Let’s outline some of your options below:

ThermoLife C-bol

This one is getting rave reviews from guys that are trying it. The nitrate is what makes all the difference with these creatine nitrate products as there are so many other benefits that come with the nitrate. Although C-bol is the most expensive of them all, it seems to be the most popular; with guys not minding the big price difference when it gives such big performance difference.

“While I don’t like how high the price is compared to something like allmax nutrition creapure creatine you really can’t compare them. Yea they are both creatine but C-bol gives you nitrates which have a big list of other benefits that creatine alone does not produce. I will be buying Multiple bottles of C-bol each year from now on.”

“Yea a wasn’t sure if the nitrates (C-BOL) were really worth the price jump from just regular creapure creatine UNTIL I TRIED THEM! 40$ isn’t bad for roughly two months anyways.” forum.bodybuilding.com

For those of you already in the body building scene, you most likely will already have heard of creatine nitrate (there’s so many different types  of creatine being promoted it’s hard to remember them all, right?). Well if you’ve been wondering what it is and how it’s different to the other creatine products this article will give you a brief overview.

APS Creatine Nitrate

Used in conjunction with Mesomorph the results seem to be great and it’s getting comments like this:

“everyone, and i do mean everyone who has tried these products likes them, haven’t seen even one person not like them!!!!!” forum.bodybuilding.com

“did a tub of mesomorph…loved it! Great energy & pumps…need to pick up another one…have heard nothing but greatness about the Meso/CN stack….” mindandmuscle.net/forum

This was a little hard to find for a while there (some issues with patent of the creatine nitrate) but now seems to be available.

Twinlab Creatine Nitrate 3 Fuel

This one doesn’t seem to be as popular as the others. I have found one review from someone on supplementreviews.com and he’s pretty happy with his results;

“It works, and I like the results as much as the ones I got from EAS creatines, and a ton better than Muscle Tech of any of the cheap brands. It’s not an “out of this world” creatine, and for me to give a 10 that’s what it would have to be. But I doubt I ever find a 10.”

S.A.N CM2 Nitrate

Not as much written about this product but you can find some personal reviews over at reviews.bodybuilding.com.

“CM2 nitrates, use this on days which I don’t use fierce. This is mainly when I use white flood, as it doesn’t have any creatine. Absolutely love stacking this with Ultima and Hemavol on my non stim cycles. Gives literally ‘amazingly skin ripping’ pumps, when stacked with hemavol. It includes 1.6 grams of beta alanine in one serving of CM2 caps, this and the inclusion of nitrates really helps when I need to push myself on those hated non-stim days.. Amazing creatine, like the fact it’s in pill form. Recommend this on days you workout and really want to see that pump or just push yourself.”

BodyFuse Cre8

This is one of the less popular products. I haven’t been able to find much (any) chatter about it on the internet but here’s the description from their website:

“Many creatines cause water retention, bloating, upset stomach, and cannot be absorbed efficiently. Cre-8™ resolves the issue of stability and solubility by fusing creatine with the functionality of nitrate technology. Creatine nitrate is 10 times more soluble and stable than the other creatines making it 10 times more effective than any other creatine on the market. The result is rapid absorption with the creatine intact while super-saturating the cells with muscle building nutrients. Cre-8™ gives you leaner, harder muscle gains and added vascularity from the nitric oxide production from the nitrates. Say goodbye to the puffiness and bloating from creatine monohydrate and the ineffectiveness of other creatine salts. Feed the machine with the proper fuel. Recreate your physique with the all-powerful Cre-8™!!”

What is Creatine Nitrate?

It is a mixture of creatine and an organic nitrite or nitrate group. Once the substance is ingested or mixed in a solution, it is predicted to transform into the parent ions. This implies the nitrate will get metabolized into nitric oxide when it enters smooth muscle tissue. For this reason, body-builders are using the substance not only as it boosts their energy levels, but also as it is thought to increase vasodilation*, thus helping muscular growth.

Creatine supplements have long been used by athletes and bodybuilders to improve their performance not only during exercise routines, but most especially during competitions.

What Makes Creatine Nitrate Better?

Creatine nitrate supplements are said to have a much better water solubility than any of the other creatine products. You will experience full, swollen muscle bellies complimented by roadmap vascularity all wrapped in a tight, dry show quality package.

There is perhaps no need to say why a boost in energy levels can end up in a miles better performance in your chosen sport or body-building event.

Nitric oxide, for its part, is understood to promote vasodilation, which literally translates to a dilating of arteries. This permits more blood to flow into your organs whenever mandatory. For weightlifters, nitric oxide is also valuable as it promotes correct oxygen delivery to the muscles, glucose uptake, and muscle growth, among other stuff.

Creatine nitrate also increases muscle strength and endurance, while facilitating faster muscle recovery at the same time. Now you know what creatine and nitric oxide can do for you vis energy levels and muscular growth. And perhaps you presently have a clearer understanding of why creatine nitrate has become the newest trend in the iron pumping industry too.

Basically you have the best representation for two of the biggest categories in sports nutrition (creatine and nitric oxide) all in one bottle.

* Vasodilation refers to the widening of blood vessels resulting from relaxation of smooth muscle cells within the vessel walls, particularly in the large veins, large arteries, and smaller arterioles. The process is essentially the opposite of vasoconstriction, which is the narrowing of blood vessels. (From Wikipedia)

As a point of interest, creatine nitrate has actually been around for over a hundred years. Here’s an article by Anthony Roberts detailing an old medical journal showing how creatine nitrate was first synthesized well over a century ago. http://www.anthonyroberts.info/2011/07/creatine-nitrate-%E2%80%93-your-%E2%80%9Ccutting-edge%E2%80%9D-supplement-is-over-100-years-old/

It seems that there is some great research being done over at Memorial University of Newfoundland that leads them to think that creatine may be beneficial in helping to prevent fatty liver disease.

The article is interesting but reading the squabbles that ensue in the comments is entertaining.

Creatine May Hold The Key

MUN researchers say the natural compound may prevent fatty liver condition

Researchers at Memorial University may have found a food supplement to prevent fatty liver disease in humans, a condition that can lead to insulin resistance, fibrosis, cirrhosis and even liver cancer.

Dr. Sean Brosnan, a biochemistry professor who co-authored a research paper published recently in the Journal of Nutrition, says creatine supplementation showed promise in lab rats that were fed high-fat diets.

The creatine was added to their drinking water and, during the experiment, the rats didn’t develop fatty liver disease, despite their poor diets. Keep reading … and then check out the comments.

What is Creatine? Well lets start with where you may have heard the word. Probably at the gym, among your athlete friends, possibly your trainer or even more possibly from the many advertisements you’ll see and hear for supplements.

Creatine is a supplement that is used by athletes for the purpose of giving you a ‘boost’ in your workouts. By ‘boost’ I mean being able to do a few more reps, or being able to lift heavier or doing more sprints before reaching muscle fatigue. This has obvious benefits for all athletes, getting more work out of your workouts and being able to push your body further.

But don’t start thinking this is some sort of steroid. It’s not. It’s a supplement. (The ‘boost’ you get from creatine can’t compare with the ‘boost’ you get from steroids.)

Creatine is an enzyme that occurs naturally in your body anyway. It’s a substance that your muscles use when exerting themselves. When all the creatine is used up in your muscles you get tired. But your muscles only have a certain amount; you need to rest, give the creatine time to get back into your muscles and away you go again.

By taking a creatine supplement you increase the amount of creatine that is available for your muscles to use. Hence the ability to work for longer.

Types of Creatine

Creatine Side Effects

 In this article I’ll start out by briefly explaining what creatine is, how it works and what the reported dangers of creatine are.

 What Is Creatine

Creatine is one of the most widely used supplements in sports all around the world today. From 1996, it has been one of the most (if not the most) used supplement at the Olympic games.

Creatine is a natural product that is found in oily fish and red meats. The problem is, that it’s in such small quantities and is destroyed when you cook food. It’s an organic aicd that occurs naturally in the body and helps to supply energy to all the cells in your body, primarily muscle. The body produces it from amino acids mainly in the kidney and liver and it is transported by the blood for use by muscles.

 So it’s something that occurs naturally in your body, but supplements increase the availability of creatine to your muscles. There is scientific evidence that short term creatine use can increase maximum power and performance in high-intensity anaerobic repetitive work… which means you can work harder, for longer.

 It is important to understand that creatine does not effect your hormone levels. This means you do NOT get side effects like bad skin and mood swings. It is also important to note that everyone is different. While 95% of the people may have no problems with creatine – it may just really bother your stomach. In the end if you find that creatine causes you problems then it makes sense not to take it.

Dangers of Creatine

There have been hundreds of studies done on creatine that all show that it is a safe supplement. There are really very few side effects reported with creatine use but they include: upset stomach, muscle cramping, diarrhea and dehydration. Most of these side effects can be minimized by drinking plenty of water when taking creatine.

 Liver and Kidney Damage

This can be a problem if you abuse creatine (not the word ‘abuse’!). Any creatine your body does not use is excreted as a waste product called creatinine. If you take 20 grams a day of creatine – your body will not be able to use most of it and will have to excrete the excess. Over time this constant excretion of creatinine can put a lot of work on your kidneys and liver. If you force them to work to hard that can lead to serious problems.

Pre-existing Medical Conditions

This one is about common sense I suppose… if you have any pre-existing medical conditions or are on any medication you should seek professional advise before taking any form of creatine (or any supplements for that matter!). There is a chance that increasing your creatine levels may effect your condition. Only a professional will really know if an increase in creatine would adversely affect your condition.

Dehydration

Creatine has been known to cause dehydration. Dehydration can lead to things like headaches right through to crystals forming in your liver. When taking creatine you MUST increase your water intake, and the manufacturers are quite clear about this on the instructions. Even if you are already taking in a good amount of water (as most athletes have a higher water consumption that the average person anyway) you may still need to add a glass of water or two. Just be aware of it and increase your water intake accordingly.

Bloating

The reason you need to increase the water intake is that creatine causes your muscles to hold more water and this is what can make your muscles look bigger/fuller. This is especially so with creatine monohydrate; you can take another form of creatine called creatine ethyl ester which is slightly more expensive but is reported to absorb better, meaning dose is lower and you do not feel the effects of bloating.

Dangers of Creatine… Really?

Okay, so in all my searching I have not found there to be no significant dangers with taking creatine. Take this from the Wikipedia site:

Extensive research over the last decade has shown that oral creatine supplementation at a rate of 5 to 20 grams per day appears to be very safe and largely devoid of adverse side-effects, while at the same time effectively improving the physiological response to resistance exercise, increasing the maximal force production of muscles in both men and women.

As with any supplement though, along with the recommended dose you also need to take a dose of common sense! Follow the instructions of the manufacturer, keep an eye on your water intake and talk to your doctor if you have any concerns.

Due to its bioavailability and recommended Micro-Dosing, only a 1/4 tsp (or 1 capsule) is needed per 100 lbs of body weight.

A true scientific breakthrough, CON-CRĒT is the only creatine on the market that you dose by body weight, with one serving being equivalent to 5-10 grams of creatine monohydrate.

In a recent creatine uptake study conducted by two major Universities, CON-CRĒT proved to be the most soluble creatine on the market-59x more soluble than other leading creatine brands.

But nothing speaks louder than being able to hear other real users thoughts and actual experience in using a product. Sure, we’re all different and our bodies will react to things differently, but if you’re looking to get a general feel of whether this product works or not then personal reviews are about the best that you can do.

So I’ve done my searches on the internet and compiled a couple of reviews from different websites and forums from guys that have used the product.

Just so you know, I’m careful to find reviews that don’t have affiliate links in their reviews (unlike this site, ie. if you click on a link and go on to purchase a product I will receive a small commission from the sale. But it doesn’t affect the price you pay at all, it comes out of the retailers profit margin… just to be clear). The reviews I found came from YouTube, bodybuilding.com and supplementreviews.com. If you want to find out more of what people are saying about Con-Cret, just type ‘con cret review’ in to google.

Anyway, here’s what I found:

‘BodySpammer’ was pretty clear cut:

I won’t say that this creatine is the best one out there, but is by far the best creatine supplement I have ever taken.

And this from ‘cguy18′:

I would deff. reccomend this supplement. I retained no water what so ever, i am eating clean, and its almost impossible not to gain strength. As i said, i dont think it helps add size, but the streangth it adds, obviously results in size later on down the road.

Just recieved my second bottle of this stuff, very excited to see what month 2-3 bring while on it. Give it a try!

Price seems to be the biggest hurdle with this product. More often the case than not huh! But this is what ‘Invincible01′ had to say:

I would recommend this product to anyone who wants to add a creatine product to their regiment if they have a few extra dollars in their wallet. As soon as I finish my bottle of Kre-Alkalyn (my go-to creatine) I’m going to fork over the extra dollars and get another bottle of Con-Cret.

And lastly, Brandon from Campbell Fitness has been doing a log of his trial of Con-Cret Creatine. Below is the final video in his log that gives his summary of the product.

Here’s what GNC have to say about their own product:

- 189% Improved Muscle Creatine Absorption
- The Power of 5g of Creatine in 2 Tablets
- 400% Increase in Dose Efficiency to Enhance Athletic Performance*
- Increases Strength With Only 25% of the Dose of Ordinary Creatine*

What is Amplified Creatine 189?
Looking for the creatine? We’ve got it. Amplified Creatine 189 is a cutting-edge solution that tops ordinary creatine monohydrate. In fact, it’s proven to get into your muscles and improve strength more efficiently.* Don’t just take any creatine. Tear it up with Amplified Creatine 189.

The Amplified Creatine 189 Evolution
It all started with basic science. Everyone knows creatine works to improve athletic performance.* The question is- how did we AMPlify its effects.

PEG-Creatine System- This proprietary formula includes a patent-pending technology which allows you to get the same benefits as regular creatine monohydrate at a much lower dose! That’s right, you no longer have to take mounds of powder or handfuls of creatine pills to get the performance enhancing benefits of creatine.

The Proof is in the Muscle
We tested it and have proof that Amplified Creatine 189 gets into muscle- even better than ordinary creatine! In a clinical study, Amplified Creatine 189 resulted in 189% muscle creatine uptake relative to creatine monohydrate.* Users of Amplified Creatine 189 take less creatine and get more into the muscle.*
* These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

And here are some of the comments from users over at the supplementreviews.com forum:

September 12, 2011
This product is a must have for me. Works great, gives me strength, and has helped to make impressive gains. I’ve taken two full 120 count bottles and just bought the 240 count today.

Taste- no taste, there pills. But the pills are huge. I break them down anyways because I’ve heard people have trouble digesting them. I can see why, these things are so hard to break in half, they have a really hard coating.

Side effects- ? No side effects.. except of course for huge strength gains. Lol

Results- this creatine really works. Made strength gains across the board and made really impressive gains in my bench. Always helped when needing a little push for the extra rep. I did however lose a little strength after I finished my first bottle which had me running to buy another bottle.

Dosage- took two pills (4 crushed in half) in the morning with breakfast and two right after my workout with my protein shake.

Negatives- although this creatine works great, I definitely lost a little stength while off of it.. not all gains went away but I was not as strong while off this product.

Price- bought a 240 count bottle for 79.99 which is pretty damn expensive, but with the saying “you get what you pay for”, its worth it cause you get stronger.

The only reasons I didnt give this 10s across the board is because of the strength loss while off and its a litttle expensive. But if you got the money and want to make real gains I would highly recommend this product for you.   From jgrant23

And this one from ‘AngryOldMan’

Unlike some people, I had no “digestion” issues with the pills. My body had no problem breaking the pills down. That is probably why I had pretty good success with this product. After having plateued, I started using AC189, and my progress in the gym returned. I did not notice any bloat while on these. They are not cheap but they were effective for me.

COMPARISON
I’ve used this (2 bottles) as well as Kre-Alk and C-BOL. I thought that it was equally effective as Kre-Alk but not as good as C-BOL (Creatine Nitrate). However, AC189 was effective very quickly with no loading required. Kre-Alk and C-BOL both took about a week until I notcied the results.

Obviously there were not so good reviews as well as these good reviews but it seemed that there were two main types of complaints with this product:

1. Price – you can get cheaper products … but I’ll preface that by saying that a lot of the reviewers claim that well known saying of ‘you get what you pay for’. Which I interpret to mean that they are happy to pay more for this product because it works for them. So unfortunately it may just be a case of having to try it out and see if it works for your body. Which brings me to my next point

2. Personal experience – some of the guys that have used this product (because of course it is mostly guys) just found that this didn’t work for them. Either they weren’t digesting them fully (and seeing evidence of the pills in their faeces) or it wasn’t giving them the energy boost during their workout that they were expecting.

Whatever you may think about GNC, their marketing or sales, or their price point, they have established themselves as a reputable supplements supplier. If you want to give the Amplified Creatine 189 a go, you can order a bottle from Amazon. Click here to go directly to the Amazon.com website.

The first thing to keep in mind, is the fact that you don’t always need muscle building supplements to build muscle, but they will help you speed up the process.  And these  supplements can help you increase muscular development, but this is only if you work out. You’ll gain nothing by just taking the supplements and not working out. They can aid you in both muscle growth and the recovery of your muscles.  Of the many products available, the most popular are protein, creatine, and multi-vitamins.

Protein

Protein is a preferred supplement among bodybuilders and those who exercise.  It contains many amino acids which help you to build muscle.  No matter what type of diet you are or on or supplement you select, you should always pick one that contains a lot of protein.  The ideal way to take protein, is 2 grams per pound of body weight.  You can get protein in pill form, powder, or even bars.  Whey protein, has become the standard protein to use because it is easy to mix and is easily digested in the body. Whey protein also helps fight free radicals in the body.

Creatine

Creatine is another beneficial supplement, as it will help you increase your muscle mass and improve the recovery time for your muscles.  Creatine also helps you to increase your muscle pumps as well, allowing you to do more repetitions with more weight.  Normally, you will need to go through a loading period of creatine, which is usually a week.  Once you have loaded it, you should use in cycles, a few weeks using it and a few weeks off.  To get the most from creatine, you should always follow the instructions the manufacturer has provided on the label.

Multi-Vitamins

Multi-vitamins are another great supplement, as they work great for those who aren’t getting enough minerals and vitamins with their normal diet.  Although you may have the best of intentions, a busy or hectic schedule can make it very hard to get a healthy meal.  Vitamin supplements give you the vitamins and minerals your body needs.  If you are looking to build muscle, you should always take the proper supplements, and it’s a good idea to take protein bars and shakes if you aren’t able to eat a healthy meal.

The supplements and vitamins business is a huge industry and there are many brands and manufacturers to choose from.  You can find supplements locally or online, giving you plenty of great deals to take advantage of.  If you exercise and are looking to add more muscle mass to your body, you should give muscle building supplements a try.  They work extremely well, they taste great, and they will greatly assist you in your quest to build muscle and live a healthier life.

Protein Supplements

While many would consider any protein powder to be equal to any other that is available on the market this is just not the case. Whey protein, has become the standard protein to use because it is easy to mix and is easily digested in the body. Whey protein also helps fight free radicals in the body. Another protein supplement is Casein. Casein is a milk derived protein powder that has a few key advantages over Whey. Casein moves through the digestive tract at a slower rate than whey, allowing the body to absorb more of the nutrients. Casien protein is also higher in glutamine, a substance that helps promote tissue repair after a workout. A potent protein mix is a combination of Whey and Casein before and after your workout.

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are another supplement that have been given much attention. These are said to combat free radicals which are by products of energy production within the body. When the body produces energy it releases substances that roam through the body pulling oxygen from vital processes.  Antioxidants can be found in multivitamin supplements, but its also a good idea to eat them; blueberries and strawberries are particularly good sources of antioxidants.

Creatine

Creatine is another supplement that has achieved much well deserved attention. Creatine can help with your recovery time and has also been shown to give an extra boost of energy during workouts. How does it do this? Creatine is a substance that is delivered straight to your muscles, providing it with a constant supply of energy that will allow you to continue to work in the gym for longer periods of time. Creatine supplements primarily benefit weight lifters, sprinters and other high energy/short burst sports and not endurance athletes.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the FDA does not regulate the supplements industry. Because of this, when buying supplements be sure to look at the company that produces the supplements. Make sure the company is reputable and do your research regarding the supplement you wish to take. There is a wealth of information to be found on the internet and it’s also a good idea to look on weight lifting or other related forums to see if there is anyone that has experience with the product you are looking to use. Apart from this however, the above mentioned supplementation can help you to increase your overall performance as a weight lifter.

Cheap Creatine Price, NOT Cheap Quality

You may have used enough creatine or done enough research on the internet to know that cheap price often means cheap quality as well. But that doesn’t always have to be the case. If you’re like me, you know that there are products out there that are just as good as the high priced branded products but at a fraction of the cost. And many times they’re even made by the same supplement manufacturer but sold under different branding!

Look for Pure Creatine

Many creatine supplements are very cheap because the percentage of actual creatine in them is low and they are full up with fillers and other additives. Many professionals believe that the best way to take creatine is with a carbohydrate such as dextrose and they mix it in when they make up a creatine drink. Manufacturers have taken this on board when producing their products and many now add in dextrose to their mixes. This is great for convenience but just keep this in mind when you’re looking for cheap creatine. It may be cheap because it doesn’t have very much creatine in it!

Unless I’m travelling or really need the pre-mix for convenience, I find that buying pure creatine is the best value for money. At least 95% pure creatine is advisable.

Buy Creatine Online

As you know, the supplements business is HUGE. You can buy supplements everywhere and there is a huge array to choose from. Without a doubt, I have found that the best way is to buy creatine online. I’m no business man but I presume that buying online is cheaper because there is no store front with high overheads that need to be maintained. Stock can be held in huge quantities in a warehouse in the middle of nowhere and shipped off as soon as an order is placed.

Click Here to Buy Cheap Creatine Online.

The theory behind this cycling is that the loading phase fills your body with the maximum amount of creatine that it can use, it’s like filling up the tank to make sure it’s full and available for use at any time. Then in the maintenance phase you just top up the tank as you’re using up the creatine.

Some professionals think that the loading phase is not necessary and that consistent maintenance dosage of 2-5 grams per day is enough. Whichever way you decide to go don’t forget that you should always consult your doctor first and when you buy creatine read the label for the manufacturers recommended dosages.

The last phase where you take no creatine is believed to be important to let your body settle back into it’s own natural creatine levels. There have not been a lot of studies into the side effects of long term use of creatine so many professionals believe it is better to come off it for a while instead of maintaining artificially high levels.

So here’s a basic cycle:

Loading Phase: Week 1 (20 grams per day – which can be done as 5 grams, 4 times a day)

Maintenance Phase: Weeks 2 to 4 (2-5 grams per day)

No Creatine: Weeks 5 to 8 … no creatine supplements taken

In all this don’t forget that you will need to make sure you are drinking plenty of water. Creatine causes your muscles to store more water so it’s important that you keep yourself fully hydrated.