by Thomas Incledon, PhD(c), RD, LD/LN, RPT, NSCA-CPT, CSCS
Effervescent Creatine: What Is This Stuff?
If you haven’t heard or seen any of the ads by now, you must have been lost in space or locked up somewhere. There is a new version of creatine monohydrate (CM) called effervescent creatine (EC). It is being marketed as better than plain old CM. This is being done despite there being no published studies as to the merit of EC’s effectiveness over CM. This article will cover everything you need to know to make your own decision.
I first heard about EC at a conference from one of my peers. The info at the time was that EC blows away CM. I then spoke with another researcher who said he wasn’t impressed with the results of EC. These conflicting reports piqued my curiosity and I was anxious to get some to test in my lab and on myself. Just so things are clear, let’s review some basic information and see if EC has the potential to work better than CM.
What makes EC different from CM is the chemical form of the creatine molecule. EC has a zwitterion form while CM does not. A zwitterion has both a positive and negative charge on it. This form of a molecule is supposed to be better for absorption into the bloodstream. However, absorption into the blood isn’t good enough. For EC to work better than CM, it must not only get into the blood, it has to be taken up by the muscle better as well. Increasing creatine in the muscle cells is the key to increasing size and strength. Let’s examine what science has to say about this.
Absorption from the Stomach into the Blood and Uptake by Skeletal Muscle Cells
Ads claim that effervescent creatine is absorbed from the stomach into the bloodstream far better than creatine monohydrate. After several reviews of various medical databases, no support for this statement could be found. It was found that, in general, an effervescent form of a product is absorbed better then its non-effervescent form. The only exception to this was calcium. From studies on painkillers to vitamins, it was found that their effervescent forms were absorbed anywhere from 2-6 times faster. From this review of the effervescent literature, it appears that EC could be absorbed better and raise creatine levels in the blood faster. It should still be pointed out that as of November 2003, there are no published studies to show this. Again, the rate at which the blood concentration of creatine is increased is not the limiting factor associated with the effects of creatine (increased size and strength). The limiting factor is the amount of creatine in the muscle. Unfortunately, no studies have been published showing that effervescent technology increases the uptake of creatine by muscle cells. In order to show this, a study would have to be done that compares CM, EC and a placebo. Tissue samples (biopsies) would then have to be taken and analyzed for creatine content. This is usually done by taking a piece of muscle out of the vastus lateralis (the lateral muscle of your quadriceps). This is where the research really needs to be done, because previous work indicates that there is a limit to how much creatine can be taken up by the muscle cell. If the muscle cells themselves have a creatine limit, then any form of creatine may be beneficial.
Having said all that, let me share some preliminary evidence. I tried EC myself. My background is competitive lifting for over 15 years. My best incline press was 305 pounds for one rep. After taking EC, I was able to do 305 for three reps and what amazed me was that I was already CM loaded! I have been on CM for about five years and would not have expected any results from the EC. I have had similar improvements in other exercises as well. This was the only supplement I took at the time, so other supplements are not a factor. Next I wanted to see how EC affected the force production of isolated muscle cells. This was simply a bunch of mouse muscle fibers hooked up into a device that can measure the contractile force of the fibers. I was curious to see if the EC could increase force after the cells had been fatigued. The cells were stimulated and fatigued. Their force values were very low. I immediately gave some EC and their force values increased by 20-25%. Let me point out this was simply pilot work and is not publishable data. But, it was good enough for me to see that this is an area worth investigating. So I can tell you that I think EC would work, but I can’t say for certain if it will work better than CM.
Cost Effectiveness and Dosage Schedule
Creatine monohydrate sells as low as 1-2 cents per gram. I don’t know how good the cheap stuff is, as I haven’t analyzed it. The main point here is that it’s cheap. Effervescent creatine sells for 20 cents per gram ($1.00 for a five-gram packet). That is a tremendous difference in price. I can tell you that EC is not 20 times better than CM, so as far as cost effectiveness goes, CM is the better deal. However, I work with a lot of amateur and professional athletes and for these people, money is not a problem if it can improve performance. EC is taken for 4 times a day for 5 days and then maintained by one packet a day. It comes in an orange flavor and is mixed with sixteen ounces of water. During the loading phase you may find that you urinate frequently. This is not a problem as it reflects that the blood concentrations have increased and the kidneys are filtering out the excess creatine along with some water. You should be drinking plenty of water anyway, so you will have plenty to spare. After loading, the instructions say to take EC in the morning when you get up. I have tried it in the morning, before a workout, during a workout, after a workout, and at night. I found the best results by sipping it during my workouts. My muscles seem to get much fuller. Others have reported this to me as well.
Your Call
So there you have it. A new product with no published scientific evidence that it works, yet lots of anecdotal evidence to support it. As a scientist, I would advise people to hold off until we know more about it and how it works. As a competitive athlete, like you, I wanted it as soon as possible. You have to decide if it is worth it or not. One suggestion is to get enough for a month or two and see how your progress goes during that time. If you decide to do this, don’t take prohormones, glutamine or other supplements, because then you won’t know how much of your results are due to the EC.
|
Resource Library HTML 
