The world of sports supplements is a saturated market, often leaving people wondering where should they invest their money, if at all. One product, scientifically proven to increase athletic performance, particularly in strength and power sports such as weightlifting and powerlifting, is creatine.

Creatine is available to buy from most sport supplement retailers, with many informed-sport options available for the drug tested athlete. It can be sold in many forms: Creatine monohydrate, Creatine HCL, Creatine ethyl ester, Creatine ethyl ester malate and Creatine gluconate, to list the most common forms. It’s no wonder people are left feeling confused on what to purchase! Its easy when feeling like this to be swept up in marketing tactics, so we hope that in reading this blog you are able to make an informed decision about which type might be best for you.

The energy used by your cells is in a form called ATP, or adenosine tri-phosphate. Simply put, this is a DNA component molecule with three phosphates attached. When this fuel is used, we end up with Adenosine di-phosphate (ADP) which has two phosphates.  ADP can be converted back to ATP using a phosphate. This is where creatine comes in. Creatine is found in the body naturally as phosphocreatine and contains that phosphate the body needs to replenish ATP energy stores. So, taking creatine as a supplement enables your body to replenish energy molecules faster, enabling a greater power output, and for extended periods of time.

But just which type to buy exactly? The basis of each creatine supplement is the same, but different ones contain different add on chemical groups:

·         Creatine Monohydrate- Is the simplest and most easily accessible form of creatine, being stocked by mostly all sort supplement companies.

·         Creatine HCL- Is Creatine with a Hydrochloride salt attached, which aids in the absorption of the molecule by the cells. 

·         Creatine Ethyl Ester- Is Creatine with and ester group attached (formed when a certain type of acid, called a carboxylic acid and an alcohol react together.) This type of creatine will reduce water retention. Important in minimising the (harmless) bloating effect reported by some users of creatine.

·         Creatine Ethyl Ester Malate- This has the same chemical structure as above, yet also contains malate, a type of salt. This leads to quicker absorption of the creatine, particularly useful for athletes engaging in multiple training sessions per day and so need to recover fast from the previous one.

·         Creatine Gluconate- This is Creatine with a glucose molecule (a simple sugar) attached. This aids its absorption in the intestines. Again, beneficial for athletes who have multiple training sessions per day. 

We would also like to state that sports supplements are purely to enhance the diet, and should not be used as a compensatory measure for inadequate nutrition, hydration or sleep. We also strongly advise you consult your doctor before taking a new sports supplement.