The main drawback for a lot of bodybuilders was that it often resulted in intestinal distress and diarrhea because it sat in the intestines, pulling in water. With continued use, this side effect will subside for most bodybuilders. Another drawback of the creatine monohydrate form of creatine is the amount of carbohydrates needed to induce the muscles to absorb it. This is due to the fact that insulin is required to stimulate the creatine transporter in muscle cells. It requires approximately 100 g of simple carbs for every 5 g of creatine. This amount of carbohydrates taken before and sometimes after a workout often leads to stomach bloat, not to mention unnecessary sugar calories.

Better forms of creatine have hit the market over the past few years in order to address some of these issues, as well as increase absorption and its overall muscle building effects. Some of these products are creatine malate, creatine ethyl ester, creatine methyl ester, and buffered creatine.

One of the newest forms of creatine is creatine alpha-ketoglutarate, also known as creatine AKG. This is produced by binding AKG and creatine molecules together. You may have seen AKG also used in many NO (nitric oxide) products.

Alpha-Ketoglutarate is a precursor of glutamine, which means that with this supplement you are getting both glutamine and creatine. The key benefit, however, is that the intestines more easily absorb AKG, which will prevent the diarrhea that most bodybuilders experience when they take creatine monohydrate.

Another huge benefit of the creatine AKG, is that AKG readily crosses into muscle tissue without creatine transporters, which means that you no longer need to take in 100 g of carbohydrates with your creatine!

Creatine and AKG is also used in the Krebs Cycle, which is an aerobic energy-producing pathway. The Krebs cycle is used to replenish levels of quick energy within the muscle cells in between workout sets. Since creatine provides quick energy for completing more reps, and AKG helps restore energy levels between sets, the combination of the two is an extremely effective way to keep your energy and strength levels high during your workout.

Furthermore, since creatine AKG is absorbed more efficiently into the muscle tissue, you don't need to take quite as much as you would with creatine monohydrate.

I recommend using a creatine AKG product that contains 2-5 grams creatine in each serving. Take a serving before and after your workouts, and for additional benefits, add a serving at night and first thing in the morning.