You can find the best creatine monohydrate, creatine ethyl ester (cee), creatine malate, kre-alkalyn - every form of creatine you can think of! Browse our huge selection of creatine supplements all with free delivery! Buy creatine at hartnutrition.co.uk - the UK's best source for supplements!

Creatine Information
Creatine has been a staple supplement of bodybuilders, athletes, power lifters and sports people for since the 1980’s. Creatine is a natural substance found in the body; almost all of the creatine found in the body is in muscle tissue (about 95%). Creatine has been widely used by athletes for nearly 20 years.

Creatine works by replenishing the muscles immediate energy source (ATP), ATP can only fuel the muscle for a short period of time and after it is used, it is transformed into a waste product (ADP). Supplementing with creatine increases your body's ability to create anaerobic energy (energy without oxygen) using the phosphocreatine system.

This is vitally important as your body can only make energy without oxygen for a very short period, hence fatigue when we lift weights. When high levels of creatine are present your muscles can produce more anaerobic energy through the phosphocreatine system and work for longer: meaning more weight for more reps. Creatine is 100% natural and is completely safe with no reported side effects even with prolonged use.

In essence creatine stops muscles fatiguing whilst under stress (lifting weights) and therefore increases performance. The effects of creatine are particularly prevalent in weight lifting and bodybuilding as it helps the athlete to overload, which in turn can build new muscle mass.

Creatine is found naturally in fresh meat and fish, however the amount found is not nearly substantial enough to produce a suitable effect in bodybuilding, therefore supplementation is the only way to gain a real advantage from creatine.

Creatine Monohydrate
The most common form of creatine is creatine monohydrate. This form of creatine has science-backed results from over 30 years of research (you can find creatine monohydrate products in our Creatine Monohydrate Pure & Mixes subcategory). However as creatine is such a popular product, many companies have tried to alter its chemical structure in an attempt to make it stronger, or more easily absorbable. Below is a list of the different types of creatine supplements available.

Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE)
Regular creatine monohydrate takes a long time to load muscle cells to their full capacity. This is why most creatine monohydrate products require a 1-2 week loading phase and a maintenance dose. Creatine ethyl ester does not have this problem as its chemical structure is such that it passes through the cell walls of the stomach intake and is absorbed efficiently by the body (according to the manufacturers). Therefore no loading phase is required as the majority of the creatine taken is utilised.

Kre-Alkalyn Creatine
Kre-Alkalyn is a chemically altered version of creatine that is processed at a higher pH level than regular creatine monohydrate. According to the manufacturer the high pH ensures that creatine does not convert to creatinine (a useless by-product). Label claims on Kre-Alkalyn propose it to be the ‘no load, no cycle, no side effect, 100% stable creatine that gives you immediate results and saves you money because you use less. In fact, most athletes only need 1-3 grams a day to achieve results equal to or better than all other unstable creatine products.’

Liquid Creatine
Some companies have release liquid creatine products, where creatine is pre-mixed in a convenient liquid solution. This creatine is obviously easier to take than a powdered supplement that needs to be mixed.

Other Creatine Supplements
As mentioned before there are now many different chemical alterations of creatine that companies use because of their supposed better absorbability. Some examples include creatine alpha ketoglutarate, creatine orotate, creatine pyruvate, creatine citrate, creatine malate, magnesium creatine chelate, creatinol-o-phosphate and Creakic. These types of creatine will usually be part of a supplement containing a few different forms of creatine.

Creatine can also be combined with other ergogenic (muscle building) ingredients such as glutamine, BCAAs, beta-alanine, protein, carbohydrates and electrolytes.

Want even more information on creatine? Look for creatine articles on the benefits of creatine, creatine side effects and many, many more!