Combining creatine with caffeine is a very bad idea. While most supplement combine the two, this is not very smart at all. For this will decrease the effectiveness of the creatine. Below you will see proof from the largest manufacturer of creatine in the world, emailing me, explaining that you should not combine creatine & caffeine.
When it comes to formulating supplements, do we really know who is behind them? Not really, but we can only hope that the companies and/or people formulating these supplements have some shred of intelligence. Unfortunately, many do not and the pre-workout supplements are probably the worst formulated supplements that you can buy. Why do I say that? Well here are two FACTS that you cannot dispute that makes MOST pre-workout supplements completely useless.
1) Caffeine negates the effects of Creatine. And this is backed up by the world’s highest quality Creatine manufacturer…ALZCHEM, which makes Creapure. Check out this email they sent me when I asked them about caffeine and creatine
From: Loeber, [[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, April 03, 2015 10:49 AM
To: Carmody
Subject: AW: [Creapure Contact Form DE]
Dear Alex,
We recommend to wait appr. 2 h between the consumption of caffeine and creatine.
Best regards,
Verena
Verena Löber
______________________
Sales Manager Nutrition
T +49 8621 86-26
AlzChem AG
83308 Trostberg
Germany
http://www.alzchem.com
http://www.creapure.com
In addition to the email above, you can find numerous studies that show taking caffeine with creatine is a bad idea.
Here are some
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8929583
and the conclusion of the study clearly states
The data shows that Cr supplementation elevates muscle PCr concentration and markedly improves performance during intense intermittent exercise. This ergogenic effect, however, is completely eliminated by caffeine intake.
2) Taking Creatine POST-WORKOUT is better. Here is a study that clearly states taking creatine POST-workout is better than pre-workout. Here is the conclusion
Conclusions
Creatine plus exercise increases mass and strength. Creatine post-workout is superior to pre” “Creatine supplementation plus resistance exercise increases fat-free mass and strength. Based on the magnitude inferences it appears that consuming creatine immediately post-workout is superior to pre-workout vis a vis body composition and strength.”
Now here’s my question. Why is it that MOST of the pre-workout supplements being sold today contain caffeine and creatine? It makes absolutely no sense. But let me tell you why I think that supplement companies use creatine and caffeine in their pre workouts.
The first reason is supplement companies think that people want that JACKED up feeling pre-workout. And it is true…they do. Why? Not sure…me personally I don’t like that feeling and to me..if I need caffeine to get amped up for my workout…then that tells me something is wrong with my diet.
Second reason is the “kitchen sink” theory of mine. It basically says that people look at the back of the ingredient label on a supplement, if it looks impressive…meaning it has this and it has that and more of this, and oh yea has me some of that…people will buy it.
Bottom Line:
- Don’t buy a pre-workout with creatine
- Don’t buy a pre-workout with caffeine
- Use creatine POST-workout
- Don’t use caffeine with creatine
Here are some brands of pre-workout I do NOT recommend because they contain creatine and caffeine.
- Jym (uses caffeine and creatine) and this Jim Stopanni is supposedly some sort of supplement expert??
- ON (used caffeine and creatine)
- NO explode
- Muscle Pharm.
The hell with it…I’ll stop listing because there are too many. It seems they all have caffeine and creatine….just be really careful and read your label.
Or make it easy and just but any of our creatine products
Alex Rogers is a supplement manufacturing expert. He has been formulating, consulting, & manufacturing dietary supplements since 1998. Alex invented protein customization in 1998 & was the first company to allow consumers to create their own protein blends. He helped create the first supplement to contain natural follistatin, invented whey protein with egg lecithin, & recently imported the world’s first 100% hydrolyzed whey.
