Jake Luhrs is the frontman of Grammy nominated band, August Burns Red. We spent the day with Jake, learning what fuels him to perform at the highest level. Watch now!
By Robert Schinetsky | Mon, Feb 18, 2019
Creatine Nitrate 101: Everything You Need to Know
Creatine monohydrate is one of the most popular and well-known supplements in sports nutrition, and for good reason—the stuff flat-out works. The body of research documenting the ergogenic properties of creatine is extensive, with multiple studies noting that supplementing with the so-called "king of bodybuilding" supplements can:
- Enhance ATP (muscular energy) production during intense exercise
- Support increases in muscular strength and size
- Improve muscular endurance and peak power
There's a good chance that you’ve used creatine in the past, and that the majority of you are even using it right now on its own or as part of a larger product blend.
In fact, if you roll over to the supplement facts panel on your tub of C4®, you’ll notice that it has creatine. But, it’s not the “standard” creatine monohydrate that you’re probably used to seeing in other pre-workouts. The form of creatine included in the different versions of C4® is one of the newer, “alternative” types of creatine you’ll encounter called "creatine nitrate."
In this article, we’ll discuss what creatine nitrate is, how it's different than creatine monohydrate, and explain how it enhances your performance.
What Is Creatine Nitrate?
There’s little dispute that creatine monohydrate is one of the most effective bodybuilding supplements of all time. Of course, it’s human nature to find ways to optimize and maximize everything—including creatine.
Over the years, myriad forms of creatine have hit the market, including creatine ethyl ester, magnesium creatine chelate (MCC), and creatine hydrochloride, or creatine HCl. Some of these have matched the effectiveness of creatine monohydrate, but others have turned out to be potentially less effective than monohydrate, such as creatine ethyl ester.
Creatine nitrate, however, brings increased both solubility and efficacy to the table, making it unique among creatines. With creatine nitrate, the creatine molecule is bound to a nitrate group, which gives it a number of interesting properties, including increased water solubility.
In fact, one study noted that creatine nitrate has about 10 times the water solubility as does either creatine monohydrate or buffered creatine. This means that it takes 10 times the amount of water to dissolve creatine monohydrate as it would creatine nitrate.[1]
Creatine nitrate isn't just more soluble, however. It also has something to offer that creatine monohydrate doesn’t: namely, nitrates.
What Are Nitrates?
Nitrates (NO3−) are organic polyatomic ions found in a number of foods, including beets, spinach, kale, and collard greens. When ingested, either from food or through supplements, as in the case of creatine nitrate, nitrates are converted to nitric oxide via the nitrate → nitrite → nitric oxide pathway in the body.[2]
Due to this increase in nitric oxide, nitrates may help support improved blood flow and oxygen delivery. Nitrates may also relax blood vessels, easing the workload on the heart when blood is returning to it from the arms and legs.
What does this mean in terms of improving athletic performance?
Various studies have noted that nitrate supplementation can decrease oxygen cost despite maintaining workload.[3,4] Reducing the oxygen “cost” of exercise can lead to improved energy efficiency during training, thereby increasing the amount of time you can train until reaching fatigue.[4] As you would expect, this leads to improved performance as well as increased muscle contractile efficiency through a reduction of the ATP cost of muscle contraction.[5]
Human studies conducted with subjects supplementing with 1 and 2 gram doses of creatine nitrate found that those who used the novel form of creatine improved:
- Peak power output
- Average power output
- Average velocity
- Lifting volume
In other words, supplementation with creatine nitrate helps athletes perform more work with greater power and velocity while simultaneously reducing the amount of effort expended. Of course, I'd be remiss not to mention one other major aesthetic benefit to supplementing with creatine nitrate: bigger muscle pumps!
Cellucor® C4® uses the only patented, legally-licensed form of creatine nitrate: NO3-T™. Using the trademarked NO3-T™ ensures quality and consistency with each dose, allowing you to experience the power and performance-boosting benefits of nitrates each and every time you use the product.
References
- Joy JM, Lowery RP, Falcone PH, et al. 28 days of creatine nitrate supplementation is apparently safe in healthy individuals. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2014;11(1):60. Published 2014 Dec 20. doi:10.1186/s12970-014-0060-9
- Lundberg JO , et al. "The Nitrate-nitrite-nitric Oxide Pathway in Physiology and Therapeutics. - PubMed - NCBI." National Center for Biotechnology Information, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18167491.
- Bailey SJ, Winyard P, Vanhatalo A, Blackwell JR, Dimenna FJ, Wilkerson DP, Tarr J, Benjamin N, Jones AM. Dietary nitrate supplementation reduces the O2 cost of low-intensity exercise and enhances tolerance to high-intensity exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol. 2009;107:1144–1155. doi: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00722.2009
- Lansley KE , et al. "Dietary Nitrate Supplementation Reduces the O2 Cost of Walking and Running: a Placebo-controlled Study. - PubMed - NCBI." National Center for Biotechnology Information, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21071588#.
- Fulford J, Winyard PG, Vanhatalo A, Bailey SJ, Blackwell JR, Jones AM. Influence of dietary nitrate supplementation on human skeletal muscle metabolism and force production during maximum voluntary contractions. Pflugers Archiv. 2013;465:517–528. doi: 10.1007/s00424-013-1220-5.
- Galvan E, O'Connor A, Goodenough YC, et al. Effects of 28 days of two creatine nitrate based dietary supplements on bench press power in recreationally active males. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2015;12(Suppl 1):P17. Published 2015 Sep 21. doi:10.1186/1550-2783-12-S1-P17
- "Acute and Chronic Safety and Efficacy of Dose Dependent Creatine Nitrate Supplementation and Exercise Performance." Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12970-016-0124-0.
By Matt Villanueva | Mon, Dec 17, 2018
Gains On the Go: Your Guide to Muscle Growth While Traveling
Dr. Matt Gaston Villanueva, Ph.D.
Be assured: once you’ve finished this article, never again will you have to worry about losing your hard-earned gains while you travel. For one, not having access to a gym or a lot of training equipment will no longer be a reason to miss a workout (thank goodness!), especially while you’re on the road. Second, when you’re on-the-go, there are specific and crucial nutritional “quick-fixes” that can boost your performance and keep your body’s anabolic switch turned on.
THE TRAINING
To design training protocols for your travels, focus on four primary elements.
- First, think Minimal Equipment: Your workouts can, in fact, be completed with the use of your own body weight and either a pair of dumbbells or a single kettlebell.
- Second, be aware of Time Efficiency: Your workouts need to be effective and efficient and can easily be completed in under 45 minutes, including a 5- to 10-minute warm-up.
- Third, focus on Intensity: Your workouts should be flat-out hard. You won’t stand around much, you will sweat, and you should step outside of your comfort zone. A relatively short session means you have to train with an all-out mindset.
- Finally, target your Total Body: Your workouts should hit the entire body and primary (large) muscle groups. Emphasize multi-joint exercises, and take a balanced attack approach by selecting a battery of exercises that work (opposing) muscle groups for both the upper and lower body.
Minimal Equipment: As counterintuitive as this may sound, some of my best workouts have taken place on-the-road with only the use of my body weight and a single “tool,” such as one kettlebell. What makes this maximally effective, though, is the weight/load you choose. While load specificity depends upon several factors, including your relative strength level and training experience with certain types of equipment, here are some general guidelines to consider.
- For Men: Select a kettlebell or two-dumbbell load that is equivalent to between 30% and 40% of your body weight. For example, in general: a 200-lb. man would select a kettlebell between 60 and 80 lbs. or a pair of 30-40 lb. dumbbells.
- For Women: Select a kettlebell or two-dumbbell load that is equivalent to between 20% and 35% of your body weight. For example, in general: a 125-lb. woman would select a kettlebell between 25 and 45 lbs. or a pair of 12.5-20 lb. dumbbells.
Whether male or female, select a load that you can move well and without stopping. In other words, this load should be challenging, but it shouldn’t be so challenging that you break your form for any given upper body or lower body exercise. Along these lines, you should be able to train proficiently with this load for at least 30 seconds without stopping.
Time Efficiency: Travel often means you’re on vacation or at work, and no one necessarily wants or needs an inordinate dose of training time to interfere with the other main objectives and purposes of the trip. Accordingly, I outline three different and highly effective work:rest templates — use the option that best suits you and your current state of fitness — that will leave you feeling pushed, challenged, AND unstoppable after a fast and furious training session.
- Do repeat bouts of 30 seconds of non-stop work with 10 seconds of passive rest.
- Do repeat bouts of 45 seconds of non-stop work with 15 seconds of passive rest.
- Do repeat bouts of 60 seconds of non-stop work with 20 seconds of passive rest.
I prefer to create my own unique timer in my phone (e.g., using “Seconds Pro”) and, for example, mix and match the 3 different work:rest templates above. Make sure to prepare, mentally, for “sprint-type” work, which means you will drive your physical capacity to go all-out for the designated work interval and train yourself to recover as quickly as possible during the corresponding passive rest interval.
You will exhaust and highly challenge your immediate, ATP-CP, and glycolytic energy systems, which operate during work bouts lasting between roughly 3 and 60 seconds, depending on your fitness level and training experience.
In terms of total time to complete a workout, following a thorough and well-rounded warm-up, here are two examples (Workout A and B). Note that, here, one round equals 30 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, 45 seconds of work, 15 seconds of rest, 60 seconds of work, and 20 seconds of rest, for a total of three minutes.
- Workout A: 10 Rounds = 30 minutes of total time = 22.5 minutes of work and 7.5 minutes of passive rest
- Workout B: 13 Rounds = 39 minutes of total time = 29 minutes, 15 seconds of work and 9 minutes, 45 seconds of passive rest
Intensity: It may not be easy, but it’s simple and more than worth it: go hard, and then go home! If you examine the two example workouts closely, you’ll see that the time you will spend actually moving is less than 30 minutes in either case! From plenty of personal/professional experience, that is a perfect amount of time that allows you to work extremely hard and come out of the workout feeling both challenged and accomplished.
Remember, make it your number one priority to lift non-stop during your work intervals; intermittent/occasional pausing of your timer is perfectly acceptable, and I do it all the time, especially to hydrate, sip on my supplements, and ensure that the quality of my training session remains sky-high.
Ideally, you would never set down your weight(s) during a work interval; you will recover as quickly as possible during your very brief rest periods, and you will be ready to rock ‘n’ roll at the very beginning of every new work interval.
Total Body: The 3 other main elements of “Gains On-The-Go Workouts” are founded upon exercise selection. To sum it up, here’s what you will aim for:
- Multi-Joint Exercises: squats, deadlifts, lunges, RDL’s, swings, high pulls, shoulder presses, chest presses, push-ups, rows, upright rows, and the like.
- Balance and Variation: Most often, you should select 6 to 12 different exercises, including upper body and lower body that hit agonist and antagonist muscle groups.
- Head to Toe: Select 2 to 4 exercises that are non-resistance based. These can be viewed as “cardio” and/or active recovery exercises and can include: jumping jacks, mountain climbers, body weight squat jumps, split squat jumps, sprints/high knees, planks/bridging, ab/trunk work.
- Exercise Sequencing: So that your output and technique can remain very high-quality, strategically sequence exercises within a complex, by emphasizing multi-joint exercises + isolation exercises and/or agonist + antagonist sequencing (specifically, stacking opposing muscle groups and/or upper body + lower body muscle groups/movements)
SUPPLEMENTATION IS KING
Whenever I travel, convenience trumps all. So, make it easy for yourself to properly fuel your body with minimal prep’ time. No solid food and Tupperware, just one shaker bottle and 2 main supplements…easy breezy!
To START: approximately 15-30 minutes before beginning your warm-up, grab and smash a C4 ON-THE-GO, for a pre-mixed pre-workout drink you easily pack in your suitcase and take with you when you're traveling. Above all, I love C4 ON-THE-GO’s cutting-edge, science-backed, and results-proven formulation that augments energy and mental focus, in addition to priming your body and energy systems for a stellar workout. It only has 8 Calories, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of sugar and the taste is outrageously good (my favorites are Watermelon, Cherry Limeade, and Icy Blue Razz!).
PERI-WORKOUT (immediately pre-, intra-, and immediately post-workout): Scientific research tells us that, even at rest, you can stimulate muscle protein synthesis by ingesting branched chain amino acids (BCAAs) or a complete protein source. On the road, I recommend you remove the guesswork by having one of my favorite BCAA powders – Scivation’s XTEND – on hand with a shaker bottle and water OR a supplement/water bottle funnel and water (the latter is my GO-TO!).
As a convenient muscle-building quick-fix, drink a serving or two of your BCAA’s peri-workout AND between solid-food meals as well, in order to trigger muscle protein synthesis and keep the gains pouring in!
BLAZING THE ROAD TO GROWTH
Now, THERE’S NO EXCUSE STANDING IN YOUR WAY, and wherever you go, your gains will come with you!
Plan ahead: write up a few different training protocols using my results-driven guidelines and recommendations, pack your supplements, and bring your equipment and workout clothes. Then, find an open space — whether it be an open field, your hotel room, or even the hotel fitness center — focus your mind, and do what we do best: get the job done!
Games Champ Mat Fraser to Serve as Panelist at The Big Natural in DC
By Team Cellucor | Fri, Sep 06, 2019
Citrulline Nitrate 101: The Dual-Pathway Nitric Oxide Amplifier
By Robert Schinetsky | Tue, Jul 30, 2019
6 Things to Ask a Personal Trainer Before Hiring Them
By Mark Barroso | Wed, May 08, 2019
What are the Benefits of Cognizin® Citicoline?
By Robert Schinetsky | Fri, Apr 26, 2019
3 Elements of Gaining Mass Without Adding Body Fat
By John Papp | Wed, Jan 30, 2019
Bands vs. Chains: How They Work and Do You Need Them?
By John Papp | Mon, Jan 28, 2019
Cellucor Receives Challenger Coin for Supporting Camp Buehring
By Team Cellucor | Fri, Jan 25, 2019
Eating to Grow: 10 Best Foods for Muscle Growth
By David Sautter | Fri, Dec 21, 2018
Official Rules: C4 On the Go Weekly Giveaway
By Team Cellucor | Thu, Dec 20, 2018
How to Build Muscle and Strength While Traveling
By Robert Schinetsky | Wed, Dec 05, 2018
Best in the World w/ Mat Fraser | Ultimate Edge
By Team Cellucor | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
Training Room Pt. 2: Setting Priorities
By Guest Contributor | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
Training Room Pt. 1: Getting Started on a Fitness Plan
By Craig Capurso | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
Mental Training Ep. 3: Managing Expectations
By Guest Contributor | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
Mental Training Ep.2: Commitment to Working Out
By Guest Contributor | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
Mat Fraser and Brooke Wells Drop In to CrossFit Jääkarhu
By Team Cellucor | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
Cardio and Strength Training for Losing Fat?
By Craig Capurso | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
Is There a Quick Fix for Getting in Shape?
By Ron 'Boss' Everline | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
On the Go Challenge: Ron Boss Everline ft. Firefighter Clarence Parks
By Ron 'Boss' Everline | Tue, Dec 04, 2018
Finding the Right Pre-Workout for Your Goals
By David Sautter | Sun, Dec 02, 2018
Can you really lose fat and build muscle at the same time?
By John Papp | Mon, Nov 26, 2018
Beta-Alanine 101: Everything You Need To Know
By Robert Schinetsky | Fri, Nov 09, 2018
Do This Hip Opening Mobility Flow Before You Squat
By Guest Contributor | Fri, Nov 09, 2018
"I was good at making lots of goals, but never good at following through"
By Guest Contributor | Wed, Nov 07, 2018
Pumpkin Spice Protein Pancakes + Maple Cream Cheese
By Jolene Kohne | Sat, Nov 03, 2018
Calculating Your Calories and Macros for Gains
By Craig Capurso | Thu, Nov 01, 2018
Weekly Roundup: Training Advice, Midnight Cherry and More
By Team Cellucor | Mon, Oct 22, 2018
Weekly Roundup: Embracing the Process, Cereal Protein, and more
By Team Cellucor | Mon, Oct 15, 2018
Chocolate Coconut Recovery Protein Ice Cream
By Jolene Kohne | Sun, Oct 14, 2018
Training Guide for Size: How Much Volume Should You Use?
By David Sautter | Wed, Oct 10, 2018
Weekly Roundup: Weight Loss Tips, New C4 Carbonated Flavor, and more
By Team Cellucor | Mon, Oct 08, 2018
How to Time Supplements for Greater Effectiveness
By Robert Schinetsky | Thu, Oct 04, 2018
Random Acts of Fitness Challenge and What You Need to Know
By Team Cellucor | Fri, Sep 28, 2018
Trainers Reveal the Worst Fitness Advice They've Heard
By John Papp | Thu, Sep 27, 2018
3 Essential Principles for Insane Muscle Hypertrophy
By David Sautter | Wed, Sep 26, 2018
"I learned that it's not embarrassing to ask questions"
By Guest Contributor | Fri, Sep 21, 2018
3 Essential Supplements for Building Muscle
By Robert Schinetsky | Tue, Sep 11, 2018
Fuel the Burn: Lean Meals for a Healthy Body
By David Sautter | Fri, Sep 07, 2018
4 Nootropic Ingredients to Benefit Cognitive Performance
By David Sautter | Mon, Sep 03, 2018
Ask Dr. Matt Vlog: Time-Efficient Training Techniques
By Matt Villanueva | Thu, Aug 30, 2018
C4 Original Carbonated vs. C4 Ultimate Carbonated
By Mark Barroso | Mon, Aug 20, 2018
8 Habits That Help You Get and Stay Lean
By Bobby Holland Hanton | Mon, Aug 13, 2018
Athlete Roundup: Lessons Learned in Fitness
By Team Cellucor | Thu, Aug 09, 2018
What I wish I'd known before I trained for my first fitness competition
By Jen Jewell | Wed, Aug 01, 2018
3 Supplement Ingredients that Enhance Your Weight Loss Efforts
By Robert Schinetsky | Mon, Jul 30, 2018
Ep. 1: On the Go x Ron "Boss" Everline ft. Brooke Wells
By Ron 'Boss' Everline | Mon, Jul 30, 2018
Fat Burning Series: Essential Exercises for Weight Loss
By David Sautter | Mon, Jul 23, 2018
Essential Exercises: The 5 Basic Movement Patterns & Why You Need To Do Them All
By John Papp | Thu, Jul 19, 2018
Ask Dr. Matt Vlog: Intermittent Fasting for Fat Loss
By Matt Villanueva | Sun, Jul 15, 2018
Cellucor Sponsors the 10th World MMA Awards
By Team Cellucor | Thu, Jul 12, 2018
Body Part Split vs. Total Body Training for Fat Loss
By Jen Jewell | Fri, Jul 06, 2018
Meal Plans vs. Flexible Dieting for Fat Loss
By Robert Schinetsky | Mon, Jul 02, 2018
Strength vs. Hypertrophy: How to Train for Both
By Matt Villanueva | Wed, Jun 27, 2018
"Do what you have to do to get to where you want to be"
By Team Cellucor | Mon, Jun 11, 2018
VLOG: Why I Switched to Performance Based Training
By Craig Capurso | Sat, Jun 09, 2018
Meal Timing and Fat Loss: Does It Matter When and How Often I Eat?
By David Sautter | Thu, Jun 07, 2018
3 Delicious Protein Smoothies to Satisfy Sugar Cravings
By Team Cellucor | Mon, Jun 04, 2018
4 Ways to Do Cardio That Aren't Long and Boring
By Team Cellucor | Tue, May 29, 2018
Dark Chocolate Energy Bites & Sweet Potato Protein Cake
By Jolene Kohne | Wed, May 16, 2018
"Do things on your terms and time, not anyone else’s"
By Guest Contributor | Mon, May 07, 2018
Cellucor Behind the Scenes: C4® On the Go x Marc Fitt
By Team Cellucor | Thu, May 03, 2018
DO NOT SHAKE: C4® On the Go, Your New Pre-Workout Energy
By Team Cellucor | Wed, May 02, 2018
"Keep Pushing Until It Becomes a Natural Way of Living"
By Andrew Altman | Mon, Apr 23, 2018
VLOG: What's Holding You Back from Achieving Your Fitness Goals?
By Craig Capurso | Wed, Apr 18, 2018
Ross Dickerson: The Story Behind the Cellucor Athlete
By Team Cellucor | Tue, Apr 10, 2018
Flexible Dieting: The Pros and Cons of IIFYM
By Team Cellucor | Tue, Apr 03, 2018
VLOG: Reaching Your Fitness Goals is All About Accountability
By Ron 'Boss' Everline | Mon, Mar 12, 2018
Mark Smith: How the Disabled Strongman Eats & Trains For Competition
By Guest Contributor | Fri, Mar 02, 2018
"It only takes one person to change your life: YOU"
By Guest Contributor | Mon, Feb 26, 2018
"The Mind Will Give Up 1000 Times Before the Body Will"
By Team Cellucor | Mon, Feb 19, 2018
Load More Articles
Share & Contribute
Do you have a story or would you like to be a contributor? We'd love to hear from you.
Learn How