The always-popular CREATINE SELECT contains creatine monohydrate (CM), beta-alanine and phosphates in a unique 5:1:1 ratio. With over 200 studies published to date, CM remains the most proven and effective form of creatine available. As discussed in issue #4 of this newsletter, some forms of creatine, among them, creatine ethyl ester (CEE), have been shown to be not merely less effective, but even counter-productive.
Though marketers of supplements containing CEE suggest that it is absorbed more effectively than CM, there is no scientific evidence to verify this claim -quite the contrary, in fact. Studies suggest that the bioavailability of CM is near 100%. In head-to-head comparisons using resistance-exercising subjects, CM has been found to raise plasma and muscle creatine levels more effectively than CEE (2). Whereas subjects taking a placebo or CM lost body fat over the course of the study, those taking CEE actually gained fat, albeit a small amount. CEE also produced more extracellular water retention (edema). The authors relate, "Extracellular water increases from baseline were actually largest for the CEE groups. Therefore, claims by the manufactures of creatine ethyl ester stating that extracellular water retention is minimized were shown to be unfounded by the present study."
All that CEE seems to be "good" at is being converted into creatinine, a waste product. Giese and Leacher (3) concluded that CEE "is a pronutrient for creatinine rather than creatine under all physiological conditions encountered during transit through the various tissues, thus no ergogenic effect is to be expected from supplementation."
In agreement with the above findings, doctors in the Netherlands recently described the case of a 38-year-old bodybuilder who presented with mildly elevated blood creatinine levels (4). He arrived at their outpatient clinic concerned that he might be infertile after years of anabolic steroid use. He had been taking a CEE supplement and protein shakes for a week. The doctors concluded, "...elevated serum creatinine does not always indicate impaired renal function. The use of CEE, but not CM [creatine monohydrate], may lead to a harmless elevation of plasma creatinine levels and may provoke unnecessary concern. We advise to pay particular attention to the use of supplements in patients, and to explicitly ask for the use of creatine in professional or amateur athletes. The use of CEE should be stopped six days prior to blood sampling."
In short, while the elevation of creatinine levels caused by CEE may be harmless, it won't do you any good, either.
CEE isn't the only form of creatine that lacks scientific support. Jager et al. (5) recently reviewed the safety, efficacy and regulatory ("legal") status of nearly twenty different forms of creatine currently on the market, including CEE. They concluded:
"[CM] supplementation has been consistently reported in the literature to increase muscle phosphagen levels, improve repetitive high-intensity exercise performance, and promote greater training adaptations. Moreover, it has been found to be a stable form of creatine that is not significantly degraded during the digestive process and either taken up by muscle or eliminated in the urine. No medically significant side effects have been reported from CM supplementation despite the widespread worldwide use and the regulatory status of CM not being well established. Conversely, the efficacy, safety, and regulatory status of most of the newer forms of creatine found in dietary supplements have not been well established. Additionally, there is little to no evidence supporting marketing claims that these newer forms of creatine are more stable, digested faster, and more effective in increasing muscle creatine levels and/or associated with fewer side effects than CM."
The bottom line: Stick with CREATINE SELECT, a CM-driven product whose efficacy has been proven by real-word use in the hands of countless BI customers. For more information about CREATINE SELECT, read the Educational Hand-out.
Save Money Pumping Up
Gym memberships aren't cheap, and neither is gas. The week leading up to Easter, the national average was $3.88 a gallon, an 81-cent hike since January. This trend is expected to continue, with some predicting that gas prices will eventually exceed $6.
With gas prices on the rise, it makes sense to minimize your driving. A 10-mile round trip to buy groceries can easily cost $1.40 or more depending on your car's fuel economy. When chicken breasts, eggs and other bodybuilding staples are on sale, stock up. Buy things like oats and rice in larger quantities at Costco or another box store to save both money and miles. Go to the grocery store right after the gym instead of driving all the way home first.
Also consider swapping protein shakes for regular meals. One BI customer reports eating two MUSCLE PROVIDER shakes and two whole meals every day. He explains, "I drink a shake right after my morning workout and again 2-3 hours later. The MP shakes stimulate my metabolism and keep my muscles happy all day. Then I enjoy two whole-food meals in the evening (dinner and before bed). The protein shakes are also incredibly convenient. Gas may be nearly $4 a gallon, but time is priceless."
REFERENCES
1. http://blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2011/04/kim-kardashian-strips-down-for-cosmopolitan-cover-shoot.html
2. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19228401
3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19660433
4. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21411845
5. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21424716