This question is pertaining to creatine. I know it has been recommended that creatine be consumed in a hot beverage to increase absorption. I also know it is recommended that it be consumed post workout. My question is, how necessary is it to consume it in a hot beverage and if it is really a great benefit how much time can i let slip between the end of my workout and my creatine consumption. I would have to wait around 30 minutes to consume my creatine if it were in a hot beverage. Is this ok?? Thanks to those who take the time to answer yet another creatine question.
Groove
I can’t find any scientific data on the solubility of creatine, so I can’t help you there. You surely don’t want to make it “hot” though, since it is a chemical. (Though it does seem to survive the cooking process in meat, at least according to urban myth. But I’ve never seen a study examining the amount of creatine in COOKED meat).
The 30min question is easier. It certainly doesn’t really matter if it takes you 30min to consume the creatine, especially if you’re drinking a protein shake at the same time. There’s a “window” for creatine absorption, and it’s longer than 30min.
Thanks Machine, I meant a warm drink. I despise drinking hot drinks anyways. Looking forward to some more responses from the rest of the T gang.
Groove
Well, I think most people who have used creatine would attest to its solubility in hot water. Dump a teaspoon of creatine in cold or cool water, and much if not most of it will float around the bottom of the glass in crystaline form, but stir it around in tea-heat water (i.e., just poured from a recently boiling kettle), or even really hot tap water, and most if not all of it will readily dissolve. Micronized creatine is also available for a price that isn’t significantly higher than standard creatine (micronized being the scientific term for smashed into little bitty bits), and that will more readily dissolve in room-temperature water, for the same reason that crushed ice will melt faster than ice cubes. However, this post brings up a good point – how important is it to drink creatine completely in solution? I would think the absorbtion would be faster, but will creatine taken, for example, solid (i.e., dump a tablespoon of it in your mouth and wash it down with water), NOT dissolve in the warm, wet, acidic world that is the stomach?
If someone could answer that question with an affirmative, and creatine is best absorbed in solution, then it would be important to dissolve the creatine in water that’s hot enough to do the job properly. I have yet to see creatine condense out of solution once the water hits room temp., so I don’t think you’ll have to drink it boiling hot.
creatines interesting to me. i got nothign the first time (even was using hot water). next time i got results. third time nada. i am gonn try it again soon, taking it right after i workout waiting a few mins for protein shake
Creatine is fine in warm-hot water. I wouldnt put it in boilin gwater though. Let it cool down a bit first. However, this is not that important. I usually use cold jiuce and just give it a stir and down it!!
For optimum creatine absorbtion take it with a simple carb (glucose, dextrose), in a fruit juice or both!!
You can take creatine anytime of the day as it is stored in the body.
Not positive about this, but if you pound down a surge right after training, the insulin spike takes a little while to materialize. I read that creatine gets absorbed better when taken 30 min after a carb/pro drink.
Creatine monohydrate’s solubility in water is: 1g/75 ml @ 20 degrees C or room temp. Extrapolate this out to a 10g serving you would need a minimum of 750 ml (approx. 25 oz.)@ room temp. in order for the creatine to dissolve in water @ room temp. Remember, this number is for pure creatine monohydrate, no sugars, no phosphates, etc. The inclusion of these would of course lower the solubility in water. Warm water will increase the solubility rate, as i personally use warm tap water, but I am unable to find any solubility numbers for you.
C-14, another day closer to 5730 yrs.