As a strength and conditioning professional I am frequently asked “is Creatine HCL better than monohydrate?”. This is the question that I get the most, in fact most of my clients that I work with would ask this question when they are looking for a supplement to take before their training sessions. Most of the time, their answer is dependent upon which form they prefer to take their Creatine supplements in. Monohydrate has been the preferred form for a long time, but the popularity has recently been on the decline. Here is why you may want to consider taking Creatine HCL as opposed to monohydrate.
The main reason that monohydrate is no longer as popular as it used to be is because of the popularity of creatine (here on abbreviated as cEE). Creatine is a great supplement because it is organic (that is – derived from natural ingredients) and there are no side effects associated with its consumption. Furthermore, creatine is not water soluble, so it cannot be absorbed by the stomach and therefore must be taken via the muscle cells. This is the primary reason why monohydrate is usually added to a workout supplement. It is much more readily absorbed by the muscles and therefore allows the user to achieve much greater gains. These gains are however much smaller than what can be achieved with creatine monohydrate.
Now, is Creatine HCL better than monohydrate? The answer to this is no, not if you are a beginner or a novice, as beginners and people who are new to strength and conditioning will typically use monohydrate. This is because monohydrate is a much more expensive supplement to produce and therefore it is typically sold in a higher price range. Furthermore, creatine is a naturally occurring substance and therefore it is much more difficult to manufacture and therefore it is much more expensive. Creatine HCL however is made from natural substances and therefore is much cheaper to produce.
The only instance where creatine monohydrate pill may be slightly better than he is if one is recovering from an injury. In this case, it is highly recommended that one should recover by taking supplemental creatine supplements. In fact, creatine is also recommended for recovering athletes and body builders.
Now, why is creatine HCL better than monohydrate? The answer is simple: creatine HCL provides a much more effective delivery system for creatine into the muscles. Due to the fact that it is transported through the muscle cells, creatine can quickly enter the muscle and reach the pre-workout levels in a much faster manner than monohydrate, which is processed by the liver before entering the muscle cell.
So, is creatine monohydrate better than hcl? No, it is not. It is highly recommended that one takes a creatine supplement in addition to a whey protein supplement. Creatine supplements can be found at most health food stores and are a great addition to any weight loss diet. However, if one is looking to build muscle and gain weight, creatine HCL may be the best choice.
