Creatine & Fenugreek, a Dynamic Duo for Glucose-Independent Creatine Uptake: 900mg Fenugreek Extract as Effective as 70g Dextrose
Image 1: Dried Fenugreek seeds (image from Wikipedia) Although it has been shown times and again that the real world significance of the effects of large boluses of glucose (dextrose) on skeletal muscle creatine-uptake has largely been overestimated (for a review cf. Jaeger. 2011 ), the proponents of consuming your creatine with grape-juice or other "fast-acting" carbohydrate sources, can still refer to a handfull of studies, which - if no increases in performance - could at least show improved creatine clearance (interpreted as muscle uptake) with simultaneous carbohydrate administration. Personally, I have always considered the addition of fast-acting carbs superfluous and for a certain group of people, such as figure athletes, even detrimental: in the long run, the additional carbohydrates do not only increase your chances of getting fat, the accompanying insulin spikes could even predispose you to diabetes; furthermore, the...