What is Creatine?
Creatine is one of the most well-researched and effective supplements for increasing strength, muscle mass, and performance. It is a naturally occurring compound found in small amounts in foods like red meat and fish. However, supplementation ensures your muscles have a readily available energy source to power through high-intensity workouts.
The Gold Standard: Creatine Monohydrate
What is Creatine Monohydrate?
Creatine Monohydrate is the most widely used and studied form of creatine. It has been proven to increase muscle mass, improve exercise performance, and support cognitive function.
Benefits of Creatine Monohydrate:
Proven Effectiveness – Backed by hundreds of scientific studies.
Cost-Effective – Most affordable form of creatine.
Highly Bioavailable – Easily absorbed by the body.
Muscle Hydration – Helps pull water into muscle cells for a fuller look.
ATP Production – Enhances energy output during intense training.
Creatine HCL: A Newer Alternative
What is Creatine HCL?
Creatine Hydrochloride (Creatine HCL) is a more recent form of creatine that binds the molecule to hydrochloric acid. This formulation claims to offer better solubility and absorption compared to monohydrate.
Benefits of Creatine HCL:
- Increased Solubility – Dissolves more easily in water.
- Reduced Bloating – Some users report less water retention compared to monohydrate.
- Smaller Doses Required – Due to enhanced absorption, lower doses may be effective.
Creatine Monohydrate vs. Creatine HCL: Which One Should You Choose?
Effectiveness
Both forms support strength and performance, but Creatine Monohydrate has decades of research backing its effectiveness, while HCL has limited studies in comparison.
Absorption & Solubility
Creatine HCL is more soluble in water, which may make it easier to digest for those who experience bloating with monohydrate. However, monohydrate’s absorption can be improved by simply taking it with food or warm water.
Creatine Monohydrate is the most widely used and studied form of creatine. It has been proven to increase muscle mass, improve exercise performance, and support cognitive function.
Cost Comparison
Creatine Monohydrate is significantly cheaper and available in larger quantities, making it the better option for budget-conscious consumers.
Dosage
Creatine Monohydrate: Standard dose is 3-5g per day.
Creatine HCL: Due to better solubility, a smaller dose of 1-2g per day is typically recommended.
Which One is Right for You?
If you want the most researched and cost-effective option → Go with Creatine Monohydrate.
If you have digestive issues with monohydrate → Try Creatine HCL.
If budget is a concern → Creatine Monohydrate is the better value.
Final Verdict
Creatine Monohydrate remains the gold standard due to its overwhelming scientific support, affordability, and effectiveness. While Creatine HCL may offer benefits for those with digestive sensitivities, it lacks the extensive research backing monohydrate.
Where to Buy High-Quality Creatine
When choosing a creatine supplement, opt for 100% pure, lab-tested Creatine Monohydrate from a trusted brand. Look for third-party testing certifications to ensure quality and purity.
Related Articles:
Best Time to Take Creatine for Maximum Absorption
- 5 Tips for faster recovery
- Unlocking the Power of Glutamine for Performance Athletes and Bodybuilders
- Boost Your Athletic Performance with These Effective Workout Tips
FAQ
1. Does Creatine Cause Water Retention? Yes, but primarily inside muscle cells, which enhances muscle fullness and strength.
2. Can I Mix Creatine with Protein? Yes! Creatine and protein work synergistically to support muscle growth.
3. Should I Cycle Creatine? No, cycling is unnecessary as long as you take the recommended daily dose.
4. Is Creatine Safe? Yes, extensive research confirms creatine is safe for long-term use.
By incorporating Creatine Monohydrate into your routine, you’ll experience enhanced performance, faster recovery, and improved strength—all without breaking the bank!
-Jon Klipstein
"Before launching our Creatine products, I had the same questions as we went back and forth on what would be the best source of Creatine to offer our customer base. After lengthy R&D, plus internal research we made a decision based on what we felt would be best for our users. This blog is the high level overview of our findings."
Featured product
Pickup available at 11880 W. President Dr. Suite D
Usually ready in 24 hours
Micronized Creatine Monohydrate
100 serving / Healing Potion
11880 W. President Dr. Suite D
11880 W President Dr
Suite D
Boise ID 83713
United States
PRODUCT DETAILS
100 servings per container |
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Increased muscle and strength |
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improved recovery |
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could support brain health |
How do you choose the right Creatine Monohydrate?
1: While Creatine Monohydrate is the most popular version, there are differences in Creatine Monohydrate. If you are worried about stomach sensitivity, we recommend taking a Micronized Creatine Monohydrate. Micronized meaning it has been broken down into smaller particles to improve solubility.
2: Is 3rd Party testing important to you? Are you a drug tested athlete, or concerned about cross contaminents making their way into your products? The only way to ensure you are getting exactly what is on the label, without any traces of potential banned ingredients is to choose a product that is 3rd party tested.
3: How do you want to take your creatine? Stack it with your preworkout or EAAs? Then a non-flavored one would be a great opton. If you want to take Creatine by itself, we recommend a flavored version.
Video
Did you know you can now get Flavored Creatine through UXO Supplements?
With the increased popularity and ever evolving studies on the benefits of Creatine, we decided to give you options. With the unflavored version, you need to be able to mix it with something to mask the bitterness of the raw ingredient. Now you can take Creatine by itself with one of our flavored versions. More will be coming as we continue to grow.
Creatine Monohydrate Pros and Cons
CONS |
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Not as soluble as HCL |
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Causes GI Distress with a small % of population |
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Minimum Effective Dosage: Train Smarter Not Harder
There are few things as exciting as new Gym Goers eager to make serious lifestyle changes and make up for lost time in their quest to get fit and healthy. Their motivation and passion are contagious, and watching transformations is one of the most fulfilling aspects of being involved in this industry.
But in their excitement, many people looking to change make a common mistake – overtraining. The thinking goes like this: “If 20 push-ups are good, then 30 must be better,” or “If 35 pounds challenges my muscles, then I’ll really get ripped if I do 50!” In other words, more is better and leads to faster results.
Unfortunately, this just isn’t the case, and taken to the extreme can lead to getting hurt and MISSING workouts. As with most things in life, moderation and consistency in fitness are the keys to success. Too much of anything can be a bad thing, and there is no need to do more than the minimum needed for maximum results.
For example, consider medication. If 200 milligrams of Advil takes away your headache, you do not need to take 1000 milligrams. It will not make your headache go away any more effectively, because 200 milligrams will make it disappear completely! Taking 1000 milligrams is not only wasted effort, but it could have dangerous effect on your health.
It is important to realize that over training in fitness not only doesn’t deliver faster and better results, but it can lead to injury and burnout. Pushing your body beyond what it can effectively handle will usually result in a strain or muscle tear.
Likewise, for those just starting, if you blast out of the gate at top speed with an intensity that you can’t possibly sustain, you will burn out and likely give up. The wisest choice is to practice moderation and consistency.
Remember, what you do every day is more important than what you do every once in a while. Those everyday activities may not be terribly exciting while you are doing them. And you may not feel like you are making progress. But give the compound effect time to work. Your effort will pay off. You will become stronger, more fit, and others will begin to notice.
Take care of your body and your mind by practicing the “Minimum Effective Dosage” strategy. Do what is necessary to get you to your goal, one step at a time. Better yet, work with a certified fitness professional to determine your programming needs.
The Means for Sports Nutrition
Being the owner of a Supplement Company, I find myself educating and sometimes even turning people away from my products. Fitness and nutrition is important, yet many look for a magic pill to get them to their desired goals. While supplements can assist you in reaching your goals, they will not get you there by themselves. Hard work and determination in the gym, and commitment to the right nutrition plan are by far more important.
However, if you are looking for some supplement products to assist your performance and recovery here are some important things to look for.
PREWORKOUT
If you are looking for a little extra motivation to get you in the gym and help keep you focused, you are a candidate for a Preworkout. However, be educated on what you chose and what your desired outcomes are. There are a lot of Preworkouts on the market heavily saturated in Stimulants. This is risky when combining it with high intensity workouts. You do not want to raise your heart rate too much. Also, caffeine intake above and beyond 275mg actually restricts blood flow, which is necessary for increased muscle endurance and size.
MULTIVITAMIN
Multivitamins are an essential product for pretty much everybody. Over 80% of Americans are deficient in at least 1 micronutrient necessary for the body to function properly. I am a big proponent of both genders having a multivitamin to bridge the gap with their daily diet and be 100% in their daily values. Multivitamins can be found at stores for very low prices . . . Be careful, many of these are hard pressed tablets that are covered in preservatives to give them a longer shelf life. This makes them impossible to digest and your body will just pass them through.
CHECK OUT UXO'S GENDER SPECIFIC MULTIVITAMINS. THEY COME IN SOFT GEL CAPSULES FOR THE BODY TO DIGEST EASILY. YOU GET 45 SERVINGS PER CONTAINER, LASTING OVER A MONTH BASED ON USAGE.
PROTEIN
Depending on what your goals are, a Protein powder might be right for you. If you are a competitor looking to put on lean muscle and have a Carbohydrate deficient Macro Plan, you would want to check out our Isolate. Contains 90% pure protein content with less than 1g of Fat and 1g of Carbs. Perfect to take immediately following a workout to fuel your muscles. If you are looking for a dynamic protein with added Carbs (post workout to refill glycogen levels and repair energy reserves) or to use as a meal replacement for the active lifestyle . . . Check out our amazing tasting 7-Blend Protein.
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