Con-Cret Creatine is a brand that claims to sell “patented” and “bioavailable” creatine. The company claims that their product “provides all the benefits of creatine without the unpleasant side effects.”
But is there any proof that Con-Cret Creatine is superior to standard creatine or are these just marketing claims? Are the brand’s supplements effectively dosed? Do they contain any unhealthy additive ingredients? And how do real users rate and describe the effects of Con-Cret Creatine?
In this article we’ll answer all of these questions and more as we analyze the ingredients in Con-Cret Creatine to give our take on whether the supplement is likely to be effective and whether it’s superior to standard creatine.
We’ll highlight a questionable additive ingredient and share Con-Cret Creatine customer reviews.
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredient list above is from Con-Cret Creatine’s unflavored powder.
Creatine is the only ingredient, which is a good thing. The dose is 750 milligrams (mg) per serving, which is arguably underdosed.
A medical review published in the Current Sports Medicine Reports journal describes the effective creatine dosing range to be 300 mg per kilogram (kg) per day during the “loading” phase, and then 30 mg per kg during the “maintenance” phase. This equates to a loading dose of 25,800 mg (34x the amount in a Con-Cret serving) and a maintenance dose of 2,580 mg (3.4x the amount in a Con-Cret serving) for an average weight American man.
Creatine being potentially underdosed per serving isn’t a big deal in a single-ingredient formulation, because users can simply take a higher dose by using more scoops.
Con-Cret’s creatine capsules have a different ingredient list on their website and on Amazon which is a sign of a low-quality brand. The ingredient list on Amazon is shown below.
FD&C Yellow 5 is an artificial colorant which was shown in a 2007 clinical trial to be toxic to animals.
Titanium dioxide is another coloring agent which is banned in the E.U. for use as a food additive due to toxicity concerns, as we documented in our Osteo Bi Flex ingredients article on another supplement containing this additive.
The ingredient list on the brand’s website is shown below.
Natural flavors is a broad categorical term that fails to describe the specific flavoring chemicals used, and a 2004 medical review reported toxicity concerns regarding some natural flavoring ingredients.
We urge Con-Cret to immediately resolve this discrepancy by publishing an accurate ingredient list across all sales channels. This is a consumer safety issue.
The unflavored creatine powder is the healthiest formulation sold by Con-Cret in our opinion, because it’s free of any questionable additives.
But are the brand’s claims about the superior bioavailability of their creatine backed by research? We’ll analyze in the next section.
Is Con-Cret’s Creatine Better?
Creatine is sold by a wide variety of brands, so Con-Cret’s marketing centers on the proposition that their creatine is more bioavailable, which means it’s better-absorbed and utilized by the body.
However, the brand fails to provide any proof on their website backing these claims.
On the FAQ section of Con-Cret’s website, under a header “How is this product different from other creatines?” the brand claims that their supplement is proven in clinical research to be better-absorbed:
However, as shown in the above image, there is zero link or proof of these claims. Why would any consumer believe a brand’s clinical efficacy claims when the brand fails to link to the data backing those claims? Simply stating “our creatine is better” does not mean anything without proof.
We searched PubMed, the largest free resource for clinical trials, for the term “Con-Cret” and no results were found. If the brand has clinical trial data proving their claims we urge them to publish it. If not, we suggest that they remove their claims of clinical superiority.
We recommend that consumers be wary of brands making specific health claims without providing proof of those claims.
Does Creatine Actually Increase Muscle?
Creatine has been studied extensively in clinical trials for its effects on muscle gain and power.
A 2021 meta-study analyzed data from a number of clinical trials on creatine and workout performance and concluded the following: “studies have consistently shown increased lean muscle mass and exercise capacity when used with short-duration, high-intensity exercise.”
This suggests that creatine is effective for building muscle, but only when actively training. Individuals who are sedentary and taking creatine in an attempt to build muscle may be wasting their money.
As we documented in our Herbalife Nutrition review article, creatine is also clinically shown to increase power output, meaning it can increase lift strength and overall force generated.
Based on clinical studies on creatine, we do believe that Con-Cret’s products will improve gym performance and increase muscle mass if used while regularly training, but so will any other creatine at an effective dose.
Real People Try Con-Cret
A YouTube creator named Carl Anthony Brand reviews Con-Cret creatine and claims it caused side effects:
A fitness influencer and supplement brand owner named Jon Klipstein gave his take on the pros and cons of Con-Cret in a TikTok video:
@jon_klipstein Replying to @tonyonaninja concrete is a good creatine to use, if the price is right. #preworkout #supplementsthatwork #bestpreworkout #gymhacks #supplementreviews #preworkoutreviews #fyp #gymbros #gymhumor ♬ Lazy Sunday - Official Sound Studio
Our Clean Creatine Pick
MBG Creatine+ is our top creatine pick.
Beyond an effective creatine dose, this supplement contains an effective dose of taurine, an amino acid which was shown to improve power and time-to-exhaustion in a 2021 medical review.
This supplement is entirely free of ingredients we consider to be unhealthy.
Real Customers Review Con-Cret
Con-Cret is sold on Amazon, which is a better source of honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.
Con-Cret’s unflavored creatine powder has been reviewed over 3,400 times with an impressive average review rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars.
The top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Sierra” who claims to have experienced positive body changes:
“i’ve noticed i’m not just losing weight (muscle and fat) but I’m gaining muscle mass and losing fat. My overall body weight hasn’t changed much but my body composition has been sculpted. Creatine is a must!”
The top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Larry” who claims its overpriced based on the serving count:
“So for a 250 lb person who is doing intensive training this container is a week supply, for the cost of admission it's 1 start at best. The flavor is decent and the quality seems good, but not for $100+ per month.”
