{"id":604879290674,"title":"Con-Cret Review: Is \"Bioavailable\" Creatine Legit?","created_at":"2023-02-22T23:31:22-05:00","body_html":"\u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\/\/ \u003c![CDATA[\n{\n \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n \"@type\": \"Article\",\n \"headline\": \"Con-Cret Review: Is 'Bioavailable' Creatine Legit?\",\n \"keywords\": \"con cret, con cret reviews, con cret review, con-cret, con-cret reviews, con-cret review, con cret creatine, con cret creatine reviews, con-cret creatine, con cret creatine review, is con cret creatine good\",\n \"description\": \"Our research team analyzes the ingredients and dose in Con-Cret creatine supplements to give our take on whether or not they're likely to be effective. We explain why we don't believe Con-Cret's claims that their creatine is better than the competition.\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/con-cret-creatine-review\",\n\"author\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"Calloway Cook\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/calloway-cook\",\n \"sameAs\": \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/calloway-cook\/\",\n \"jobTitle\": \"President\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"entrepreneurship, dietary supplements, herbal supplements, eCommerce, medical research\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": \"S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University\"\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"editor\": {\n \"@type\": \"Person\",\n \"name\": \"DJ Mazzoni\",\n \"honorificSuffix\": [\n \"M.S.\",\n \"R.D.\",\n \"C.D.N.\",\n \"C.S.C.S.\"\n ],\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/dj-mazzoni\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/dj-mazzoni-rd-cdn-cscs-00a33038\/\",\n \"http:\/\/djmazzoni.com\/\"\n ],\n \"jobTitle\": \"Medical Reviewer\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"exercise, drugs, pharmaceutical, health, workout, strength and conditioning, nutrition, dietetics, medicine, medical research, scientific research, scientific method, healthcare, patient care, wellness\",\n \"alumniOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"EducationalOrganization\",\n \"name\": [\n \"State University of New York College Oswego\",\n \"D’Youville College\"\n ]\n },\n \"memberOf\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n }\n},\n\"image\": {\n\"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Con-Crete_Thumbnail.png?v=1677127086\",\n\"width\": \"2000\",\n\"height\": \"2000\"\n},\n\"citation\": [\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23851411\/\", \n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/17505761\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/osteo-bi-flex-review\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15093265\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/\",\n\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34234088\/\",\n\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/herbalife-review\"\n],\n\"mentions\": [{\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Amazon\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"Yellow 5\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Thing\",\n \"name\": \"natural flavors\"\n }\n],\n\"datePublished\": \"2023-02-22\",\n\"copyrightHolder\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\"\n},\n\"publisher\": {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Illuminate Labs\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/\",\n \"description\": \"Illuminate Labs is the most transparent supplement company in the U.S., and is a leading publisher of research-based health information.\",\n \"knowsAbout\": \"supplements, science, nutrition, exercise, health, medication, pharmaceutical, wellness, diet, weight loss, medical research\",\n \"publishingPrinciples\": \"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/pages\/editorial-guidelines\",\n \"memberOf\": [\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"U.S. Chamber of Commerce\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.uschamber.com\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Certified B Corp\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.bcorporation.net\/en-us\/\"\n },\n {\n \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n \"name\": \"Natural Products Association\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.npanational.org\/\"\n }\n ], \n \"logo\": {\n \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n \"url\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Illuminate_Labs_Favicon_48x48_7595c3cc-e27b-47b8-a4fe-edcc7ed9b29a.png?v=1666502785\", \n \"width\": 48,\n \"height\": 48\n},\n \"foundingDate\": \"2019-01-30\",\n \"sameAs\": [\n \"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/twitter.com\/illuminatelabs\",\n \"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/illuminate-labs-supplements\",\n \"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCpgSJAsIPb-fZ25djtTxBEA\"\n ]\n }\n}\n\/\/ ]]\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Con-Crete_Review_Article_Header_Image_Optimized.png?v=1677126605\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"dc\"\u003eC\u003c\/span\u003eon-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.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBut 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?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe’ll highlight a questionable additive ingredient and share real, unsponsored Con-Cret Creatine customer reviews.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIngredient Analysis\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Con-Cret creatine powder ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Con-Cret_Creatine_Powder_Ingredients_Optimized.png?v=1677126784\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredient list above is from Con-Cret Creatine’s unflavored powder.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eCreatine\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis the only ingredient, which is a good thing. The dose is 750 milligrams (mg) per serving, which is arguably underdosed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/23851411\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003epublished in the\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCurrent Sports Medicine Reports\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ejournal 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.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCreatine 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCon-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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Con-Cret creatine capsules Amazon ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Con-Cret_Creatine_Capsules_Ingredients_1_Optimized.png?v=1677126811\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFD\u0026amp;C Yellow 5\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis an artificial colorant which was shown in a 2007\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/17505761\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eclinical trial\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto be toxic to animals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTitanium dioxide\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis 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\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/osteo-bi-flex-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOsteo Bi Flex ingredients\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003earticle on another supplement containing this additive.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe ingredient list on the brand’s website is shown below.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg style=\"display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;\" alt=\"Con-Cret creatine capsules website ingredients\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Con-Cret_Creatine_Capsules_Ingredients_2_Optimized.png?v=1677126830\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNatural flavors\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a broad categorical term that fails to describe the specific flavoring chemicals used, and a 2004\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/15093265\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emedical review\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ereported toxicity concerns regarding some natural flavoring ingredients.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe urge Con-Cret to immediately resolve this discrepancy by publishing an accurate ingredient list across all sales channels. This is a consumer safety issue.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe unflavored creatine powder is the healthiest formulation sold by Con-Cret in our opinion, because it’s free of any questionable additives. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBut are the brand’s claims about the superior bioavailability of their creatine backed by research? We’ll analyze in the next section.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eIs Con-Cret’s Creatine Better?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCreatine 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHowever, the brand fails to provide any proof on their website backing these claims.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOn 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:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHowever, as shown in the above image, there is zero link or proof of these claims.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhy 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.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe searched\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ePubMed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe recommend that consumers be wary of brands making specific health claims without providing proof of those claims.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eDoes Creatine Actually Increase Muscle?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCreatine has been studied extensively in clinical trials for its effects on muscle gain and power.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA 2021\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/34234088\/\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003emeta-study\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eanalyzed data from a number of clinical trials on creatine and workout performance and concluded the following:\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e“studies have consistently shown increased lean muscle mass and exercise capacity when used with short-duration, high-intensity exercise.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eAs we documented in our\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/illuminatelabs.org\/blogs\/health\/herbalife-review\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eHerbalife Nutrition\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ereview article, creatine is also clinically shown to increase power output, meaning it can increase lift strength and overall force generated.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eBased 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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal, Unsponsored Con-Cret User Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA YouTube creator named Carl Anthony Brand reviews Con-Cret creatine and claims it caused side effects:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zL4tCl5NbOU\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA fitness influencer and supplement brand owner named Jon Klipstein gave his take on the pros and cons of Con-Cret in a TikTok video:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cblockquote style=\"max-width: 375px; min-width: 325px;\" data-video-id=\"7157485895812271402\" cite=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jon_klipstein\/video\/7157485895812271402\" class=\"tiktok-embed\"\u003e\n\u003csection\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@jon_klipstein?refer=embed\" title=\"@jon_klipstein\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e@jon_klipstein\u003c\/a\u003e Replying to @tonyonaninja concrete is a good creatine to use, if the price is right. \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/preworkout?refer=embed\" title=\"preworkout\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#preworkout\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/supplementsthatwork?refer=embed\" title=\"supplementsthatwork\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#supplementsthatwork\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/bestpreworkout?refer=embed\" title=\"bestpreworkout\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#bestpreworkout\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/gymhacks?refer=embed\" title=\"gymhacks\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#gymhacks\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/supplementreviews?refer=embed\" title=\"supplementreviews\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#supplementreviews\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/preworkoutreviews?refer=embed\" title=\"preworkoutreviews\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#preworkoutreviews\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/fyp?refer=embed\" title=\"fyp\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#fyp\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/gymbros?refer=embed\" title=\"gymbros\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#gymbros\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/tag\/gymhumor?refer=embed\" title=\"gymhumor\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e#gymhumor\u003c\/a\u003e \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/music\/Lazy-Sunday-6756879114637967368?refer=embed\" title=\"♬ Lazy Sunday - Official Sound Studio\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e♬ Lazy Sunday - Official Sound Studio\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/blockquote\u003e\n\u003cscript src=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\" async=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eOur Clean Creatine Pick\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cimg alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0047\/1524\/9737\/files\/Creatine_Image.png?v=1677126860\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOur top clean creatine pick is \u003ca el=\"sopnsored\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0C6QYG51R?ref=t_ac_view_request_product_image\u0026amp;campaignId=amzn1.campaign.1THW0HEM59ASL\u0026amp;linkCode=tr1\u0026amp;tag=illuminatelab-20\u0026amp;linkId=amzn1.campaign.1THW0HEM59ASL_1693336672602\"\u003eDMoose Creatine Monohydrate Powder\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThis supplement contains one ingredient: creatine monohydrate. There are no questionable additive ingredients and it is vastly cheaper than Con-Cret per serving.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCon-Cret’s unflavored creatine powder costs $29.99 and contains 48 grams (g) of creatine, which equates to $0.62 per gram creatine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eDMoose's unflavored creatine powder costs $24.99 and contains 300 g of creatine, which equates to\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cb\u003e$0.08 per gram\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e of \u003c\/span\u003ecreatine. This makes DMoose more than 5x cheaper than Con-Cret per gram.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eInterested consumers can check out DMoose Creatine Monohydrate Powder\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca rel=\"sponsored\" href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B0C6QYG51R?ref=t_ac_view_request_product_image\u0026amp;campaignId=amzn1.campaign.1THW0HEM59ASL\u0026amp;linkCode=tr1\u0026amp;tag=illuminatelab-20\u0026amp;linkId=amzn1.campaign.1THW0HEM59ASL_1693336672602\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eat this link\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eto the product's official Amazon listing.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReal Customers Review Con-Cret\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCon-Cret is sold on Amazon, which is a better source of honest customer reviews than a brand’s website in our opinion.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCon-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.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top positive review from a verified purchaser comes from a user named “Sierra” who claims to have experienced positive body changes:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“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!”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eThe top negative review from a verified purchaser is written by a user named “Larry” who claims its overpriced based on the serving count:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“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.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eConclusion\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCreatine is a research-backed supplement for increasing muscle mass and improving exercise performance. We consider Con-Cret’s creatine likely to be effective when taken at an appropriate dose.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWe cannot find any clinical evidence of Con-Cret’s claims that their creatine is more absorbable than that of other brands. Until the brand publishes evidence to back their claims of clinical superiority, we will not recommend them, because the supplement is vastly more expensive than other brands of creatine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eCon-Cret’s creatine pills contain questionable additive ingredients like artificial flavor and natural flavors. For consumers intent on purchasing from this brand, we recommend the unflavored creatine powder.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOnline customer reviews of Con-Cret are relatively favorable.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","blog_id":49281925193,"author":"Calloway Cook","user_id":26601750601,"published_at":"2023-02-22T23:41:23-05:00","updated_at":"2023-08-29T15:22:19-04:00","summary_html":"We analyze the ingredients and dose in Con-Cret creatine supplements to give our take on whether or not they're likely to be effective. We explain why we don't believe Con-Cret's claims that their creatine is better than the competition.","template_suffix":"","handle":"con-cret-creatine-review","tags":"_related:exercise, _related:sports-nutrition"}

Con-Cret Review: Is "Bioavailable" Creatine Legit?

Con-Cret Review: Is "Bioavailable" Creatine Legit?


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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 real, unsponsored Con-Cret Creatine customer reviews.

Ingredient Analysis

Con-Cret creatine powder ingredients

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.

Con-Cret creatine capsules Amazon ingredients

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.

Con-Cret creatine capsules website ingredients

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, Unsponsored Con-Cret User Reviews

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

Our top clean creatine pick is DMoose Creatine Monohydrate Powder.

This supplement contains one ingredient: creatine monohydrate. There are no questionable additive ingredients and it is vastly cheaper than Con-Cret per serving.

Con-Cret’s unflavored creatine powder costs $29.99 and contains 48 grams (g) of creatine, which equates to $0.62 per gram creatine.

DMoose's unflavored creatine powder costs $24.99 and contains 300 g of creatine, which equates to $0.08 per gram of creatine. This makes DMoose more than 5x cheaper than Con-Cret per gram.

Interested consumers can check out DMoose Creatine Monohydrate Powder at this link to the product's official Amazon listing.

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.”

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Conclusion

Creatine is a research-backed supplement for increasing muscle mass and improving exercise performance. We consider Con-Cret’s creatine likely to be effective when taken at an appropriate dose.

We cannot find any clinical evidence of Con-Cret’s claims that their creatine is more absorbable than that of other brands. Until the brand publishes evidence to back their claims of clinical superiority, we will not recommend them, because the supplement is vastly more expensive than other brands of creatine.

Con-Cret’s creatine pills contain questionable additive ingredients like artificial flavor and natural flavors. For consumers intent on purchasing from this brand, we recommend the unflavored creatine powder.

Online customer reviews of Con-Cret are relatively favorable.




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