Ok, so I've been wondering about this since I bought my bottle of Anabolic Switch. It's the mix with a bunch of different creatines and it doesn't have much sugar in it, so I was wondering how effective the delivery is. (I got it for $13) I've noticed a definite difference with the Anabolic Switch (even tho I'm not a fan of MRI), so I don't know what I'll doing anything different. I remembered hearing about mixing creatine with juice, but I read in a book that it's not good to mix with juice because the acidity will convert the creatine to creatinine...so I'm doing a little research and this is what I have found:
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Why taking it with juice is not the answer:
The first users of creatine realized early on that insulin was needed to create an environment capable of pushing creatine into the muscle. It makes sense, because all nutrients, especially the all important protein, need insulin to have optimal effect. Taking your protein with a simple sugar created an insulin spike making it more efficient, and that was the plan with creatine. So they decided to take it with juice. The juice of choice was grape because it contained the most fructose, the sugar present in all fruit juices. Fructose was a good choice because it was moderately glycemic (glycemic index refers to the ability of a sugar to form glucose and ultimately glycogen, the prime storage of energy in the body) and easy to mix with the creatine. Unfortunately fructose doesn't cause a long enough insulin-spike to remain anabolic until the time the creatine becomes available to the muscle (roughly 20-30 minutes after intake). On top of that they consumed large amounts of juice, and all that free fructose easily transformed to fat storage. Not exactly what they were hoping for.
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http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/catcrea.htm
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Creatine monohydrate dissolves easily in liquids. As with most powders, it dissolves faster and more completely in warm and hot fluids, so heating the liquid will leave less creatine on the bottom and sides of the glass. If you have a microwave, heat the liquid for about a minute. Then add the creatine and stir until the powder is dissolved.
Some liquids are better than others for creatine consumption. Glucose polymer drinks or those with dextrose or maltodextrin are good choices. This is because the shuttle system used to transport creatine into the muscle fibers involves insulin, and these forms of "simple" sugars activate this mechanism quickly. Fruit juices are also good options. Although juices contain fructose, a sugar that is absorbed somewhat slower than glucose and dextrose, juices are assimilated relatively quickly, so they are perfectly acceptable as creatine vehicles. They may be more convenient, too. You could also mix your creatine with a combination protein/carbohydrate drink, although the protein content of the drink will slow the assimilation of the creatine compared to glucose or fructose alone.
Athletes have sometimes been told to avoid mixing citrus juices such as orange juice with creatine. The reason given is that the acidity in these juices boosts the production of creatinine, which is the waste product of creatine metabolism. However, creatinine is formed in the muscles, not in a glass. Moreover, the citric acid in orange and grapefruit juices is insignificant compared to the concentrated hydrochloric acid found in the stomach. If creatine can make it through the stomach and into the body, a little bit of OJ won't hurt. Then again, most people don't drink orange juice warm, but if you enjoy it that way, don't worry about the acidity.
On the other hand, one study by Vandenberghe shows that the benefits of creatine are counteracted when it is consumed with large amounts of caffeine (the equivalent of five cups of coffee). The study found that while caffeine did not reduce the increase in creatine-phosphate levels within the muscle fibers, dynamic torque production in caffeine/creatine users was 10 to 20 percent lower than in test subjects who took creatine alone. In fact, torque production for the caffeine/creatine users was no different than the placebo group. Based on this research, you should stay away from high-potency caffeine pills. Mixing creatine in caffeinated drinks, at least according to this study, may also reduce or even neutralize the performance-enhancing effects of this nutrient in the short term. It's better to take your creatine with a glucose- or fructose-based drink that will stimulate your insulin response and facilitate the uptake of creatine into the muscle fibers.
The Best Time to Take Creatine
Creatine remains in the blood stream for a period of one to 1 1/2 hours. This is the window of opportunity that muscles have to draw creatine from the surrounding blood vessels and store it in their cells. If these cells are full of creatine, and the brain, heart and testes have all of the creatine they need, the excess will eventually be processed to creatinine and excreted.
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http://www.healthy.net/scr/Article.asp?Id=1188&xcntr=4
Some people take their creatine in water with sugar, I read. But the insulin spike would still take place before the creatine arrives in the muscle. I read another guy's testimony that pills or capsules were the best because they break apart after going through the stomach. This isn't true...it's the acid in the stomach that breaks them apart.
My theory on the best time to take creatine would be an hour before my workout with water. And to follow the creatine 30 minutes later with a glass of grape juice.
What are your thoughts?
When to take creatine & with what?
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