Creatine HCL

[psaufan]

I began taking 2 grams of Creatine HCL with my whey protein shake two months ago. I can say that I’m not lifting more weight now...increase in muscle size is not readily apparent per the wife. However, some increase around the waist is evident.

Has anyone else tried this?

Thoughts? Suggestions? Alnternates?

 

[thouman]

Creatine is one of the most studied supplements out there and has been shown to increase performance in weight lifting. The effect is not huge however. It wont make or break your progress. It's also known to increase water retention which might explain your gut. Personally I dont notice any difference in performance with or without creatine supplementation.

Check out https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/

 

[Vince Carter]

Gym dosing of Creatine is 5G, not 2.

 

[FeelingLost]

I began taking 2 grams of Creatine HCL with my whey protein shake two months ago. I can say that I'm not lifting more weight now...increase in muscle size is not readily apparent per the wife. However, some increase around the waist is evident.

Has anyone else tried this?

Thoughts? Suggestions? Alnternates?

I had bad water retention when I first started taking creatine mono (5g with morning coffee) I stopped taking several times esp when I started TRT since that also caused me to hold water. Now that has all settled down I no long hold water from the TRT or creatine. I also don't notice any difference in the gym or on my muscle development but I still take it because so many say it works.
I

 

[Vince Carter]

Ill be using this newest form of Creatine soon, I've been using CreaPure from ON Nutrition

[h=3]CREATINE ETHYL ESTER:[/b]
Creatine Ethyl Ester, or CEE, is your basic monohydrate with an ester attached. Those esters are formed by a process known as esterification, which is the reaction of carboxylic acids and alcohols. Creatine monohydrate has many studies that show that it increases the overall muscle mass of your body, however, the uptake of regular monohydrate is very poor.
As I said, CEE is monohydrate with an extra ester... but what does that added ester mean? Basically, it means that it has all of the same benefits of monohydrate, but the dosage requirements are lower, there is no loading phase, increased absorption, and that the "creatine bloat" will be no more. Many non-responders also find themselves responding to CEE.

 

[madman]

I began taking 2 grams of Creatine HCL with my whey protein shake two months ago. I can say that I'm not lifting more weight now...increase in muscle size is not readily apparent per the wife. However, some increase around the waist is evident.

Has anyone else tried this?

Thoughts? Suggestions? Alnternates?

I used to take creapure (creatine monohydrate) 5 grams/day for a long time.

Eventually switched to creatine hcl as I found it just dissolves/mixes better.

As far as effectiveness there should be no difference. It is said one can use a lower dose of hcl (2 grams) daily as oppose to the mono (5 grams) daily but I take 5 grams of the hcl.

I have always stacked my creatine with beta-alanine and found better endurance/strength/less lactic acid build-up.

 

[madman]

Ill be using this newest form of Creatine soon, I've been using CreaPure from ON Nutrition

CREATINE ETHYL ESTER:


Creatine Ethyl Ester, or CEE, is your basic monohydrate with an ester attached. Those esters are formed by a process known as esterification, which is the reaction of carboxylic acids and alcohols. Creatine monohydrate has many studies that show that it increases the overall muscle mass of your body, however, the uptake of regular monohydrate is very poor.
As I said, CEE is monohydrate with an extra ester... but what does that added ester mean? Basically, it means that it has all of the same benefits of monohydrate, but the dosage requirements are lower, there is no loading phase, increased absorption, and that the "creatine bloat" will be no more. Many non-responders also find themselves responding to CEE.

CEE has been around for a while.

Vince just stick with the mono or possibly give hcl a try (although it tastes horrid).....................hope Will Brink does not see the CEE lol!

http://www.brinkzone.com/supplement-science/the-creatine-graveyard-update-2012/

 

[madman]

So glad we have Will on the forum, the man is a wealth of knowledge!


http://www.brinkzone.com/supplement-science/creatine-monohydrate-vs-other-forms/

 

[psaufan]

I used to take creapure (creatine monohydrate) 5 grams/day for a long time.

Eventually switched to creatine hcl as I found it just dissolves/mixes better.

As far as effectiveness there should be no difference. It is said one can use a lower dose of hcl (2 grams) daily as oppose to the mono (5 grams) daily but I take 5 grams of the hcl.

I have always stacked my creatine with beta-alanine and found better endurance/strength/less lactic acid build-up.

What is the side effect of lactic acid build-up? Thanks...

 

[Vince Carter]

This stuff is all so opinionated its hard to know which is which.

Less lactic acid and you can work to a higher fail point in your reps, right?

 

[Sean Mosher]

I used Mono for awhile as well (5g) and did get bloat along with some minor GI irritation.
Nothing horrible so I just dealt with it.
I started making my pre-workout with Creatine hCL though just to try something new and have noticed that I can dose it less than Mono and without the bloat and GI irritation.
That's dosing it at 2.5g in my pre-workout.
Just been my experience (I have Jim Stoppani and AthleanX to thank for me trying this in the first place FYI).

 

[Saul]

As far as effectiveness there should be no difference. It is said one can use a lower dose of hcl (2 grams) daily as oppose to the mono (5 grams) daily but I take 5 grams of the hcl.

I have always stacked my creatine with beta-alanine and found better endurance/strength/less lactic acid build-up.

Same - I use creatine HCL - dissolves better in water and you can use less - cost more, but it is nominal. I also take with other supplements, including B-alanine.

To the op, I am noticing gains in the gym but can't say it is due to creatine. There are many factors that may go into controlling whether gains are made - most importantly the talking to lifting ratio at the gym. : ) 2 months is not a wide window to judge and it will be hard to determine as such gains would be small anyway. Sometimes you are making gains when it seems you are not, especially if you are putting on some fat or water weight.

Madman, thanks for input in other thread - i am trying dextrose in the post workout shake, but damn it is sweet and I think it is causing me some stomach issues (I don't consume much sugar usually) - I will give it another run and if still having problems I will try maltodextrine - which I have used before without issues. I also add oats for high gi component.

 

[Will Brink]

I began taking 2 grams of Creatine HCL with my whey protein shake two months ago. I can say that I'm not lifting more weight now...increase in muscle size is not readily apparent per the wife. However, some increase around the waist is evident.

Has anyone else tried this?

Thoughts? Suggestions? Alnternates?

As with most alternatives monohydrate, HCL is long on claims and short on data. Suggestion would be to use what's got decades of data, cheap, and safe: monohydrate. I recommend people use companies that use Creapure as their source. See also: The Creatine Graveyard

 

[Will Brink]

Ill be using this newest form of Creatine soon, I've been using CreaPure from ON Nutrition

CREATINE ETHYL ESTER:
.

CEE is crap. Why it's even on the market still I don't know. See lined article in this thread. Stick with the CreaPure from ON Nutrition.

 

[Will Brink]

What is the side effect of lactic acid build-up? Thanks...

Major side effect of creatine is improved health and one of the only supplements I'd use if i exercised or not.

 

[Vince Carter]

CEE is crap. Why it's even on the market still I don't know. See lined article in this thread. Stick with the CreaPure from ON Nutrition.

That's what I've been using, I'll stick with it. Would like your advice....before the gym, after the gym, or both for dosing? Ive been using 5g in my homemade preworkout

 

[Saul]

Notwithstanding the cost, has anyone seen any study that show creatine HCL is less effective. I have read it is not worth the upcharge, but never read it is not as effective. Many drugs are formulated with or combined as HCL without detrimental effect. The monohydrate can be hard on the stomach (I think when I tried it, it was not dissolving all the way), but like Will said on his web site, it can be dissolved, but that adds another step. I think there was a study out of Brazil that suggested that creatine HCL is at least not less effective.