Dietary supplement companies are promoting creatine nitrate as a new and improved form of creatine. So how does this form of creatine compare to the more common monohydrate salt?
It’s been claimed that taking creatine nitrate can produce higher concentrations of creatine in muscle tissue. A small study in healthy adults shows that taking creatine nitrate 3 grams daily for 5 days increases muscle creatine levels slightly more than taking creatine monohydrate at the same dose. But longer-term research doesn’t agree. And it’s unclear if this could lead to greater clinical benefit.
In general, most of the available research focuses on creatine monohydrate. While there is research comparing creatine monohydrate with creatine nitrate in athletes, there isn’t any clinical evidence suggesting creatine nitrate is better or more effective. And it hasn’t been evaluated in elderly patients, such as those with age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia). Note that the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) recommends creatine monohydrate, but not creatine nitrate.
Tell patients that while creatine nitrate might be getting a boost in marketing materials, it’s best to stick with creatine monohydrate until we have more definitive data on this and other salt forms. Regardless of which salt form is used, make sure patients stay adequately hydrated when using creatine products.
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