Creatine is the most heavily studied sports supplement, with the most robust scientific research backing up its many health and performance benefits.
Those who supplement with creatine are typically seeking muscle and strength gains, alongside some potential athletic performance advantages too.
If you’re an athlete or gym goer, you may have tried creatine, or at least heard of it. If not, you must do your research, as you may be missing out on gaining that extra few percent when it comes to muscle growth and strength.
Though, despite creatine being one of the most researched and well-known supplements, there are still some common misconceptions and speculation around the best type of creatine to take.
As with many nutritional supplements, there are usually many different forms that exist, some being better than others under certain conditions.
With creatine, this is also true. There are many forms of creatine, from monohydrate and hydrochloride, to ethyl ester and kre-alkalyn.
Is there much difference between these types of creatine? It appears not! In fact, the most affordable and effective type to take is monohydrate. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean the others are not effective, they just cost more for no other additional benefits.
Though, this article isn’t setting out to compare the different types of creatine, instead it’s focusing on kre-alkalyn specifically.
Does this form of creatine work just as well as monohydrate? Is it safe? What are the side effects? Would it actually make you bloat?
All will be revealed in this short guide to creatine kre-alkalyn!
What is Creatine?
Creatine is a molecule that has a similar structure to amino acids - the building blocks of protein.
This remarkable molecule plays a vital role in cellular energy production because of its involvement in the formation of adenosine triphosphate (ADP), which is the major source of cellular energy (our body's form of energy currency, perhaps).
To put it simply, the more creatine we have in our cells, the more ADP will regenerate. This can aid energy production, which is thought to have many benefits to exercise performance.
There is firm evidence to back up the supplementation of creatine. Some of the major benefits include:
- Improved strength
- Increased lean muscle mass
- Enhanced muscle recovery
- Improved ability to perform short bursts of high-intensity exercise
This is all because of helping the muscle cells produce more energy!
The most common form of creatine is monohydrate. This is the form that is commonly used in research and is proven to be the most effective type.
However, some of the minor side effects of monohydrate include stomach upset and cramping, though while this is rare, it is advised that if you experience these issues to switch to a different form of creatine.
Kre-Alkalyn: Benefits and Uses
Following on from the above, kre-alkalyn is likely the next most popular type of creatine.
It is usually supplemented if monohydrate causes minor side effects, though this is uncommon.
So, what’s the difference? Does it provide any additional benefits?
Kre-alkalyn is the pH corrected form of creatine, which is also known as “buffered” creatine. It was created to address the side effects of monohydrate.
Essentially, what causes the side effects of monohydrate is because of a toxic by-product upon creatine conversion in the body. To alleviate this, kre-alkalyn was created, which is creatine with added alkaline powder, which micronized the creatine.
This results in a change of the pH level, thus increasing the stability in the stomach’s acidic environment.
The benefits of kre-alkalyn are much the same as monohydrate or any other form of creatine: increased strength, increased peak performance, increased muscle mass, etc.
Though there are some small additional benefits to consider:
- Kre-alkalyn is a little more bioavailable due to it not needing to be degraded to creatinine in the body (which is what causes the toxic by-product with monohydrate).
- Kre-alkalyn does not require a loading phase like monohydrate does. Since kre-alkalyn is allegedly more bioavailable, there would be no need for a loading phase.
- Kre-alkalyn does not require a cycling approach, whereas monohydrate requires the loading phase, maintenance phase, and 1-2 weeks off as part of the full cycle.
- Kre-alkalyn is also thought to potentially help enhance VO2 Max and muscular endurance, though this is not fully backed up by evidence.
Kre-Alkalyn: Side Effects
As mentioned, creatine does not have many side effects as it is, no matter what form you take.
However, as with any nutritional supplement, there is always a risk of side effects.
While we have established that monohydrate can sometimes cause stomach upset, what about kre-alkalyn?
Well, kre-alkalyn was created to alleviate these side effects, so in theory you shouldn’t experience any side effects from taking it.
But, does it cause bloating?
There have been no reports of bloating upon supplementation of kre-alkalyn, at the time of writing.
Monohydrate is the form that might cause bloating, but kre-alkalyn would help ease these issues, if you were to experience them.
How to Take Creatine
According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), It is advised to take creatine monohydrate 5g four times per day for 5-7 days, then following a maintenance intake of 3-5g per day for another few weeks before taking a 1-2 week break.
With kre-alkalyn, research suggests a dose of 1.5-3g twice per day for optimal athletic performance.
Other Forms of Creatine
Ethyl Ester - Claiming to be the most superior form, ethyl ester is not commonly recommended due to the lack of research backing up the bold claims of better absorption and better efficacy.
Hydrochloride - Creatine that is more soluble in water, thus helping to alleviate potential side effects. However, this form is currently lacking research and is not recommended over other forms.
Liquid Creatine - Liquid creatine is thought to be a better form of creatine compared to the usual powdered forms. Though, this is also not proven to be as effective.
Magnesium Chelate - This form of creatine is chelated with magnesium, as the name suggests. This is thought to make it more effective at improving performance, though it is still not yet backed up by the science.
The Bottom Line
While creatine is one of the most researched supplements, speculation over the superior type remains.
This is despite all the research which already supports the use of creatine monohydrate and considers it the superior form.
However, monohydrate can sometimes cause minor side effects in some individuals. This is why kre-alkalyn was created - to alleviate any potential GI upset associated with monohydrate.
So, while monohydrate is the superior form of creatine, kre-alkalyn, or “buffered” creatine, would be the next best thing if you suffer with any side effects from taking monohydrate!
