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FAQ
1) What is CON-CRĒT®?
2) What is creatine?
3) When did creatine become a popularized form of supplementation?
4) Do creatine ester products have less potency than creatine monohydrates?
5) What is the best manner to evaluate potency when comparing CON-CRĒT (Micro-Dosing®) to all other
forms of creatine (powder, pills, tablets and liquids)?
6) What amount of creatine is considered normal in a 200-pound person?
7) How many grams of creatine are in a serving of CON-CRĒT (on an equivalent basis)?
8) Do you recommend stacking CON-CRĒT with other supplements?
9) In developing CON-CRĒT, was the goal to eliminate the typical negative side-effects associated with
other creatines on the market?
10) What is the main reason why CON-CRĒT does not produce negative side-effects?
11) Is creatinine the primary cause of side-effects?
12) Would you suggest that glucose / dextrose be combined with CON-CRĒT?
13) Does taking CON-CRĒT with grape or apple juice create a glucose carrier to assist product delivery into
the body’s system as compared to simply taking it with water?
14)
What is the pH of CON-CRĒT? What is the pH of your stomach? What does pH have to do with bio-
availability and absorption?
15) How stable is CON-CRĒT in water / juice?
16) How important is it that CON-CRĒT dissolves completely in water?
17) Do you load or cycle with CON-CRĒT?
18) When can you expect to see results from CON-CRĒT?
19) Finally, there have been several companies that tout that their creatine products are “micronized” –
what are they referring to?
What is CON-CRĒT?
CON-CRĒT is the world’s first and only pure creatine hydrochloride that delivers safe and effective results with no
negative side effects typical of other creatines (such as bloating, cramping, GI issues, water retention, etc).
Due to its unique Micro-Dosing®, it's the only creatine that is dosed per body weight — ¼ teaspoon per
(1 scoop or 1 capsule) per 100 lbs of body weight.
CON-CRĒT is a concentrated creatine hydrochloride molecule that has been proven to be the most potent and soluble creatine on the market.
Creatines vary in performance largely based on solubility. The reason solubility is crucial – if creatine isn’t in a solution form,
it will not be absorbed into the bloodstream. In a recent study conducted by researchers from two major Universities, results showed convincing
evidence of a significant improvement in plasma uptake concentrations of this creatine hydrochloride, CON-CRĒT — up to 70% greater
—as compared to creatine monohydrate (CM) and other creatine blends.
CON-CRĒT is the most readily absorbed creatine form available and therefore does not require loading of large amounts or cycling off.
CON-CRĒT’s Micro-Dosing® provides dramatic performance improvements in strength, endurance and muscle recovery,
and is safe to take every day. Available in powder and capsule forms, each serving of CON-CRĒT
is equivalent to the potency of 5-10 grams of creatine monohydrate.
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What is Creatine?
Creatine is nitrogenous organic acid which naturally occurs in vertebrates and helps to supply energy to
muscle and nerve cells. Creatine was identified in 1832 when Michel Eugène Chevreul discovered it as a
component of skeletal muscle which he later named creatine after the Greek word for flesh, Kreas.
Creatine, by way of conversion to and from phosphocreatine, is present and functions in all vertebrates,
as well as some invertebrates, in conjunction with the enzyme creatine kinase. A similar system based on
arginine/phosphoarginine operates in many invertebrates via the action of Arginine Kinase. The presence
of this energy buffer system keeps the ATP/ADP ratio high at subcellular places where ATP is needed,
which ensures that the free energy of ATP remains high and minimizes the loss of adenosine nucleotides,
which would cause cellular dysfunction.
In the human body, approximately half of the daily creatine is biosynthesized by the use of parts from
three different amino acids - arginine, glycine, and methionine. The rest is taken in by alimentary sources
mainly from fresh fish and meat. 95% of it is later stored in the skeletal muscles, with the rest in the brain,
heart, testes, inner ear hair cells and other organs and cells.
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When did creatine become a popularized form of supplementation?
Creatine supplements are amino aids used to increase high-intensity athletic performance. Though
researchers have known of the use of creatine as an energy source by skeletal muscles since the
beginning of the 20th century, they were popularized as a performance-enhancing supplement in 1992.
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Do creatine ester products have less potency than creatine monohydrates?
No. In fact, esters usually have more potency because they are more readily bio-available. Esterfication
increases potency by about 10x when compared to creatine monohydrate. CON-CRĒT, however, is a
molecular development beyond esters and is significantly more potent than creatine monohydrate.
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What is the best manner to evaluate potency when comparing CON-CRĒT (Micro-Dosing®) to all other forms of creatine (powder, pills, tablets and liquids)?
In order to evaluate potency, you need to consider solubility, because creatine needs to dissolve to get into your bloodstream and into your cells for maximum performance. ProMera health commissioned Vireo Systems (a nutriceutical manufacturer) to examine the solubility of CON-CRĒT compared to creatine monohydrate (the most common form of creatine). The study conducted between Vireo Systems and a major university showed results demonstrating CON-CRĒT's far superior solubility, bio - availability and potency. In this trial, a series of tests were run to compare the solubility of creatine monohydrate to CON-CRĒT in pure water. Before performing the procedure, it was insured that as many variables as possible were held at a fixed point during the experiment, including water temperature, volume, scale calibration, dissolving time and filter weight. To perform these tests, amounts of each compound were recorded and were given a set time to dissolve in water, and then were immediately filtered. Any precipitate left in the 100 ml of water was secured in the filter and dried. Once dry, the solid was weighed, and by assessing the difference of solid amounts, an estimate of solubility was calculated.
The results showed that the creatine monohydrate solution revealed 3.5 grams of the original 5.0 grams which was recovered un-dissolved, resulting in a solubility of 0.015 g/ml of creatine monohydrate, In comparison, 1.2 grams of CON-CRĒT was recovered out of a full 90.0 grams of the creatine, which resulted in a solubility of 0.888 g/ml of CON-CRĒT. This proves that CON-CRĒT is 59X more soluble than creatine monohydrate.
Since the human body is largely an aqueous based organism, these results predict a dramatic difference in the bio-availability between various conjugated dosage forms of oral creatine. Professionals in the health and medical community concur that solubility is one of the keys for mechanisms of actions to allow the uptake of molecules into the body.
The following graph depicts the results of this study showing CON-CRĒT at nearly 59 times more potent than creatine monohydrate.
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What amount of creatine is considered normal in a 200-pound person?
In light of the plethora of information put in the market by various vendors to support their products in terms of what should
be “loaded” and then “maintained,” from a creatine in-take perspective, what
follows is a breakdown of what a typical 200 pound person should consider:
- This person has approximately 160 grams of “free” creatine in their body at any point in time, and is burning about 2.5 grams of free creatine per day.
- The body produces approximately 1 gram of creatine per day on its own.
- The body then needs the balance of 1.5 grams of creatine per day via diet or Supplementation.
- More activity/exercise can cause more creatine to be used and therefore needed.
Given the inefficiency, or put another way, the lack of potency associated with the various creatine products on the market today, it forces
these vendors to hype heavy in-take during loading periods. In essence, it is their admission to their own products’ lack of potency and
a marketing ploy to increase usage/dosage, thereby increasing overall demand. CON-CRĒT does not require loading, nor does it need to be
cycled-off, but instead with its unique Creatine Micro-Dosing® (¼ tsp or 1 capsule per 100 lbs of body weight) there are no
negative side effects typical of other creatine products that require massive in-take.
As a result of its overall potency and the efficiency of a unique creatine hydrochloride molecule, CON-CRĒT eliminates
the need for ingesting massive quantities of powders and pills. One serving of CON-CRĒT is equivalent to the potency of 5-10
grams of creatine monohydrate, and once again there are no side effects (cramping, bloating, GI stress, and diarrhea).
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How many grams of creatine are in a serving of CON-CRĒT (on an equivalent basis)?
CON-CRĒT is the only creatine on the market that is dosed based on body weight (Micro-Dosing®). You receive superior results from smaller doses with no negative side effects. This Micro-Dosing® approach calls for ¼ teaspoon (1 scoop or 1 capsule) of CON-CRĒT for every 100-pounds of body-weight.
As mentioned above, a single dose, or ¼ teaspoon of CON-CRĒT (0.8gramsperserving) is the equivalent in muscle cell potency to 5–10 grams of creatine monohydrate.
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Do you recommend stacking CON-CRĒT with other supplements?
Generally speaking, CON-CRĒT can be stacked with complementary supplements. For example, stacking
with whey or protein-based supplements is fairly typical and allows the user to benefit from the unique
qualities each of these supplements offers.
We would, however, discourage anyone from stacking CON-CRĒT with another creatine-based product,
or with a product that does not fully disclose their ingredients list.
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In developing CON-CRĒT, was the goal to eliminate the typical negative side-effects associated with other creatines on the market?
No. It was not the initial goal. In fact, our development team was focused on increased absorption. In
achieving this goal and in-turn developing the Micro-Dosing® approach, our team soon discovered that the
overall efficiency of our solution eliminated these negative side effects when taken as directed
We do realize, however, that not everyone shares the same metabolic process. As such, it is important to
see how you respond to the recommended dosage. If, for some reason, you do begin to experience
negative side-effects, that is simply your body telling you to pull back on the dosage.
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What is the main reason why CON-CRĒT does not produce negative side-effects?
As described above, it is the combination of small dosage amounts coupled with the overall efficiency in
the absorption of CON-CRĒT by the body. To put it simply, users do not typically see negative side-effects
when taking CON-CRĒT because there isn’t all the “waste” that remains from other creatines – waste that
the body uncomfortably struggles to process (gas, bloating).
As stated above, however, we recognize that not everyone is the same. If for some reason you begin to
experience side-effects, it simply means you can further reduce the dosage amount.
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Is creatinine the primary cause of side-effects?
No. The primary cause is related to the difficulty the body has with excreting large dosage forms of other
creatine products and the edema (fluid redistribution) of creatine outside the muscle tissue.
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Would you suggest that glucose / dextrose be combined with CON-CRĒT?
No, it is not necessary. Most individuals get plenty of sugar in their daily dietary intake. We only suggest
taking CON-CRĒT with 4-6 ounces of grape or apple juice because, when mixed with these juices, it will
create a pleasant tart taste.
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Does taking CON-CRĒT with grape or apple juice create a glucose carrier to assist product delivery into the body’s system as compared to simply taking it with water?
As a continuation of the question above, we suggest taking CON-CRĒT with grape or apple juice simply to
help moderate the tartness of the product.
We do not promote, nor do we make any claims regarding the concept of a glucose carrier approach. In
fact, our test results show CON-CRĒT performing equally well regardless of the liquid in which it is
dissolved.
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What is the pH of CON-CRĒT? What is the pH of your stomach? What does pH have to do with bio-availability and absorption?
pH is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution. Aqueous solutions at 25°C with a pH less than
seven are considered acidic, while those with a pH greater than seven are considered basic (alkaline).
When a pH level is 7.0, it is defined as 'neutral' at 25°C because at this pH the concentration of H3O+
equals the concentration of OH− in pure water. pH is formally dependent upon the activity of hydronium
ions (H3O+), but for very dilute solutions, the molarity of H3O+ may be used as a substitute with little loss
of accuracy. (H+ is often used as a synonym for H3O+). Because pH is dependent on ionic activity, a
property which cannot be measured easily or fully predicted theoretically, it is difficult to determine an
accurate value for the pH of a solution. The pH reading of a solution is usually obtained by comparing
unknown solutions to those of known pH.
With that said, a dose of CON-CRĒT in 4-6 ounces of a liquid (grape juice, apple juice or water) yields a pH
of approximately 2.0, but it does vary with the volume of liquid in which it is dissolved. As shown in the
graphic below, the stomach has a pH that can vary between 1.0 and 2.0.
Bio-availability and absorption are effected by pH in that the gastro intestinal (GI) tract is accustomed to
dealing with low pH materials and therefore requires no change or differentiated chemistry to process.
Put another way, CON-CRĒT’s low pH is symbiotic to the stomach and the cleaved molecules are a
completely natural component of the GI tract. This alignment produces the exceptional bio-availability
and absorption rates that have been proven by the superior results experienced by CON-CRĒT users.
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How stable is CON-CRĒT in water / juice?
Results from tests sponsored by ProMera Health, LLC, the manufacturer and marketer of CON-CRĒT, have
shown CON-CRĒT to be perfectly stable after 60-days in water. We are in the process of further testing
these attributes and will update upon receipt of new data.
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How important is it that CON-CRĒT dissolves completely in water?
While there are significant studies that examine the percentage of water in the human body, it is widely
agreed that the typical male has approximately 69% of their body mass comprised of water. For females,
this number is approximately 55% (due to the higher proportion of body fat). Obviously, water is a critical
component of life, and instrumental in maintaining health and wellness.
This data points directly to the significance of CON-CRĒT being soluble and stable in water. In a recent
double-blind experiment, our independent researchers completely dissolved 90 grams of CON-CRĒT in
100mL of water (3.4 fluid ounces). The nearest competitor could only achieve 25 grams being dissolved,
and even then there was slight sediment visual. From there, most other creatines on the market could
only dissolve 1 gram of product – clearly indicative of their lack of effectiveness and thus the need for
loading.
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Do you load or cycle with CON-CRĒT?
No. There is no need to load CON-CRĒT as it is highly soluble and highly potent. As such, it delivers
creatine directly to the muscles in a manner that does not require the inefficient process known as
loading. There is no need to cycle as CON-CRĒT safely delivers creatine on a consistent and efficient
manner, which eliminates the need for cycling.
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When can you expect to see results from CON-CRĒT?
Users often report an immediate impact on endurance and recovery. From a strength building and
muscle size perspective, our user assessments (volunteers who dosed from 4 to 104 weeks) reflected that
95% of users saw results in the first four weeks of usage with the balance noting results by week five.
It is important to note that continued use of CON-CRĒT is safe and will continue to positively impact
endurance, recovery, strength and mass when taken as directed.
Remember, by facilitating strength and recovery, CON-CRĒT allows you to work-out longer and more
effectively so that you can build more muscle. It also can help increase muscle volume by pulling water
into the cells for protein synthesis, which, in turn, causes the muscles to be bigger.
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Finally, there have been several companies that tout that their creatine products are “micronized” – what are they referring to?
Unfortunately, this term tends to be marketing hype. In most cases, the term micronized refers to the
difference between using 80 mesh creatine monohydrate and 200 mesh creatine monohydrate. Or, put
another way, it is simply ground-down and screened to a finer powder consistency which usually brings
along a higher price tag with no significant increase in performance.
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