Ingredients8.3
Effectiveness8.5
Value8.5
Taste7.5
Mixability8.3
Pros
  • High quality creatine
  • Betaine and beta alanine boost strength and endurance
Cons
  • Limited flavor availabilty
8.2Overall Score

When it comes to making a unique supplement these days, your only chance to stand out is by giving the people what they want. In the hopes of giving the people in search of more power what they want, GNC has recently launched the aptly named Amplified Creatine XXX.

Just like the Amplified Creatine XXX Ripped combined creatine with fat burning ingredients, Amplified Creatine XXX Power combines creatine with strength and performance enhancing ingredients to help you increase muscle mass and improve body composition.

Creatine, A Sure Thing

Everyone wants to bet on a sure thing, and when it comes to effective ingredients, creatine is definitely your best bet. It is well-researched and proven to increase strength, endurance, and lean muscle mass.[1]

One of the good things I noticed about the creatine complex in Amplified Creatine XXX Power is the high quality creatine types. The types of creatine you’ll find in here are OT2 creatine monohydrate, creatine hydrochloride (HCL), creatine ethyl ester, and creatine citrate.

With these types of creatine you don’t have to worry about the gastrointestinal side effects associated with creatine supplementation such as bloating and cramping.

The OT2 added to the creatine monohydrate stands for Optimal Timing Technology. This is a sustained release formula exclusive to GNC that slowly releases creatine over a 6 hour period for better absorption and recovery.

I also really liked the addition of creatine citrate in here. Citrate is a Krebs cycle intermediate which will help increase adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy system that fuels the body’s cells. The citrate molecule also improves creatine absorption.

Power To the People

The power complex in Amplified Creatine XXX Power contains some pretty well-researched ingredients that I’ve seen experts recommend time and time again like betaine, beta-alanine, and agmatine sulfate.

Beta alanine binds with the amino acid histidine, and saturates muscles with carnosine. This improves ph balance, and delays the burning sensation that sets into muscles when you’re reaching the end of your set.[2]

Betaine is one of the few ingredients shown in studies to increase strength, and I’ve started to see it in a lot of new supplements. In addition to increasing strength, betaine helps increase growth hormone, and boosts muscle growth.[3]

Agmatine sulfate is another popular performance enhancing ingredient. Agmatine is an arginine derivative which utilizes the reverse nitric oxide pathway to stimulate greater vasodilation. This improves muscle pumps, leading to more strength and better endurance. [4]

Taste, Price, Power and Mixability

Right now, Amplified Creatine XXX Power is available in fruit punch and orange. I had the opportunity to try the fruit punch, and didn’t think it was anything special. It wasn’t bad by any means, just an average fruit punch flavor.

It does mix very well, and there was only a little bit of undissolved powder in my shaker cup. I had a solid workout on it, and definitely felt a nice clean energy. If buying this online, expect to pay between $45-$55.

Is Amplified Creatine XXX Power For You?

This is definitely one of the better stimulant free products on the market. It has a pretty well rounded formula with effective ingredients backed by research like beta alanine, betaine, and agmatine sulfate. This is perfect if you’re taking a break from stimulants, or just looking for an extra performance boost.

References:

[1] Burke DG, Chilibeck PD, Parise G, Candow DG, Mahoney D, Tarnopolsky M. Effect of creatine and weight training on muscle creatine and performance in vegetarians Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2003 Nov;35(11):1946-55
[2] Artioli GG, Gualano B, Smith A, Stout J, Lancha AH Jr. Role of beta-alanine supplementation on muscle carnosine and exercise performance Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2010 Jun;42(6):1162-73. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181c74e38
[3] Jason M Cholewa, Monika Wyszczelska-Rokiel, Rafal Glowacki, et. al., Effects of betaine on body composition, performance, and homocysteine thiolactone Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition 2013, 10:39
[4] Morrissey JJ, Klahr S. Agmatine activation of nitric oxide synthase in endothelial cells.
Proc Assoc Am Physicians. 1997 Jan;109(1):51-7.



About The Author

Brian E. is from southern California and has worked for names like GNC and Vitamin Shoppe as a supplement expert and consultant. He currently lives in Utah and is studying marketing.

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