Supplement makers love to sell "advanced" creatine as better absorbed than the old standby. A 2009 double-blind trial tested creatine ethyl ester against monohydrate and placebo in 30 untrained men over seven weeks of heavy training. CEE produced lower serum creatine and sharply higher serum creatinine, a pattern consistent with it breaking down into waste. Muscle creatine rose in both creatine groups, but strength, power, and body composition did not differ between any groups. The takeaway: skip the premium form and keep it simple.
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