NOW Foods Sports Nutrition, Micronized Creatine Powder 500 g, Mass Building*/Energy Production*, 1.1-Pound

Love the results. You do have drink a lot of water. No smell. No taste. I drink mine in orange juice in the AM.

Solid purchase

Great product? Really helps in getting protein needed!

At my heaviest, I was well over 300 pounds. After a few years of dedicated healthy eating and exercise, I was able to drop over 140 pounds. I am a strict vegan and was finding a hard time finding safe supplements that were vegan-friendly. I work at a health food store which stocks quite a bit of NOW products, so after doing some research I decided to give this a try. I began a very disciplined weight lifting regimen in May and as of July 2, I have gained 15 pounds and am seeing large gains in muscle and definition. Creatine, itself, is not necessarily a weight gain supplement, but the extra energy I've gotten from it has extended my workouts and I keep lifting more and more every week.This DID require a loading phase of about one week. I used about 4 teaspoons, every 3 hours, for the first week, then after that cut it down to 1 teaspoon (about 5 grams) per day. On my workout days, I split up my dosage so I'm getting half in the morning, and half after my workout. It works best to mix it with something sugary, like apple juice, or to add it into your smoothies. It literally has NO taste. Not a good taste, not a bad taste, just no taste. Also, it does not mix all that well. Do not attempt to drop this into your juice and stir it in with a spoon. A blender bottle will work relatively well, and a blender will work even better (I have a Vitamix and it does the trick with the protein powder and fruit too).Creatine on its own will not build muscle or sculpt definition on its own. It's simply a naturally-occurring substance that aids in ATP production and hydrates the muscle cells (which I guess results in a slight retention of water weight). This has been a great addition to my workouts and I've noticed a great difference in "burst" in my running, and a very good difference in my stamina in the weight room.

What can I say, it's creatine. I noted that, since I've started using this stuff, I have a lot more energy in the gym. I have broken through the plateau that I have been stuck at for months and my bench has gone up - haven't maxed lately since I work out alone and that can be risky, but my working rep sets have gone up by a good 20 lbs. And 45-50 minute sessions are now the norm - I could go longer, even, but I have a family so I can't spend hours upon hours at the gym. Overall, with the gains in strength and endurance, not bad for a suburban dad who works in an office all day and is rapidly approaching 35.It doesn't taste like anything, so that that for what you will. Some people like the artificially sweetened stuff, I have no need. Just give me the powder and a glass of water - I'm drinking it for what it is, not because I'm looking for a taste experience that will blow my mind and transcend understanding.I selected this product admittedly for the price, which seemed to be the best price-per-use by far. If you're looking for a good, solid product that is 100% creatine monohydrate, and has no filler, no colors, no flavoring, just a no-frills, all-business creatine supplement at a reasonable price, this is the product for you. I will probably buy a second tub when the first runs out.

Made in the USA. 100% pure creatine monohydrate with no fillers. I use lots of NOW products and love them all. They are all all-natural and most are Made in the USA.Creatine monohydrate is one of the only legal substances that is proven to increase muscle mass long term in hundreds of clinical studies, with only one study citing a negative impact (possibly reacts badly if you are on medication that adversely affects kidney function). It has a ton of research to back it up, many of which you can just look up on wikipedia so I won't repeat them here. It is the only thing I supplement with other than protein.The way creatine works is as a energy reserve for your muscles so when you are deep into intense exercise it can be called on.. like a long-term storage-sugar that waits in your muscles until it is ready to be used. Make sure you drink plenty of water when supplementing with creatine because it is similar to a salt, if you let yourself get dehydrated much of its benefits will be countered.THE REST OF THE REVIEW IS FROM A VEGETARIAN BODYBUILDERS PERSPECTIVEPersonally, I am vegetarian, so naturally I get zero creatine supplemented by my diet. There was one study done on creatine with vegetarians that showed they far out-preformed meat-eating creatine users in cognitive tests. And out-preformed vegetarians who weren't supplementing with creatine. So that is just a double bonus. There is a difference in mental clarity although you do not need the mega-doses prescribed for body building for that effect. HOWEVER, creatine is typically not sourced from plant sources, although a plant sourced creatine exists it is extremely expensive, most creatine is actually synthesized from amino acids. The amino acids could be sourced from any number of plant or animal sources, from whey, to eggs, to plants, or all of the above. Likely they are sourced from the cheapest and most commonly available sources but it's hard to find that stuff out.It doesn't say on the bottle but two reviewers posted helpful links in the comments after the review that this is suitable for vegetarians/vegans.I'm a vegetarian body builder so with creatine I am willing to bend because there are so many studies backing it up in addition to the vegetarian study. After beginning supplementation I could instantly push myself for 20% more reps.. and I always do reps until muscular failure so I doubt it is a placebo effect. Other clinical studies also dual tested with placebo's of course so there is more than just my personal experience supporting that.BUT there is less effect for meat eaters because creatine is already naturally found in meat. Vegetarians will notice a much larger impact in their workouts. I have been vegetarian for 12 years, but I used creatine before I became vegetarian. My memory is hazy, but I remember it basically doing nothing. But as a vegetarian BAM! instant results.I used creatine for a year when I thought a glass of red wine a day was good for you. That will mess you up. Body building, creatine, and alcohol in any quantity do not mix. Creatine already dehydrates you because it is a salt, as does hard workouts. Throw a bit of alcohol into the mix, which also dehydrates you due to sulfates, and it made me physically ill. Some studies in the past have shown that creatine can affect the liver or kidneys, but those studies have been refuted and even the European union's medical board gave the opinion that 3G of creatine a day for years of use is completely harmless. But alcohol does effect liver and kidneys so drinking alcohol is essentially the same thing as taking a medication that affects those organs, so I would highly advise against mixing creatine with alcohol.Hope this review helped.

This is very gritty and does not dissolve in my smoothie or water.