1.32-Lb Optimum Nutrition Micronized Creatine Monohydrate Powder (Unflavored) Expired

I couldn't stomache Creatine in this form, so I switched to the Kre-Alkalyne capsules, which doesn't upset my tummy at all. They even claim you can get the same results with a lower dose of that.

NOW Sports Nutrition, Kre-Alkalyn Creatine 750 mg, Mass Building*/Energy Production*, 240 Veg Capsules https://a.co/d/2ecNpdF

If people aren't picky about brand, I just purchased this one a couple days ago. 2.2 pounds for cheaper than this deal ($23.99). It's the lowest price I could find on Amazon

Creatine Monohydrate Powder | 2.2lbs (35.2 oz) | HPLC Purity Tested | Vegetarian, Non-GMO, & Gluten Free Supplement | by Horbaach https://a.co/d/76o4mnq

Horbaach is suspiciously cheap. They have other stuff at similar prices, e.g Glycine. It is unusual for a well-established brand to undercut prices like this. Makes me doubt their history, or it could be a recent transfer of ownership.

You'll retain a bunch of water & maybe be able to do an extra rep on heavy lifts, that's about all it does.

It's something like a 5% performance gain & it's one of the only OTC supplements with any scientific evidence behind it…which shows how low the bar is with OTC supplements.

Don't get me started on ZMA & the story behind that one, it will ruin your view of the supplement industry.

Definitely a one off experience for you. I was off creatine for several years. I just started daily regular dosage again about a month ago and can see and feel the size & strength increase. I turn 39 tomorrow.

So, the additional suspicion is that water retention itself in muscles may induce additional stress to cause micro tears which helps with real muscle development, not just fluid retention. Even fluid retention isn't a bad thing for a lot of people, they really just want to look bigger and show off certain muscles it's not as much about strength and creatine definitely helps here. You will look bigger, albeit it may not be a defined/cut bigger look if that's what you're going for.

In terms of performance gains, I've read the 5% figure and I'm a little skeptical. I suspect most of this deals with a continuous value (a quantized percentage value like 5%) overtop of a highly discrete value (things like number of reps, squeezing out one extra rep on top of say 8-10 normal reps, reps are typically small numbers talking about a lot of stuff so very big discrete bins here).

While you can certainly quantify energy in terms of reps, a rep is a pretty big bin of energy in that context and it doesn't take into account energy expenditure in partial reps or throughout a full body workout. You might squeeze another rep out here and there which only results in 5-10% gain, but you may also squeeze another partial rep which can aide in hypertrophy targets if that's what you're going for.

Purely anecdotally but I typically do full body workouts regularly and if I miss a few days of creatine when on regularly, I notice an overall less amount of energy throughout my entire workout, something that even if placebo, psychologically has more impact than something like 5% on my overall performance that day. I have more enthusiasm when I'm not feeling weak earlier in my sets or at least perceive I feel weak. And typically I really can squeeze out an extra rep or so. For me, it's been worth it, this is after years of only using whey and only adding creatine the past year. Others notice it as well visually which again, even if you are getting meager realized energy gains, mental determination is something that shouldn't be scoffed at and can make the difference between pushing that extra rep or set in, cranking that weight up just one more notch, etc.

All this is to say I'm very critical of most dietary supplements out there but whey and creatine are both reasonably priced, well studied, for most have an overall net positive impact, and aren't nearly as invasive as some other options people partake. While the impact isn't drastic, it exists verified by many studies and is mostly not bad. The rest of your supplements are mostly trash unless your diet is also trash or you have some deficiency of sorts. But yea, this isn't human growth hormone or some androgen manipulation cranking your testosterone up. It also doesn't have the same risks either.

I love Optimum Nutrition protein powder but I'm taking this stuff now and I just hate that it won't properly dissolve in anything. I try mixing it in with my coffee and STILL have to wash some remaining bits down. Never fails.

Omg how is this $26 on sale. This was $13-16 regular price. Is there a creatine shortage ?