When it comes to supplements, you just have to ask: Am I getting enough bang for my buck? With creatine, the answer is actually a resounding YES.
What are the benefits of Creatine?
There are plenty of benefits and not very many downsides. Some of these will surprise you:- Increased water retention in your muscles means that not only will your muscles have more energy for lifting (doing more reps with more weight), but nutrients will also be more easily absorbed. Don't let that extra protein go to waste! A little bit of water in your muscle can lead to some significant muscle development.
- Increased muscle preservation. Studies have shown that when your muscles are filled with water, you are less likely to lose muscle mass and strength when losing fat. You literally become several times more anabolic.
- Increased mental acuity and sharpness – Did you know that? Your mind is sharper, clearer, and can recall from memory more easily when on creatine. There have been studies that have shown improved mental performance. You would think that for a supplement that helps you so greatly with muscle development that it wouldn’t also make you ‘smarter’, but creatine actually does.
- Other benefits include faster bone healing (I am not making this up), reduced age related muscle loss, and improved muscle recovery between workouts
Which kind of Creatine should I buy?
Creatine Monohydrate is the most common type of creatine, and binds to water molecules. Almost all research studies discussed above used this compound, and it is also the cheapest. Use this, unless you find yourself to be one of the few non-resonders or find that you are having issues with water retention.
Creatine Ethyl Ester is the type of creatine that you should be using if mono does not work for you. If you retain too much water, or you find yourself to not be responding to creatine monohydrate at all, CEE will keep your gains lean and sharp. The only downside is that it is a little bit more expensive, but it is still very much worth the money.
In summary, Creatine is actually extremely cheap for what it does.
If you are not comfortable with mixing powder, I highly recommend ON’s Creatine Capsules. They are of good quality and are pre-dosed for you.
If you have extra money to spend, I’ve had the most success with Con-Cret’s Creatine. It’s expensive, but it is as good as it gets. Minimal side effects and SOLID results.
Source: http://ReviewsOwl.com/