Creatine Transporters

For in depth information on creatine monohydrate, the primary ingredient in any creatine transport system, see creatine monohydrate. As each brand varies they will include numerous different ingredients all designed to achieve a similar job - enhancing the uptake of creatine monohydrate into the muscle cell. For in depth information on each individual ingredient see it's specific section separately.

In Summary

Creatine supplementation is a successful supplement for most individuals in its monohydrate form or one of the transport systems. Expect gains in energy, strength and muscle size from creatine use. These benefits will continue for as long as creatine is used and around four weeks after cessation of use. Gains in lean body weight from enhanced strength and possibly enhanced protein synthesis can be retained when coming off creatine. Useful mainly in sports related to short bursts of high intensity exercise such as weight training and sprinting. Beneficial to endurance athletes also, so long as the body weight gain does not hinder increased performance. Variation with dosage normally reveals a beneficial optimum.

Creatine transport systems have been developed and improved upon over the years as a system to force feed maximal amounts of creatine into the muscle cell and minimize wastage. Using creatine monohydrate alone can sometimes only result in maximum of 50% absorption of the product. Using a transport system as either a full cycle tool for improved benefits or even just as a loader for the first 5 - 6 days of creatine use generally results in enhanced results and further benefits. Also useful for the small percentage of the population whom appear unable to reap benefits from creatine used on it's own.

There are quite a few various formulas out on the market today with various added ingredients. The basic aim of these ingredients are to firstly improve the action of the anabolic hormone insulin. For detailed information about this hormone and it's action see the section Insulin. Simply put this hormone is the key to taking nutrients places in the body and storing them. The better and more efficient your insulin and the stability of it will shuttle much more nutrient into the muscle cell including creatine thus the transport systems are concerned initially with getting more of the substance into the cell where it can do it's work. For this reason transport systems often, but not always, contain high amounts of carbohydrates, especially in a simple form such as dextrose. It is important to note that these products should be avoided when trying to diet or concerns where high sugar diets may be a high risk to performance, e.g. diabetes or Ketogenic Diets (Lipolytic-Ketosis). Very shortly we will be seeing the increasing popularity of transport systems with much lower, if not zero carbohydrates in them. Next a transport system may be involved with including ingredients of a synergistic nature. It is well known that creatine has a energy increasing potential and a cell volumising potential. Both factors involved in and vital to the process of muscle growth and repair from exercise. In this instance other cell volumising nutrients may be added or energy producing nutrients to back up the function of creatine further. Finally the transport system is an aid to good intestinal absorption - another area where creatine monohydrate alone may come into trouble. It is vital that the correct environment is provided in the stomach to enhance uptake and fast assimilation by the body.

As each product varies here is a list of what ingredients may actually be included in many formulas.

Enhancing Creatine Absorption Further

• The creatine may be added to around 75 - 100g of carbohydrate. A mixture of dextrose primarily for high insulin output, maltodextrin, second, for sustained energy. A little fructose for liver glycogen. One or more of these types of sugars may be used.

• Add taurine to the mix. Around 1 gram has an added cell volumising effect much the same as creatine has in drawing fluid into the muscle.

• Add phosphate to the formula to enhance the lactate buffering creating a more favorable pH balance decreasing the onset of muscular fatigue. This can also help lower the acidity of the stomach, improving absorption and causing less waste of creatine being converted into creatinine before even being used.

• A number of antioxidants such as Vitamin C and E would be of benefit to help deal with the waste byproducts of intense training which could adversely affect performance.

• Glutamine could also be added in a dose of between 5 - 10g as a secondary cell volumiser, again enhancing the size gains caused by creatine. Glutamine is also the primary amino acid which makes up around 70% of human skeletal muscle tissue and is vital to muscle repair and growth. Adding glutamine in this way can seriously improve recovery rate and reduce muscle soreness dramatically.

• Several insulin priming nutrients would be of benefit. Chromium Picolinate (around 200 mcg) enhances the action of insulin making it much more stable and better at its job. Vanadyl Sulphate (around 15 mg) has also had plenty of research showing it's insulin mimicking properties and ability to literally force feed muscles with nutrients including creatine. Alpha Lipoic Acid, a strong anti oxidant also with insulin improving properties, would be an excellent choice at a dose of around 200 - 300 mg. Finally new research is showing D-Pinnitol would be a worthy addition. 

• Adding the primary amino acids of creatine synthesis may be beneficial, especially to cell hydration, methionine, arginine and glycine.

• It is possible that albion chelated magnesium may also enhance the absorption of creatine by around 100% and uptake by the muscle cells of around 200%.

• Taking your creatine mixed formula in a warm (preferably not hot, nor cold) liquid would be ideal. Stomach emptying is much better at body temperature, when taking a drink cold, 1st your body must increase the liquids temperature while the creatine does not dissolve properly. Taking a liquid too hot could easily damage the creatine and force the stomach to first cool the temperature of the beverage down. 

• As noted earlier caffeine may exert a beneficial addition to the creatine mix, as apposed to common belief, so long as daily you keep well hydrated. It would therefore be an idea to add 200mg caffeine tablets to your intake of creatine or simply a good cup of regular hot coffee either before or straight after your creatine. Some people even mix their powder straight into the coffee once it has begun to cool.

• Ribose - see the section dedicated primarily to this nutrient. Suffice to say this adds a lot to a hard trainers recovery rate and is involved extensively in the manufacture of ATP.

• HMB - Hydroxy Methyl Butyrate another very popular supplement with a very different action to creatine. Used highly successfully on it's own HMB does not actually need to be added to creatine but can have a double punch effect, so to speak, when combined together.

• TMG - Tri Methyl Glycine usually added to a transport system with a lot of glutamine added but is also becoming much more popular in it's own right. Used as a nutrient to cleanse the blood of toxic ammonia this nutrient has also been shown to have growth enhancing properties all of it's own.

• Ginseng - and other energy providing adaptogens. Added mainly to enhance the energy boosting properties of the creatine formula.

• L - Carnitine is often added as an energy booster. Also an aid to fat loss as this nutrient causes stored body fat to be broken down and used to fuel the mitochondria of every cell to provide energy.

• Effervescent formulas are also gaining popularity. All as a possible aid to further enhance stomach absorption and surface of the stomach lining for greater uptake.

• 2 - Hydroxy - 1,2,3 - Propanetricarboxylic Acid assists the breakdown of carbohydrates to the molecular level for immediate cellular absorption and also bonds with creatine allowing it to transport in liquid form.

• Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate - essential for maintaining osmotic equilibrium (cellular fluid levels)