Con Cret Creatine Hydrochloride is a creatine hydrochloride supplement manufactured by ProMera Sports.
Creatine is an energy-boosting organic compound that the body stores in the skeletal muscles. The body uses it to produce more energy for the muscles, allowing for greater endurance and strength.
There are plenty of creatine supplements on the market, though, so why should you choose Con Cret? We've asked ourselves the same question and decided to try it for ourselves.
Below is our honest opinion on the benefits of Con Cret Creatine HCL and whether you should invest in it.
About ProMera Sports
ProMera Sports is the manufacturer of Con Cret, so before we review the actual product, we want to talk briefly about this company's reputation.
After all, before you put anything in your body, you should know where it came from.
The company has been around since 1997 and was founded by Mark Faulkner, who also founded ProMera's parent company, Vireo Systems.
ProMera Sports was founded after Faulkner had the idea to bring the newly discovered conjugated creatine (creatine HCL) to the health market in the form of a supplement.
ProMera Sports and Con Cret were nominated for NaskorSports' Creatine of the Year Award at the 2019 NaskorSports Supplement Awards, so it's safe to say that the company and its star product have achieved success.
The Benefits Of Con Cret Creatine HCL
We can tell you right now that there are several benefits to introducing Con Cret Creatine Hydrochloride into your diet, but there are also some drawbacks.
To discuss these, we need to break down the ingredients used in the Con Cret formula.
Firstly, of course, Con Cret contains creatine hydrochloride. Creatine hydrochloride differs from regular creatine because the creatine is bound to hydrochloride molecules, which help to make it more water-soluble.
You don't need to take much of this supplement compared to other similar products on the market. One serving consists of just one 750-milligram scoop.
If the powder was less soluble, most of it would simply pool at the bottom of your cup or water bottle, but thanks to the extra solubility, the scoop fully dissolves in water so your container of Con Cret will last longer, and none will be wasted.
It's important to note that most of the information we just relayed to you is taken from one study, and there have been some questions about its reliability because it was conducted by the inventor of creatine hydrochloride.
The study in question concluded that because 70% more creatine was found in the blood plasma of subjects who took creatine HCL compared to regular creatine, the former must be more effective.
However, in order for creatine to be as effective as possible, it needs to get into the muscles. Just because there is more creatine in the blood doesn't mean that the same is true of the creatine in the muscles.
Actually, when you think about it, more creatine in the plasma might indicate that less reached the muscles, which is obviously not a good thing.
Therefore, more research needs to be done before we can say for sure that creatine HCL is superior to other creatine supplements.
Aside from creatine hydrochloride, there aren't many ingredients in Con Cret supplements.
Tricalcium phosphate is present, but this doesn't really have any health benefits - it's just an anti-caking agent.
This supplement also contains natural flavorings and some sucralose.
We should clarify that while the flavorings and colors in Con Cret are natural, there are some sweeteners in this formula that are artificial.
For this reason, many health-conscious athletes will want to avoid Con Cret Creatine HCL.
Is Con Cret Creatine Worth It For The Price?
Considering the fact that there hasn't been a lot of research conducted into the scientific benefits of creatine hydrochloride compared to creatine monochloride, it's fair to say that many health enthusiasts would consider this supplement a bit of a monetary gamble.
Before we can say whether it's worth trying this supplement, though, we need to do a breakdown of the costs.
A tub of Con Cret Creatine HCL contains 24 servings. Each serving, as we said earlier, contains 750 milligrams of creatine hydrochloride.
A tub of the supplement costs $16.50, so when you divide the price by the number of servings, you're paying 91.6 cents for each dose of creatine hydrochloride.
Compared to some other supplements on the market, this is fairly expensive, especially considering the tiny serving size.
The larger tubs of Con Cret are better in terms of value for money. If you buy the bigger tub of 48 scoops for $18.50 (only 2 dollars more), you get double the amount for a total of 51 cents per serving.
This is pretty good value for workout supplements, although again, you need to remember that the serving sizes are smaller, and the evidence for the smaller servings being equally effective due to extra solubility is a bit shaky.
Additionally, while there is no shortage of supplements retailing for over 60 cents per serving, creatine monohydrate is usually much cheaper (typically not more than 5 cents per gram), so Con Cret Creatine HCL is only really worth it if you fully believe that it's significantly more effective.
We've provided you with the supporting and disproving evidence for both sides of the argument, so at this point, it's up to you to decide.
What Does Con Cret Creatine Taste Like?
Con Cret Creatine Hydrochloride comes in many flavors. There's the Raw Unflavored variety, plus Lemon and Lime, Pineapple, and Raspberry.
Some buyers take issue with the Raw Unflavored Con Cret blend because the ingredients list still contains flavorings, so they feel deceived by the advertising, which is fair enough.
Generally, though, buyers enjoy the flavors. This might not be the best-tasting creatine supplement out there, but the powder’s taste is not overwhelming or bad.
We really liked the lemon and lime flavor, although it tastes more like lemonade than actual lemons or limes.
The raspberry flavors aren't quite as popular with Con Cret's customer base, but they're still much better than many of the supplements on the market.
Mainly, people find that the problem is simply that the flavor is too strong to be enjoyable as opposed to downright unpleasant.
The smell is a different matter. Many customers have reported being put off taking this supplement because of the smell, which is extremely strong and doesn't match up with the flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Creatine Hydrochloride Safe?
Creatine and creatine hydrochloride are generally safe to consume in supplement form as long as you adhere to the dosages printed on the packaging and ensure the supplement comes from a reputable manufacturer.
The safety of creatine also depends on your health. If you have diabetes, liver damage, or kidney damage, you should not take creatine.
Studies have proven that most healthy people can take creatine supplements for up to 5 years at a dosage of 10 grams daily without damaging their health.
However, there can be side effects such as muscle cramps, dehydration, and an upset stomach.
Assuming that the main study into the effects of creatine hydrochloride is correct, the dosage for this type of creatine needs to be lowered because of the more soluble nature of the substance.
Who Needs To Take Creatine?
Creatine is recommended to athletes who want to put on muscle and improve their endurance and physical strength.
This might also help exercise performance in general, and the same can be said for creatine hydrochloride.
However, people with kidney or liver damage or diabetes should not take creatine.
Will Creatine Get Rid Of Belly Fat?
Creatine and creatine hydrochloride are usually recommended to people who want to build muscle, but did you know that this substance can also help you to get rid of belly fat?
This is not a direct causal relationship, but studies have demonstrated that putting on more muscle can help you to burn more calories when you work out which, in turn, helps you to burn belly fat.
It's important to note that you can't really isolate fat burn to a certain part of your body, so if creatine helps you to lose stubborn belly fat, it will also be helping you to burn fat all over your body.
But for many people, the belly is an area that holds more fat and so it's their main focus when trying to lose weight.
In short, creatine doesn't make you lose belly fat, but it helps you to gain muscle which improves your body's ability to burn fat.
Final Thoughts
Con Cret Creatine HCL's efficacy is based on a single study that shows that taking this type of creatine increases the absorption of creatine into the plasma in your body.
While there isn't yet clear evidence to support creatine HCL increasing absorption in the muscles, this is enough for many people to want to give it a try.
If you can afford the high price per serving, want to build muscle, and don't mind artificial sweeteners in your supplements, Con Cret may be a good workout enhancer for you.
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