1985]

Nano

[rjboutkast]

celltech yay!!!
never tried BSN products but they do get crazy reviews

[joshfby]

Higher power CEE.

[bigash50]

I wouldn't classify no xplode under a creatine supplement even though it has a bit of creatine in it. As far as the other two, if I had to choose one, I'd go with Cellmass. In my own opinion, I've had just as much success with "lesser" creatine products like Crea-Tech and Phos****en HP.
I've tried Cellmass and am currently using SIZEON and I don't see a significant difference. Cellmass is a little short on carbs as far as post workout drinks are concerned. SIZEON is probably the best creatine supplement out there if you don't mind spending $$$.

^^ x2 SIZEON very good product but if need convenience and are looking to buil extra pup as weel you cant go wron with Animal Pump

[blank98]

There should be a poll of all the popular kinds of Creatin so that people can vote for there favourite, I still don't know which one I should get.

[cartmanstinks]

how bout
Ultimate Nutrition Horse Power? Is it good? i was wondering if someone were to take Cellmass, he must go on an empty stomach to consume the product. Does it defeat the purpose of muscle building in a sense that i cant consume protein shakes because of cellmass? super noob here. enlighten me

[z24boy20]

Healthy N Fit's Creatine Mass 10,000 is the best creatine product I've ever tired. I'm a SERIOUS hardgainer and wanted to gain weight and muscle mass. The product claims you can gain 10 lbs in one month and I did with little effort, and I've tried dozens of other weight gainers and creatine products in the past. Plus it tastes great in the Vanilla flavor.

[jdanielsNASMCPT]

i have to say that i love vitargo CGL. it is wonderful

[borost4]

NO Xplode has very little creatine in it..its an NO product...CellTech you have to load and cause water retention...any by following the dosing and loading phase your gonna need a few containers...Cellmass is the new CEE with no loading phase...one container lasts a month and no loading phase...good luck!

[Richard2002]

Cellmass is better than Celltech with Cellmass there's no loading and no water retention plus u've have 40 serving in box instead of 5 serving for Celltech including loading phase. The new big Cellmass box will have more than 60 serving

[kent_2327]

The best creatine is by far Krealkalyn!

* No loading
* No water weight
* No cramping
* Taken only on the days you work out
* And its buffered at ph level 12

Its guaranteed to stay in the body for best results and its pretty affordable, it can be purchased of Bodybuilding.com

~!~ I highly recommend it ~!~

[gds9624]

well here is my 2 cents:

i like it pure and i mean 100% pure
and yes i did "copy and paste"
the best is monohydrate and i get it here 'cuze it 's cheap
http://www.dsnboston.com/ecommerce/p...?vuid=33&rpg=1
and no i don't work for them i just like the fast delievery that's all

Creatine is an important compound manufactured primarily by the liver. The body also acquires this substance through food: Meat and fish--and the protein they provide--are key dietary sources.

Creatine assists muscles in producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the substance that fuels bursts of energy on the cellular level. (Creatine donates a part of itself--high-energy phosphate--to create the ATP, which the muscles can then use for energy.)

In recent years, creatine also has become available as a dietary supplement. Taken in this concentrated form, it is popular for enhancing athletic performance and is sometimes used by professional and collegiate athletes, amateur and recreational competitors, and body-builders.

When creatine is taken orally in the form of a powder or pill, it gets absorbed through the intestines and then enters the bloodstream. This provides a ready source of creatine that the body can draw upon during demanding exercise, when muscles need quick supplies of ATP to keep on performing at peak levels.

Unfortunately, for reasons including "overly enthusiastic" advertising, many people now have inflated expectations about what this supplement can do, and some end up taking more than is effective or safe. In addition, although experts still don't know exactly why, some athletes experience no performance boost at all after taking creatine.

In addition, most creatine studies have been done in healthy young males between the ages of 18 and 35. This means that creatine's safety and effectiveness in women and older individuals is not as well established.

Health Benefits

Some sources recommend taking creatine to treat symptoms of serious illnesses, such as the muscle weakness associated with congestive heart failure. Others contend it can benefit people suffering from neuromuscular disorders, such as muscular dystrophy, stroke, and the hardening of the arteries that feed the heart. There is ongoing research--but still limited evidence--for these uses.

The strongest evidence for taking creatine supplements is to fuel and enhance short bursts of high-energy exercise.

Specifically, creatine supplements may help to:


Enhance athletic performance involving brief bursts of explosive, high-energy activity. The extra energy creatine produces lasts only a few seconds because the body rapidly exhausts its supply of ATP. For this reason, creatine supplements primarily benefit athletes who perform quick spurts of intense activity followed by short periods (20 to 50 seconds) of rest. Creatine significantly enhances the ability to generate higher muscular force (and power) for these critical energy bursts.
Creatine has been shown to improve performance in high-output sports, such as sprinting, swimming, jumping, weight lifting, and short-term cycling. However, once saturated with creatine, the muscles can't absorb any more, and the excess creatine then gets excreted in the urine. For these and other reasons, creatine supplements don't benefit endurance sports.

Special note on strength training: Many body-builders hope to develop bigger muscles by taking creatine supplements. And while creatine does indeed provide enhanced power for weight lifting, most people end up disappointed over the long run. Here's what generally happens: After taking creatine for a few days, urine production plummets and the body starts retaining fluids. The amount of creatine in muscles does increase, but the muscles become larger only temporarily because they're full of water. In contrast, true strength training, such as weight lifting, which involves physical stress on the muscles, actually increases the mass of the muscles by stimulating the growth of muscle cells.

Treat muscle aches and pains, and various sports injuries. Creatine supplements may reduce muscle fatigue and soreness by helping to repair tiny tears in muscle tissue following especially strenuous activity. Creatine appears to help build and repair muscle, but indirectly--by being readily available to make the task of generating muscle protein faster and easier. Some studies have shown that the microscopic muscle tears that occur during sports injuries heal more quickly in the presence of added creatine.

Forms

powder
liquid
Dosage Information

Special tips:
--Although you may see different types of creatine on the shelves of health-food stores (including creatine citrate and creatine phosphate), try to buy creatine monohydrate; it's the form used in most of the clinical studies done on creatine.

--Stick to recommended dosages. The body can only absorb and use a limited amount of supplemental creatine; taking excess amounts is therefore pointless, expensive, and even potentially unhealthy for the liver and kidneys, since they will try to process this compound. A point to remember: Extra creatine never reaches the muscles; instead, it is simply excreted in urine.

--One teaspoon of creatine monohydrate is equivalent to 5 grams.


For enhanced exercise performance: Start with 2 to 4 teaspoons of creatine monohydrate daily for 5 days, then reduce the daily dose to 1 teaspoon (5 grams). There is likely no benefit to taking 20 grams or more of creatine a day beyond 5 to 7 days.

For muscle aches and pains and sports injuries: Take 1 teaspoon (5 grams) of creatine monohydrate powder twice a day (mixed with juice) until the soreness resolves.

Guidelines for Use


Opt for pure creatine products. Products that combine creatine with other compounds (caffeine, vitamins, minerals, taurine, herbal extracts, and so on) do not appear to provide any added benefit. There is even evidence that the caffeine in coffee, sodas, and other products may make creatine less effective, so try to avoid combining different substances.

Don't overdo it. The body retains most of the creatine taken in supplement form within the first few days. With continued daily consumption, however, 90% or more of the added creatine is excreted because the muscles have absorbed all that they can from the blood.

Stay hydrated. Because creatine may have a mildly dehydrating effect in some people, drink plenty of water when taking it.

General Interaction

There are no known drug or nutrient interactions associated with creatine.

Possible Side Effects


No serious side effects have been reported with creatine supplements. However, a lack of adverse effects does not mean that this compound is necessarily safe. In particular, it remains unclear what negative health effects creatine supplementation may have when taken over months or years, particularly by adolescents whose bodies are still growing and changing.

Various sports associations warn that there have been individual reports of side effects related to creatine use; these include some cases of brief but acute dehydration, stomach and muscle cramps, and diarrhea. Although these reports are anecdotal (i.e., not substantiated by well-designed research studies), regular creatine users should be aware of such possible problems.

Another common side effect, especially at higher than commonly recommended doses, is water retention. Many users mistake this retention for true, long-lasting muscular weight gain.

Cautions


More is not better when it comes to taking creatine supplements. In fact, just because a little creatine can sometimes boost performance, it's potentially hazardous to the health to take very high doses of creatine for a prolonged period of time. Experts caution that extended high doses can lead to kidney and liver problems.

Don't take high doses of creatine immediately before or during exercise; anecdotal cases of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea have been reported.

Avoid taking creatine when exercising outdoors in the heat. When entering the muscles, creatine draws water from the blood as well, which could cause dehydration, heat exhaustion, muscle cramps, and other problems. (Instead, be sure to drink plenty of water and electrolyte-enhanced fluids to replace what the body loses under such circumstances.)

Long-term use of high doses of creatine could potentially damage the kidneys. Don't take creatine if your kidney function is impaired.

Avoid taking high doses of creatine with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs like aspirin or ibuprofen) because doing so may put added stress on the kidneys.
Ailments Dosage
Muscle Aches and Pains 1 tsp. (5 grams) creatine monohydrate powder twice a day mixed with juice until soreness resolves
Sports Injuries 1 tsp. creatine powder mixed into juice, twice a day.

[college125]

Cheap and effective.

x2

[nike144]

cell tech

[androo_k]

The best creatine is by far Krealkalyn!

* No loading
* No water weight
* No cramping
* Taken only on the days you work out
* And its buffered at ph level 12

Its guaranteed to stay in the body for best results and its pretty affordable, it can be purchased of Bodybuilding.com

~!~ I highly recommend it ~!~

Isn't Krealkalyn just Creatine Monohydrate buffered to a higher PH so it doesn't breakdown as easy, wouldn't CEE be better as it has vastly greater absorption do to the ethyl ester bond helping shuttle it through the cell wall and also protect it from breakdown? Otherwise wouldn't all the top preworkout Creatine NO products have Krealkalyn in them not CEE and CAKG?

[redrider]

I like the BSN product line. They do what they say they will do. But thats not my question. I recently had a 24 hour urine test with blood work, a yearly event, because 2 of my family members, sister and dad had cancer. (They are better now) Anyway I take Cellmass, with good results, and believe it caused an elevated creatinine level to show up. Is there a creatine product, that works, that wont do that? Dont bother posting info from the products web site Ive been to all the popular brands sites and they all claim to be better then any other.

Next question. I told my doctor that I thought that my creatine supplement had caused the elevated creatinine level but he said that that wasnt it. I would like to find some info to support my belief that the creatinine was what caused it and not pending kidney failure. By the way that wasnt the only elevated reading colesterol was also slightly high. I also had a lower than normal testosterone level. (getting old stinks) Thats my questions.

On the up side most supplements work better if you use a supplement to help in transport to the muscles ie. after a workout. The most popular one for transport purposes seems to be waxy maze. Its a bit expensive though. So you can use a spoon full of honey not as expensive and not as good but it does help. Just take your protein and then the transport sup. followed by all the other stuff, if there is any. Sorry for the long post but thanks for reading it. . . . . . . . . .Red

[Blue Blazer]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3209281

Well according to Layne, creatine monohydrate is the creatine that as the lowest transformation from creatine to creatinine...

Read, interesting post by Layne...

JM

[redrider]

Hey thanks for the quick response. Although I have a ot of hard earned knowledge its like swiss cheese, you know. Also sometimes I get better info and change my mind, like this time. If anyone has any more info Id appreciate it. Even a blind squirrel gets a nut every now and then. LOL. Thanks. . . . . . . . Red

[History in Effect]

N.O. -Xplode is not really a creatine product. I like the Cellmass grape.

[pittjoe33]

I like the BSN product line. They do what they say they will do. But thats not my question. I recently had a 24 hour urine test with blood work, a yearly event, because 2 of my family members, sister and dad had cancer. (They are better now) Anyway I take Cellmass, with good results, and believe it caused an elevated creatinine level to show up. Is there a creatine product, that works, that wont do that? Dont bother posting info from the products web site Ive been to all the popular brands sites and they all claim to be better then any other.

Next question. I told my doctor that I thought that my creatine supplement had caused the elevated creatinine level but he said that that wasnt it. I would like to find some info to support my belief that the creatinine was what caused it and not pending kidney failure. By the way that wasnt the only elevated reading colesterol was also slightly high. I also had a lower than normal testosterone level. (getting old stinks) Thats my questions.

On the up side most supplements work better if you use a supplement to help in transport to the muscles ie. after a workout. The most popular one for transport purposes seems to be waxy maze. Its a bit expensive though. So you can use a spoon full of honey not as expensive and not as good but it does help. Just take your protein and then the transport sup. followed by all the other stuff, if there is any. Sorry for the long post but thanks for reading it. . . . . . . . . .Red

First, most doctors don't know squat about supplements. They know prescription medication. They are not usually knowledgeable on supplements and its effects. (I believe) that consuming a high protein diet and taking protein supplements can cause high protein levels and abnormal kidney function levels. If taking creatine, any form, you can end up with elevated creatinene levels. That's why it's a good idea to cycle off of all supplements for 2-6 weeks. It also gives your body a chance to reset. When you start up again, you usually have better results than if you stayed on them continuously. I wish I had taken tests before, but I did have tests after being on NO-Xplode, CellMass and Gaspari Novedex XT. My testosterone levels were through the roof. If low, your doctor may want to give you a prescription for the levels. Or, I would recommend from my own experience trying Novedex XT. I would also recommend taking 6 weeks off of your current supplements and taking the tests again to see if they come back down. If they do, you have the answer. Hope this helps.

[sooner_69]

Which one should I take over the other. Loading isn't an issue to me. Obviously one is CEE and the other is MONO, so please give me a hand with my decision. Thanks guys.

[Blue Blazer]

Which one should I take over the other. Loading isn't an issue to me. Obviously one is CEE and the other is MONO, so please give me a hand with my decision. Thanks guys.

Read the link I posted, it's on this page...a few posts back...maybe that will help you...

JM

[Bigacb]

Powerbecks cell surge

[digroc]

I have been using all of the CEE and Kre-Alklyn products and found this article on Muscle and Fitness forums. It dissapointed me. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Creatine ethyl ester rapidly degrades to creatinine in stomach acid

Child R1 and Tallon MJ2

1Department of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Rd, Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom. 2University of Northumbria, Sport Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, DrChild@CR-Technologies.net

Creatine ethyl ester (CEE) is a commercially available synthetic creatine that is now widely used in dietary supplements. It comprises of creatine with an ethyl group attached and this molecular configuration is reported to provide several advantages over creatine monohydrate (CM). The Medical Research Institute (CA, USA) claim that the CEE in their product (CE2) provides greater solubility in lipids, leading to improved absorption. Similarly San (San Corporation, CA, USA) claim that the CEE in their product (San CM2 Alpha) avoids the breakdown of creatine to creatinine in stomach acids. Ultimately it is claimed that CEE products provide greater absorption and efficacy than CM. To date, none of these claims have been evaluated by an independent, or university laboratory and no comparative data are available on CEE and CM.

This study assessed the availability of creatine from three commercial creatine products during degradation in acidic conditions similar to those that occur in the stomach. They comprised of two products containing CEE (San CM2 Alpha and CE2) and commercially available CM (Creapure?). An independent laboratory, using testing guidelines recommended by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), performed the analysis. Each product was incubated in 900ml of pH 1 HCL at 37? 1oC and samples where drawn at 5, 30 and 120 minutes. Creatine availability was assessed by immediately assaying for free creatine, CEE and the creatine breakdown product creatinine, using HPLC (UV)

After 30 minutes incubation only 73% of the initial CEE present was available from CE2, while the amount of CEE available from San CM2 Alpha was even lower at only 62%. In contrast, more than 99% of the creatine remained available from the CM product. These reductions in CEE availability were accompanied by substantial creatinine formation, without the appearance of free creatine. After 120minutes incubation 72% of the CEE was available from CE2 with only 11% available from San CM2 Alpha, while more than 99% of the creatine remained available from CM.

CEE is claimed to provide several advantages over CM because of increased solubility and stability. In practice, the addition of the ethyl group to creatine actually reduces acid stability and accelerates its breakdown to creatinine. This substantially reduces creatine availability in its esterified form and as a consequence creatines such as San CM2 and CE2 are inferior to CM as a source of free creatine.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Kre-alkalyn? supplementation has no beneficial effect on creatine-to-creatinine conversion rates.

Tallon MJ1 and Child R2

1University of Northumbria, Sport Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, 2Department of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Rd, Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom. DrTallon@CR-Technologies.net

All American Pharmaceutical and Natural Foods Corp. (Billings, MT, USA) claim that Kre-alkalyn? (KA) a ?Buffered? creatine, is 100% stable in stomach acid and does not convert to creatinine. In contrast, they also claim that creatine monohydrate (CM) is highly pH labile with more than 90% of the creatine converting to the degradation product creatinine in stomach acids. To date, no independent or university laboratory has evaluated the stability of KA in stomach acids, assessed its possible conversion to creatinine, or made direct comparisons of acid stability with CM.

This study examined whether KA supplementation reduced the rate of creatine conversion to creatinine, relative to commercially available CM (Creapure?). Creatine products were analyzed by an independent commercial laboratory using testing guidelines recommended by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Each product was incubated in 900ml of pH 1 HCL at 37? 1oC and samples where drawn at 5, 30 and 120 minutes and immediately analyzed by HPLC (UV) for creatine and creatinine.

In contrast to the claims of All American Pharmaceutical and Natural Foods Corp., the rate of creatinine formation from CM was found to be less than 1% of the initial dose, demonstrating that CM is extremely stable under acidic conditions that replicate those of the stomach. This study also showed that KA supplementation actually resulted in 35% greater conversion of creatine to creatinine than CM. In conclusion the conversion of creatine to creatinine is not a limitation in the delivery of creatine from CM and KA is less stable than CM in the acid conditions of the stomach.

I can speak first hand. Had to have blood work done for a surgey and my creatinine level put me at a suspected stage 2 liver desease. Went back for more blood work just prior with out taking pills for the day and was normal.

[sooner_69]

Alright well I went with the Higher Power. I'm sorta new to the supplement world; my first two products, which I'm currently taking, are N.O.-Xplode, and ON 100% Whey. So I decided to bump up to creatine. I've read quite a bit on the matter and ended up going with the mono. I know some people believe in loading and others don't, but I think I'll load for three days with 25 grams. Now my question is....

When I'm loading, and when I go down to a maintenance phase, what do I need to drink it with? From what I understand, insulin is what drives the creatine into the muscle. And a good insulin spike comes from dextrose....so ultimately, what should I do to maximize my results?

[pittjoe33]

Alright well I went with the Higher Power. I'm sorta new to the supplement world; my first two products, which I'm currently taking, are N.O.-Xplode, and ON 100% Whey. So I decided to bump up to creatine. I've read quite a bit on the matter and ended up going with the mono. I know some people believe in loading and others don't, but I think I'll load for three days with 25 grams. Now my question is....

When I'm loading, and when I go down to a maintenance phase, what do I need to drink it with? From what I understand, insulin is what drives the creatine into the muscle. And a good insulin spike comes from dextrose....so ultimately, what should I do to maximize my results?

Here's a recipe for a decent post-workout drink:
Maltodextrin - 2.6 TBL
Dextrose ? 3.75 tsp
Taurine - 1/4 tsp (1g)
Sea Salt - A little less than 1/8 tsp
Whey ? 1 scoop
Stevia - Tiny scoop
Water - 16 oz

Total = Calories 242, Protein 24g, Carbohydrates 32g, Sugar 16g, Sodium approx. 250 mg, Fat 1.5g, Taurine 1g.

[redrider]

Thanks for the replies! I normally cycle off of my supplements in September every year. so Im ok there. This year I started back on Sep. 30. The only things I dont cycle are my diet and multi-vitamin. I believe the creatinine was elevated partly due to mild dehydration. I normally drink well over a gallon of water a day and went a few days with less than a gallon.

As far as the testosterone I have been on shots, I get one about every 14 days, for 2 or 3 years. Before a shot its usually about 200 and a day or two after a shot its about 300. Ive had it tested during both time frames, blood tests, thats how I know. Without the shots I had a hard time gaining any muscle, no suprise really, and with them I can make some gains although slow. The reason I got on the shots was that I was having a hard time getting the day to day chores, normal tasks, done. Basicly no get up and go. Now with the shots I even have time to go to the gym and lift. (I included this so that it might help others) Im 47 Ill be 48 soon and I still say getting old stinks. . . . . . . . .Red

[pittjoe33]

Thanks for the replies! I normally cycle off of my supplements in September every year. so Im ok there. This year I started back on Sep. 30. The only things I dont cycle are my diet and multi-vitamin. I believe the creatinine was elevated partly due to mild dehydration. I normally drink well over a gallon of water a day and went a few days with less than a gallon.

As far as the testosterone I have been on shots, I get one about every 14 days, for 2 or 3 years. Before a shot its usually about 200 and a day or two after a shot its about 300. Ive had it tested during both time frames, blood tests, thats how I know. Without the shots I had a hard time gaining any muscle, no suprise really, and with them I can make some gains although slow. The reason I got on the shots was that I was having a hard time getting the day to day chores, normal tasks, done. Basicly no get up and go. Now with the shots I even have time to go to the gym and lift. (I included this so that it might help others) Im 47 Ill be 48 soon and I still say getting old stinks. . . . . . . . .Red

You shouldn't stay on creatine, NO2, etc. more than 3 months withoutcycling off. I would either go on for 6 weeks, then take 2-6 weeks off, or go on for 3 months, then take a month off. Just my opinion.