The month of love is here – I’m saying yes to self-love and self-care backed by science 🙂
I am happy to share that I am continuing the fitness journey I started off almost 2 years ago. As you know, Naked Nutrition has been an incredible partner along the way, helping me to reach my goals in a wholesome, long-term sustainable fashion. You are welcome to check out my previous collaborations with Naked Nutrition here, here, here, here, and here.
Naked Nutrition have recently launched their Lean Creatine HCL powder, and I jumped at the chance to be one of the first bloggers to try it out.
- What is creatine?
Creatine is a a naturally occurring compound found throughout the body and also in protein foods such as meat, fish, and dairy products. It is also, by far, the most thoroughly researched and widely used supplement on the market, proven to help increase muscle mass & improve strength.
- Creatine Monohydrate vs. Creatine Hydrochloride (HCL)
As stated on the Naked Nutrition website, creatine monohydrate is the original form of creatine supplements, and the type used in most of the studies. “Beyond that, you’re likely to encounter Creatine Magnesium chelate, Creatine pyruvate, Creatine Citrate, Creapure, Creatine Nitrate, Buffered Creatine (Kre-Alkalyn), Creatine Hydrochloride (Con-Cret), Creatine Hydrochloride, Creatine Ethyl Ester and many others. Each of these forms claim their own unique perks, but the most common differences have to do with absorption and solubility.”
In recent years, creatine hydrochloride (HCL) has been acknowledged for its enhanced effectiveness and absorption compared to other forms of creatine, such as creatine monohydrate. The latter’s poor solubility in water “can result in undissolved creatine in the digestive tract, causing irritation for some people. There is some evidence to suggest that the reduced solubility of creatine monohydrate may be a potential cause for the increased side effect of water retention in creatine monohydrate vs HCL. Plus, because creatine monohydrate is not very soluble, it is also likely less effective than creatine hydrochloride.”
Last but not least, because creatine HCL is more bioavailable, a smaller amount can adequately fuel the muscles just as well as a larger dose of creatine monohydrate. For comparison, “for most people, taking 1.5 grams of creatine HCL daily is adequate. For creatine monohydrate, it’s recommended that people take 3-5 grams daily, on average.”
- Naked Lean Creatine HCL
Naked Nutrition’s Lean Creatine HCL comes in 2 varieties, Unflavored and Raspberry Lime, which are vegan, gluten free, GMO free, and contain no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or colors. It is made with organic prickly pear extract, which supports natural water balance, eliminating excess water while keeping muscles optimally hydrated. It also has magnesium, sodium, and potassium, which maximize creatine absorption and improve muscle cell hydration and performance.
You can add it to your pre-workout drink, post-workout shake, or any beverage throughout the day. Naked Nutrition emphasize that it is “best used consistently at the same time each day to maintain optimal creatine levels and support natural water balance.”
I have been thoroughly enjoying adding Naked Nutrition’s Lean Creatine HCL Unflavored to my daily smoothies. I like that it dissolves well and it doesn’t cause bloating or heaviness. It is also very effective, and a small scoop can go a long way! This is a cost-effective formula which delivers clean supplementation to my body in a gentle way, in tune with my body’s natural needs.
The Naked Nutrition website contains an extensive section on creatine, which you can consult here. I particularly recommend this article, which explores whether or not you can cook/bake with creatine.
I recommend Naked Nutrition’s Lean Creatine HCL to anyone who is approaching their fitness journey by making small, incremental yet meaningful changes. The unflavored variety is a wonderful addition to beverages, and I look forward to experimenting with cooking/baking with it in near future. In the meantime, cheers to smoothies and their delicious, creamy goodness 🙂
*Disclaimer: While I received payment and complimentary product to facilitate this review, all opinions expressed here are my own.
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