creatine + raro

[Beef]

is it all good to take raro with creatine? since raro is pretty much coloured sugar, it isnt acidic is it?

[knock knock]

Add a bit of salt to raro and it's as good as power aid.

[GreekAdonis]

Take your creatine with grape juice if you like a bit of flavor

[Grover]

put in in with your protein shake

[musclenz]

Best not mix creatine with citrus juice - Orange, grapefruit, cranberry. Most fruit juices have been found to neutralize the activity of creatine & turn it into the waste product creatinine. Take it in a glass of warm water with 1Tsp of Dextrose since glucose enhances creatine absorption.

[Beef]

just found out that raro has acidity regulators in it, such as citric acid. so i guess that means i should avoid taking raro with my creatine?

[Mr_Krabs]

If you mix it and chugg it you shouldnt have any issues with acidic juices, on the other hand if you tried to store the solution then you would get degradation to creatinine.

Your stomach acid is much more of an issue than any juice you dissolve it in.

[musclenz]

If you mix it and chugg it you shouldnt have any issues with acidic juices, on the other hand if you tried to store the solution then you would get degradation to creatinine.

Your stomach acid is much more of an issue than any juice you dissolve it in.

Good point Mr K about mixing & drinking but the stomach acids do not play any major part in absorbtion.

"Article Index > Sports Nutrition > Creatine

Conquering Creatine Myths with Science

by Anthony L. Almada, BSc, MSc

Ever since we (EAS) first introduced good ol' creatine monohydrate powder into the U.S. market in early 1993, legends, myths, and folk tales have circulated through the pages of muscle magazines and the floors of gyms like a wind-whipped wildfire. Almost all are the whims and wishes of people who are scientifically-challenged. Let's probe what I consider the most common myths.

Myth 1: Creatine is poorly absorbed.

Ever since Dr. Roger Harris and his lab pals showed in 1992 that creatine monohydrate powder supplementation means more creatine in muscles, creatine retention has been measured (the amount kept in the body). Harris showed that the vast majority of creatine powder consumed is absorbed-about 95% of the dose. A recent study showed that 20 grams of creatine powder per day over 5 days (100 grams total) yielded a total of 46.8 grams of creatine excreted in the urine (if it's in the urine it had to be absorbed!). This means 53.2 grams were retained in the body (primarily muscle), with older men showing similar results. Lastly, absorption stays high even after loading, but the uptake/retention of creatine by muscle is reduced. Special treatments and "delivery systems," such as micronization, effervescent powder, or sublingual sprays have never been shown to produce more retention or absorption than creatine powder. Fact: Straight creatine monohydrate powder is very well absorbed.

Myth 2: Creatine is instantly destroyed by acid, either in the stomach or in juice.

Let's take a common sense pill. If this myth was true, then anytime someone took creatine powder (on an empty stomach, with food, whenever) the stomach acid would destroy it, converting it to creatinINE. Then how do we get 95% absorption into the blood and all of the muscle-specific effects (mass, strength, speed)? What about the early studies that showed creatine retention and increased performance when they took creatine powder mixed into coffee or tea, two quite acidic beverages? It's been known for almost 80 years that creatine degrades more quickly over time as the acidity of a solution it is mixed in increases. But in fruit juices, coffee, tea, or any other typically consumed beverage (where the acidity is not extreme) creatine can easily survive for as long as it takes to mix in and drink. However, ready-to-drink liquid creatine beverages on the market (which add acids like citric acid) are unstable due to the many months it sits on the shelf before consumption. Fact: Creatine easily survives stomach acid and can be mixed with acidic beverages if you consume them shortly after mixing.

•Harris RC, et al. (1992). Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation. Clin Sci 83: 367-74.

[Beef]

If you mix it and chugg it you shouldnt have any issues with acidic juices, on the other hand if you tried to store the solution then you would get degradation to creatinine.

Your stomach acid is much more of an issue than any juice you dissolve it in.

Good point Mr K about mixing & drinking but the stomach acids do not play any major part in absorbtion.

"Article Index > Sports Nutrition > Creatine

Conquering Creatine Myths with Science

by Anthony L. Almada, BSc, MSc

Ever since we (EAS) first introduced good ol' creatine monohydrate powder into the U.S. market in early 1993, legends, myths, and folk tales have circulated through the pages of muscle magazines and the floors of gyms like a wind-whipped wildfire. Almost all are the whims and wishes of people who are scientifically-challenged. Let's probe what I consider the most common myths.

Myth 1: Creatine is poorly absorbed.

Ever since Dr. Roger Harris and his lab pals showed in 1992 that creatine monohydrate powder supplementation means more creatine in muscles, creatine retention has been measured (the amount kept in the body). Harris showed that the vast majority of creatine powder consumed is absorbed-about 95% of the dose. A recent study showed that 20 grams of creatine powder per day over 5 days (100 grams total) yielded a total of 46.8 grams of creatine excreted in the urine (if it's in the urine it had to be absorbed!). This means 53.2 grams were retained in the body (primarily muscle), with older men showing similar results. Lastly, absorption stays high even after loading, but the uptake/retention of creatine by muscle is reduced. Special treatments and "delivery systems," such as micronization, effervescent powder, or sublingual sprays have never been shown to produce more retention or absorption than creatine powder. Fact: Straight creatine monohydrate powder is very well absorbed.

Myth 2: Creatine is instantly destroyed by acid, either in the stomach or in juice.

Let's take a common sense pill. If this myth was true, then anytime someone took creatine powder (on an empty stomach, with food, whenever) the stomach acid would destroy it, converting it to creatinINE. Then how do we get 95% absorption into the blood and all of the muscle-specific effects (mass, strength, speed)? What about the early studies that showed creatine retention and increased performance when they took creatine powder mixed into coffee or tea, two quite acidic beverages? It's been known for almost 80 years that creatine degrades more quickly over time as the acidity of a solution it is mixed in increases. But in fruit juices, coffee, tea, or any other typically consumed beverage (where the acidity is not extreme) creatine can easily survive for as long as it takes to mix in and drink. However, ready-to-drink liquid creatine beverages on the market (which add acids like citric acid) are unstable due to the many months it sits on the shelf before consumption. Fact: Creatine easily survives stomach acid and can be mixed with acidic beverages if you consume them shortly after mixing.

•Harris RC, et al. (1992). Elevation of creatine in resting and exercised muscle of normal subjects by creatine supplementation. Clin Sci 83: 367-74.

so u rekun drinks like raro and powerade shouldn't be consumed with creatine because they have citric acid?

[Beef]

cheers that clears a few things up

[Pete_S]

As musclenz has said bro - mix creatine mono with dextrose (brewers sugar is fine from a home brew supplier or supermarket).

[Optimass]

Add a bit of salt to raro and it's as good as power aid.

:-s ... Creatine is a phosphate > same as sodium ... I would recommend increasing your daily water intake by minimum 20% to maximise your uptake. More sodium is only going to require you to further hydrate.

Dehydration is your enemy - all bodily function relies on water .... brain 70% water etc.