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Creatine Monohydrate: One of the most widely used performance-enhancing supplements on the market, creatine has been the subject of over 200 studies. These studies have shown definite positive effects for muscle building, enhanced cellular energy capacity, and reduced muscle fatigue. Beyond its muscle-building and performance-enhancing effects, creatine has been shown to increase fat loss and have positive effects on overall health.

One of the most thoroughly tested dietary supplements overall, and perhaps the most exhaustively tested sports nutrition ingredient outside of carbohydrates, is creatine monohydrate. Until several studies show that a different form of creatine is superior to creatine monohydrate when it is directly compared to creatine monohydrate, and that "superiority" is defined by significantly greater increases in fat-free mass and/or muscular performance, creatine monohydrate stands alone.

Di-Creatine Malate: A highly soluble creatine salt thought to provide a greater increase in creatine bioavailability over regular creatine monohydrate. Quite simply, this compound is creatine bound to malic acid. Malic acid is a naturally occurring Krebs Cycle intermediate, meaning that malic acid plays a crucial role in our natural energy cycle. Malic acid, coupled with creatine, as in Di-Creatine Malate, offers much greater ATP production over conventional creatine monohydrate. In the body, malic acid...

• Stimulates oxygen consumption by increasing mitochondrial uptake of other substrates
• Is the only metabolite of the Krebs Cycle that falls in concentration during exhaustive physical activity
• Depletion has been linked to physical exhaustion
• Supports the removal of components that buildup under hypoxic conditions and inhibit ATP production

Creatine Ethyl Ester or CEE is a membrane permeable form of creatine that theoretically can enter the cells without having to use the "typical" creatine transporter molecules. 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. Users are reported to gain substantial increases in strength and muscle mass, with none of the gastrointestinal discomfort or water bloating normally associated with the monohydrate form. Recommended dosages range from as little as one to three grams per day with no "loading" phase, as typically prescribed for the monohydrate form. Creatine monohydrate is semi-lipopholic (which means it inefficiently uses fat as a transport mechanism). The esterification of substances increases their lipopholic abilities, leading to the conclusion that esterified creatine will use fat more efficiently to permeate the cell wall and have greater benefits upon cellular function than creatine monohydrate alone.

Elemental Creatine Transporter Cofactors: Sodium and Chloride Creatine transporters, as stated above, also localize in the intestines and thus are the "first line" of creatine transport. Because of the not uncommon experience of intestinal distress (loose stools, diarrhea) among a minority of creatine users, especially during the loading phase, one wonders whether optimizing creatine transport conditions within the gut could make a distinctively positive difference.

Using animal intestinal segments and cells, intestinal creatine transport has recently been shown to have a critical requirement for a specific ratio of sodium and chloride ions??"a 2:1 ratio??"and no apparent requirement for potassium.

Because creatine transporter proteins are sodium- and chloride-dependent transporters, the provision of an optimal ratio of sodium and chloride, but not at an amount posing a concern for sodium-sensitive individuals, may foster greater gut tolerability during loading or single high-dose creatine monohydrate supplementation. Additionally, this transporter cofactor ratio may push absorption to the theoretical maximum of 100% of an oral dose.

Histidine is an amino acid found in the proteins of all life forms. Although most L-histidine is found in proteins, a small amount of free L-histidine does exist in plants and fermented foods. The naturally occurring dipeptides found in muscle, carnosine and anserine, are both comprised of L-histidine and beta-alanine. At the very least, it is a conditional essential amino acid for adults. That is, even though L-histidine is synthesized in adult human tissues, sufficient quantities may not be made to meet the physiological requirements.

It is also interesting to note that histidine alone increases nitric oxide (NO) 48% more than an equivalent concentration of arginine. So the use of an arginine and histidine mixture may be the most financially viable NO-releasing combination on the market today.

Di-Arginine Malate is a novel compound featuring two molecules of L-arginine bound to malic acid. Most available NO boosters offer only one molecule of L-arginine bound to AKG. L-Arginine is thought to increase nitric oxide production, leading to increased vasodilation and potentially increased protein synthesis. The positive effects of L-arginine on nitric oxide production are well established, but there were no published studies regarding arginine alpha-ketoglutarate and nitric oxide production.

Magnesium Chelate was created by combining arginine with malic acid, a naturally occurring intermediate in the Krebs Cycle. This bond makes much more sense because malic acid is the only metabolite of the Krebs Cycle that falls in concentration during exhaustive physical activity. Studies show that malic acid stimulates oxygen consumption by increasing mitochondrial uptake of other substrates, and it's also known to support the removal of components that buildup under hypoxic conditions and inhibit ATP production.