Creatine HCL vs Monohydrate: Cutting Through the Hype

Today we will look at one of the most popular fitness supplements on the market, creatine. If you are a part of the fitness community, you likely know what creatine is and what it can do for your body. If you are new to the world of working out, then maybe you are not super familiar with creatine, the forms it can come in, and how it can benefit you and your workouts.

Creatine is a natural chemical found within our bodies that contributes to the energy we use during physical activity. Creatine is essential for our bodies as human beings.

We can get small amounts of creatine from foods such as red meats, but there is such a tiny amount that sometimes it is not enough for some people’s bodies. This is why creatine supplements are on the market to help replenish your creatine supply during high-intensity workouts.

As an athlete, there are ample vitamins and dietary supplements to choose from. It can be overwhelming to distinguish the differences and figure out which one is right for your body and fitness routine and determine which can help your exercise and athletic performance.

In this article, we are going to discuss creatine HCL vs monohydrate. We will look at the main differences in the product itself, popularity, pricing, and more, so you can decide if creatine HCL or monohydrate supplements are right for you.

What is the Difference?

To decide which dietary supplement you should take, you need to know exactly what you are consuming. Like we previously talked about, creatine is a chemical that is naturally found in our bodies. We need creatine in our muscles to be able to have the energy to perform high-intensity workouts and improve exercise performance.

So, in the world of athletes, sports and fitness, it is easy to see why creatine is a popular choice as a supplement. More creatine in your muscles means more energy, leading to higher muscle mass, increased strength, improved muscle building, and overall a more intense workout. Now that we know what creatine supplementation can do, let’s discuss two kinds of creatine supplements available.

Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is the more common and well-known supplement of the two. It is used by many different athletes and has been around the longest between both choices.

Since it has been around for the longest, there is plenty of scientific research backing up the benefits of taking creatine in the monohydrate form.

Monohydrate essentially means that there is a water molecule that is a part of the creatine. This helps absorb the creatine into your muscles, which makes sense since our bodies are made up of mostly water.

Creatine monohydrate is often the purer form of creatine compared to creatine HCL. It is usually available in capsules or you can also find powdered creatine monohydrate that can be added to fitness shakes.

Due to the amount of scientific research and how many people are aware of this form of creatine, it makes it the most popular supplement choice by far.

Creatine HCL

The HCL in this creatine supplement stands for Hydrochloride. Although it is not the more popular option between the two forms of creatine, it still can produce the same increased energy results as the monohydrate form. This type of creatine means that it has been molecularly bound with hydrochloric acid.

Hydrochloric acid is known to be more soluble, which means it will speed up the absorption process in your muscles. In doing so, giving you more energy during your high-intensity workouts faster.

It also doesn’t have any water molecules, which means there is no concern for water retention, which can happen from creatine monohydrate. Bloating is also a common side effect when taking monohydrate, which you won’t get from the hydrochloride form.

However, just because it is known to absorb faster still doesn’t make it the more common choice. There is not nearly as much scientific evidence and research as there is on creatine monohydrate.

It also hasn’t been on the market as long, leaving several unknown questions surrounding creatine HCL. This lack of scientific research seems to keep a lot of the fitness world taking monohydrate rather than making the switch to creatine HCL.

Benefits

We know that creatine is found in our bodies and is essential for our muscles when we do intense physical activity. Both of them produce similar outcomes, but are there any extra benefits to knowing about one or the other form?

Monohydrate

One benefit of taking the monohydrate form is feeling comfortable and safe consuming this product. Some ample companies and brands make various types of creatine monohydrate products for the fitness world.

Knowing it is government-approved and tested, you can feel comfortable putting this added supplement into your body. There is more scientific research done on creatine monohydrate, which is mentally beneficial to know.

The fact that there are no added chemicals into the monohydrate form may be appealing to some people. Hydrochloride creatine is not dangerous; however, it is added into the creatine and not naturally found there.

HCL

Taking creatine HCL has a few extra benefits that don’t come from the monohydrate form. Firstly, since there is no water, it has a faster absorption rate into your muscles. This results in the energy being produced faster during your workouts, allowing you to workout longer and harder.

Some research also suggests that you don’t need to take as much creatine HCL as the monohydrate form to be effective. It is also said that the HCL makes the creatine become more stable in your muscles.

However, the amount of research covering creatine HCL is substantially less than creatine monohydrate, so it is unclear how true these benefits are. Until more scientific evidence is produced, it is hard to officially determine which dietary supplement has more benefits.

Effectiveness

Similar to the benefits, it is hard to determine which form of creatine will end up being the most effective. Each person’s body will also react differently, so creatine HCL may be more effective for one person, whereas creatine monohydrate might work better for another.

Cost

It is no secret in the fitness world that creatine monohydrate is much cheaper than creatine HCL. Most people say you will get more of your money’s worth out of the monohydrate than HCL form. It is much more inexpensive for the amount you are receiving, and you have a lot more options to choose from compared to HCL.

Which Should I Take as an Athlete?

In conclusion, there is no right or wrong answer, just a more popular one when it comes to the creatine HCL vs monohydrate debate. Creatine monohydrate seems to win in every category, being less expensive with more research backing it up. Creatine HCL is equally a good option that will likely produce the same results.

However, there is nowhere near the same amount of scientific research done, and the price is much higher. If you are new to the fitness world and just discovering creatine, the monohydrate form might be your best option.