Welcome to the Supplements Expert Q&A for March 2007. Supplements play a key role in the development of muscle. What supplements you take and when you take them can really have an impact on your development and reaching your goals. Here at Muscle&Strength we want you to reach your goals so we've recruited a supplement expert to help you Q&A each month!

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March Supps Question:

What is Creatine Ethyl Ester?

Answer:

Creatine Ethyl Ester HCL (CEE) is creatine monohydrate with an ester attached. Esters are organic compounds that are formed by esterification - the reaction of carboxylic acid and alcohols. Studies have shown that regular creatine monohydrate has been shown effective at increasing lean muscle mass muscle strength and athletic performance. However, regular creatine monohydrate is absorbed poorly by the body - and its effectiveness is dependant upon the cells ability to absorb it. The poor absorption rate of regular creatine monohydrate requires the creatine user to ingest large dosages of creatine to achieve a desired effect. Regular creatine draws water to the cell, and because most ingested creatine monohydrate is not absorbed, unabsorbed creatine will sit outside of the target cell with the water, and this will normally result in the usual "creatine bloat." Creatine ethyl ester is creatine monohydrate with an ester attached. Creatine monohydrate utilizes lipids to permeate the cell wall and enter the cell. Because of this, the esterification of creatine, and the presence of esters in animal fat tissue, becomes significant.

Creatine monohydrate is semi-lipopholic. This means that it inefficiently uses fat as a transport mechanism. The esterification of substances will increase their lipopholic abilities, and thus esterified creatine will use fat more efficiently to permeate the cell wall and exert its effects upon cellular function than its unesterified creatine monohydrate counterpart.

This means, simply, that not only will dosage requirements be lower, but the absorption of esterified creatine will be increased and the infamous "creatine bloat" will be eliminated! The attachment of an ester is significant, because esters are found in fat tissue of animals.

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About Doug Lawrenson:

Doug Lawrenson is our resident diet guru & fitness over on the Muscle&Strength Forum. Doug has had experience as a bodybuilder, coach and judge at national competition level. If you have questions for Doug or need some advice you can chat to Doug on the forum. Doug is on the forum almost every day!

Doug has written some in-depth and informative articles that have been featured on Muscle&Strength.com. To read some of his articles, check out the diet & nutrition articles section of this this website.