Creatine Monohydrate vs Creatine Ethyl Ester?

Creatine – Which is better? Creatine Monohydrate vs Creatine Ethyl Ester?

What is it?
Creatine is found in small quantities within the brain, liver, kidneys, and testes, while approximately 95% of creatine stores are found in skeletal muscle. Creatine or methyl guanidine acetic acid is supplied by exogenous sources such as fish and red meat and is endogenously synthesized from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine.1

Who needs it?
Creatine is perhaps the best supplement for increasing muscle strength and size. There is also evidence that creatine supplementation enhances endurance.

What does the science show? Which is better?
In a thorough scientific review published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning, scientists looked at 22 published studies; the average increase in muscle strength (1, 3, or 10 repetition maximum [RM]) following creatine supplementation plus resistance training was 8% greater than the average increase in muscle strength following placebo ingestion during resistance training (20 vs. 12%). Also, the average increase in weightlifting performance (maximal repetitions at a given percent of maximal strength) following creatine supplementation plus resistance training was 14% greater than the average increase in weightlifting performance following placebo ingestion during resistance training (26 vs. 12%). The increase in bench press 1RM ranged from 3 to 45%, and the improvement in weightlifting performance in the bench press ranged from 16 to 43%. So if you want to get stronger and bigger, take creatine.2

Have you heard that you gain lots of water and no muscle from creatine? Well, you need to get a Q-tip and clean out your ears. Of course you gain fluid; your muscles are predominantly fluid. But there is direct proof that creatine supplementation with weight training elevates muscle protein levels. Darryn Willoughby, Ph.D., professor at Baylor University in Wacky Waco found in his studies that total body mass, fat-free mass, thigh volume, muscle strength, and myofibrillar protein go up with creatine use.3 So next time someone tells you “it’s all water weight,” tell ‘em to look up Dr. Willoughby’s work!

But in comparing CEE vs CrMono, the winner is without a doubt, CREATINE MONOHYDRATE ! In a study lead by one of the leading sports nutrition scientists West of the Mississipi, Dr. Darryn Willoughby and his band of merry men studied how a seven-week supplementation regimen combined with resistance training affected body composition, muscle mass, muscle strength and power, serum (blood) and muscle creatine levels, and serum creatinine levels in 30 non-resistance-trained males. Subjects were randomly assigned to a maltodextrose placebo (PLA), creatine monohydrate (CrMono), or creatine ethyl ester (CEE) group. The supplements were taken at a dose of 0.30 g/kg fat-free body mass (which is approximately 20 g/day) for five days followed by ingestion at 0.075 g/kg fat free mass (approximately 5 g/day) for 42 days. So it is your basic loading phase followed by a maintenance phase. By Day 6 and Day 48, CrMono produced higher levels of serum creatine than CEE. And interestingly, by Day 6 and Day 27, CrMono produced higher muscle creatne levels than CEE although by Day 48, CrMono was still higher (but it wasn’t statistically significant over CEE). One of the more telling results is the fact that CEE results in a much greater conversion to creatinine. Say it isn’t so! OMG! Yes, science has determined that by Day 6, 27 and 48, CEE produced 2 to 3 times more creatinine than CrMono. According to these eggheads, when compared to creatine monohydrate, creatine ethyl ester was not as effective at increasing serum and muscle creatine levels or in improving body composition, muscle mass, strength, and power.

Is it safe?
Short term (5 days), medium term (9 weeks) and long term (up to 5 years) oral creatine supplementation has been studied in small cohorts of athletes whose kidney function was monitored and scientists did not find any adverse effects on renal function.4

Richard Kreider, Ph.D. the Editor-in-Chief of the International Society of Sports Nutrition’s scientific journal completed a study in which he examined, over a 21-month period, 98 Division IA college football players who consumed, in an open label manner, creatine or non-creatine containing supplements following training sessions. Subjects who ingested creatine were administered 15.75 g/day of creatine monohydrate for five days and an average of 5 g/day thereafter in 5-10 g/day doses. What did he find? Nada darn thing. According to his study, “long-term creatine supplementation (up to 21-months) does not appear to adversely effect markers of health status in athletes undergoing intense training in comparison to athletes who do not take creatine.”5

How much should I take?
Take about 5 grams per day as a singular supplement or better yet, mixed with a protein powder.