Protein powder recommendation?

[Than_Bogan]

For quite a few years now I've been using Designer Protein to help me a get a touch of protein into my diet, since I'm not much of a meat eater, except maybe the nutritionally-bankrupt stuff that is more salt than meat.

 

I just broke open a new container today, and along with a shiny new design on the outside has come a rather horrible new taste on the inside. Closest I can describe it is "concentrated stale coffee" flavoring has been added.

 

Hopefully I'll remember to complain to the company.

 

But in the short term I need a Protein powder that is drinkable. Oh, and works.

 

Any recommendations?

[ThePantsManCan]

I have found the WheyBolic 60 Standard protein mix from GNC to be adequate and tastes really good with only milk. But, I would like to recommend to only buy the Chocolate flavor and nothing else.

[The_MS]

I need to use a low cholesterol powder and most of them are loaded with sugar and cholesterol.

I have had good success with the whey from Trader Joes.

If you dont care about the cholesterol, Optimum Nutrition makes a great whey.

[The_MS]

6oz OJ, 6oz water, 1 scoop of mix, 1/2 scoop of milled flax and 1/2 cup frozen strawberry's.

Hand blender to desired thickness and good to go.

[JGray]

I use and have used for years the gold standard 100% Whey from GNC. Double rich chocolate only and have been happy with it. I can definitely tell that I have a faster recovery time when I drink it. I mix it usually with just milk but milk, ice, and a banana in the blender and you have a nice dessert smoothie. It is probably full of sugar and that is why it taste good. It is a sad story but when my mother in law was in her last weeks she couldn't keep food down and thus would feel worse. So I bought them a canister and mailed it to them to try it. Gave her something in her system but wasn't food. And she actually enjoyed them and basically lived off the stuff until she finally passed. And she did rave about how it actually tasted good and she felt much better having something in her system. She was done and didn't want to go to hospital for I/V's and such.

[Rpc29]

I can't say enough good things about Biotest Metabolic drive. Don't let the hardcore body building website they sell it from scare you away. It tastes great and doesn't make you feel bloated.

 

I will warn you, it's expensive. Almost $40 a tub.

[6balls]

I eat a pile of protein by regular foods and snack on protein bars. Even when I was comp power lifting I didn't use protein powder, though took lotsa creatine.

[thager]

When I was hardcore lifting for football in college I ate a lot of tuna fish right out of the can. Many, many smaller meals a day of the main food groups with lots of protein to go with the lifting. Body can only absorb so much anyway and that protein stuff tastes awful and costs way to much for what one gets.

[igkya]

Peanut Butter?

[tfriess]

I have used/drank a few different protiens. My biggest advice is to go to GNC and ask for help there. Those guys know a lot and can help you out with anything. As far as taste goes: GNC MASS XXX taste like concrete wixed with wet socks. The Black Label Mass Gainer from GNC is pretty good and it comes in a few tasty flavors. Does anyone reccommend a pre-workout drink?

[Ed_Obermeier]

This is what myself and my son The Certified Personal Trainer use - http://www.sbmuscle.com/syntrax-matrix-5lbs.aspx. Zero sugar, nice toasted cocao bean taste (we only get the chocolate) when mixed in skim milk or almond milk, so-so in water (as are most protein powders) but still not bad. Good mix of caseins, whey, soy protein etc and pretty reasonable in price IMO.

 

Some info from the web site -

 

Contains totally undenatured health-promoting and protein fractions in whey. * Contains slow release undenatured micellar casein from milk protein isolate. * Contains health-promoting soy protein isolate. * Fortified with glutamine peptides. * Mixes instantly and completely with a spoon. * Contains zero carbs and zero fat. * Aspartame Free

 

Calories 90 Calories from Fat 0 Total Fat 0 g 0% Saturated Fat 0 g 0% Cholesterol <5 mg 1% Sodium 60 mg 2% Potassium 120 mg 4% Total Carbohydrate 0 g 0% Dietary Fiber 0 g 0% Sugars 0 g Protein 23 g 45% Calcium 160 mg 15% Magnesium 20 mg 6% Phosphorus 75 mg 8%

 

 

Ingredients: Promina Ultrafiltered and Undenatured Whey Protein Isolate Milk Protein Isolate Soy Protein Isolate (Includes Beta Lactoglobulin, Alpha Lactoalbumin, Glycomacropeptides, Immunoglobulin, Bovine Serum Albumin, Protease Peptone, Lactoferrin, Lacto Peroxidase), dutch processed cocoa powder, natural and artifical flavors, lecithen,salt, Acesulfame-K, Sucralose.

 

FWIW there are any number of web sites selling protein, supplements etc many of the same you can get at GNC et al WAAAY cheaper than GNC prices.

 

[rayn]

Jay Robb egg white protein is gluten and dairy free for those who care. not bad with coconut milk

[Than_Bogan]

Thanks all. Very helpful.

[6balls]

@scotchipman I do during winter lifting season. The with/without difference when I was comp lifting was pretty dramatic in both building power and being able to recover in short order and lift the big weight again (which has an impact on power building).

It has not been shown to help cardio endurance/performance. It's good to stay well hydrated if taking it as it does draw fluid from vasculature and into muscle tissue. I've found the amounts recommended on the bottle are more than you need...but if you take that much you will buy more sooner (they're not so dumb). Right now I take just 2.5 grams/day. I took 7.5 grams/day when I was training/competing.

Last season, I took it prior to and during a few 6 round slalom tourney weekends and I thought it was helpful there, too in terms of recovery to full strength for next round...especially the later rounds.

[A_B]

Not lifting enough to put muscle on. 6 days a week and alternate body parts to give two days rest between workouts on each part. Probably need an hour or more workout and use lower reps, like 8 per set until failure. Some of my friends were into body building, so learned a little from them. Creatin will put on liquid weight and soon as you stop, you will drop some weight.

[A_B]

For a protein powder to assure daily intake, look at nano pro. I think they send samples out. Stuff tastes freaking great and has more goodies for a rounded supplement. Add some nano greens and reds, and you can make a meal out of it. I mix with ice, milk, blueberries, banana, and throw some flax in for good constitution!

[jayski]

@Than_Bogan Isagenix for supplements, the cleanest, best BOV for protein and other great supps and @scotchipman CrossFit for the muscle two unbeatable combo's

[tjm]

MetRx. Vanilla. High on protein. Low on sugar. Tastes great mixed with water. Use less water and it gets thick enough to use a spoon.

[DAL]

@Scotchipman , check out the link below for a 3 day plan which should suit.

http://levronereport.com/2010/01/18/training-program-nutritional-plan/

 

@Than_Bogan , there's a multitude of powders out there. Stay away from Max's as it's probably the most expensive. Buy some small tubs and try a few different brands as some taste like shit.

@thager is on the money with most of his post. The body benefits from smaller, more regular intakes of protein as this helps speed up the metabolism, which in turn, burns fat. The availability of protein powders helps those who are 'time poor' to get the protein intake they require immediately (It's not feasible for most people to just stop work every 2-3hrs to have something to eat).

 

Read the paragraph below to give you some guidance on which powder will suit your needs.

 

 

Isolate vs. Concentrate vs. Hydrolysate

 

"As for whey protein powder, you’ve got a couple options. Whey protein concentrate contains some fat and lactose, while whey protein isolate is pretty much pure protein with very little of the other dairy elements remaining. Concentrate is less processed and more whole, but has less protein. Isolate is about 90-94% protein, but it’s subjected to a more rigorous refinement process. Bodybuilders are drawn to the “purity” of whey isolate, lured by the moderately higher protein counts. Isolate is also considerably more expensive than concentrate, and the purported boost in beneficial effects on protein synthesis are overstated; drinking any kind of whey protein shake will have a beneficial effect on your muscle recovery and protein synthesis. If cost is not an issue, or you’re mildly sensitive to dairy, then isolate is your best choice. Otherwise, it’s probably fine to go with concentrate for most applications (or otherwise further you could just eat a steak instead).

Whey hydrolysate is predigested whey protein that’s easily absorbed and virtually free of any potential allergens, but it’s (in my opinion) horribly overpriced. Whey in general is already highly bioavailable and easily absorbed by our bodies, so absorption is rarely an issue with whey. Hydrolysate is great marketing. That’s about it."

 

Read more: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/whey-isolate-concentrate-hydrolysate/#ixzz2E88vivXj

 

Hope this helps.

[Brady]

@Scotchipman. Dude, get your ass in the gym longer and start eating twice what you are eating now. I could write a damn book on how to add muscle mass. Longer time spent on each muscle group, starting with the largest and working down to the smallest. i.e., chest first, then tris, etc.

Also, you need to work each group to complete exhaustion twice a week. And you need to do more weight, less reps, and I like to super set as well.

 

I also run a mile or two "fast" before I start lifting and I do not stop in between sets, so I turn the lifting process into cardio and I keep my heart rate up the entire time. If you lift hard enough and eat enough food, you should get the smallest of pooch on your gut, and as soon as you are at your desired weight, simply adjust up your calories and routines and your washboard will return. This is one of the main reason football players "appear" to get out of shape in the off season. I can assure you they are killing themselves off trying to gain muscle mass and eating like crazy in order to not "starve" their muscles.

 

As the fall camps start, and they start focusing more on conditioning, they get ripped again, but with hopefully more muscle mass from the off season.

 

I can't help with height however! :)

 

@thager where and when did you play your college ball? What position?

[doonez]

Any of you heard of Jonah Lomu? Best wing rugby has ever seen. He had to give up playing for the All Blacks at a young age and have a kidney transplant because he took too much creatine.

[thager]

@ Brady I'm an old guy. I played Division III ball at St. Johns University 1974-78. Initially was a kickoff specialist, then returner and eventually was starting wide receiver on a running team so really just a fast split guard although I did catch a few here and there. Played for John Gagliardi who is just retiring at age 82. Good Coach and friend! Blew my knee out in 76 just before the National Championships.

[Wish]

How about recommendations for a protein bar that tastes good (dislike all peanubutter flavors) and does not have a funky texture. Oh and doesn't cost a bunch.

[JohnCox]

Most protein powders and bars have thier down side (sodium, sugar, fat). I used to use them regularly, but now get all of my protien through lean meat. Mostly chicken and turnkey, but some through fish and the occasional lean piece of beef. I eat 4-5 meals per day, and each includes 8 oz of meat (or egg whites in the morning sometimes). Clean carbs at all but the last meal. All the veggies I want. In the off season, I am in the gym 5-6 days a week. I utilize a lot of supersets and circuits but NO dedicated cardio. The cardio will actually decrease muscle, particularly if you do it after weight training. The intensity of my workouts get the heart rate up plenty. I know this works, because I used to run about 65 miles a week, and was stagnant on weight loss and muscle growth. An injury forced me to stop for a while, and I am thankful that it did.

 

Basically, the formula above got +/- 80 lbs off of me. Now, I have made the 5th meal a routine, and increased the intensity at the gym. I have put on an additional 6lbs of muscle in the last 2 weeks. I'm working now to balance it out, because I don't want to get much heavier.

[jayski]

Just a big FYI, pretty sure Willi, Nate, Parish and pretty much all the rest do NOT do 99% of the stuff posted here...just saying if your want to be a 'skier'...such wrong information on so many levels, and probably the most misinformation in a thread ever...

[dave2ball]

I have used many brands of whey protein and the best by far is ProtiZyme whey protein. It is made by Metabolic Nutrition. This is a pharmaceutical grade protein. It is not available at GNC. It is made in Sunrise Florida.

[Razorskier1]

Think about what your goals are and why. I quit skiing in early November and have been lifting again for the last 5 weeks. I've gone from 193lbs to 200lbs in that time by working hard in the gym and putting in calories. Does this benefit my skiing??? Nope. Just something to entertain myself in the offseason. Now, there is some benefit in that strengthening legs, core, arms, back, etc are all good for my ski strength and endurance. But . . . mostly it is just another way to keep myself sane in the offseason. Try to eat well. Protein supplements are useful in a time-constrained world if you don't get enough quality calories elsewhere.

[bogboy]

Is drinking beer ok if you are trying to keep your body in good condition? Serious question.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Right there with you @Razorskier1, even to being in the same weight range (went from 193 in season to around 200 now). Personally I've found the additional conditioning and particularly the core training DO benefit my skiing, by making it easier on my old body to heal and rebalance to keep going if for no other reason. Doing the 5 small meals a day thing, mostly natural source lean protein, low saturated fat, complex carbs, vegs etc. Protein shake first thing in the morning to stave off overnight catabolism and one post workout, otherwise I don't take it. Once I get past the holiday eating season I'll start shifting from my "bulking" phase to my body fat loss phase and (hopefully) trim back down by spring.

 

@jayski - you think many of the top pros never workout? Seriously? I know personally of at least a handful who swear by it, talked with a few about it. Mapple used to put out crap about how he never worked out or anything but only did more and more skiing to improve his skiing. After he quit competing seriously it came out that he actually did work out AND also did a lot of cardio (mostly cycling if memory serves) and just put out that he skied more as misinformation to throw off the competition to give himself an advantage.

[jayski]

@Ed Obermeier never stated they don't work out Ed, absolutely they do, I never stated that, seen and participated first hand with a few of them...

 

what I was refering to was the misguided info in regards to protein powders (excluding yours, which is the only one on the right track) "bulk up" in the off season? eat extra to fuel muscles? what are we in the 80's? cardio causes muscle loss? spend lots of time in the gym? the list could go on and on, just so misleading, old outdated theories that have been disproven in so many studies, it's such a mass in the wrong direction especially if your doing it all to improve for skiing...

 

sorry to offend anyone, just hate to see time, efforts and money wasted to have little result when there is so many better options and choices to achieve what you want.

[Wish]

And they are???

[Than_Bogan]

@jayski So by "99% of the stuff posted here" you meant "5% of the stuff posted here"? I see almost nobody recommending bulking up, and only a small amount of description of how one might do it if for some reason they did want to.

 

I am in no way offended, I just think your post is the one that is inaccurate. This thread contains plenty of useful information. If your purpose was to point out / remind us that strength-to-weight ratio dominates in slalom and that lean, functional muscles are where we ideally would be, then I suggest you directly say so. And, of course, I agree.

[Ed_Obermeier]

Not my intention to call you out @jayski, no offense taken by me, could have/should have worded my post better. I'd never claim to know all there is to know on the subject and if you're willing to clarify what specific misconceptions are being bounced around here it would be of benefit to all of us, myself included. We're here to learn and share, not argue or misinform, and I for one am more than willing to listen to good information. That's why I hang out here. Agreed, lots of misconceptions on the subject. Many of which I've been straightened out on by my trainer son (much to his delight, being able to reverse the student/teacher thing on the old man). Might require another subject thread?

[Waternut]

I used Visalus for a little while and it wasn't much help other than maybe getting some more nutrients on a poor diet. I currently use Whey Gold Standard Extreme Milk Chocolate. Tastes just like a chocolate milk with hershey's syrup to me.

 

I use the Whey entirely for faster recovery. I certainly wouldn't complain if I bulked up a bit but that isn't really happening and it's not why I use it. I'm sure some of the guys on here know that skiing 3-5 days a week really does a number on your body. The best solution I've found to allow me to ski that much without being sore all the time is to binge on protein. I don't really stick to a hard schedule or anything but I try to snag at least one protein shake a day during the summer instead of beer or coke.

[mylemsky]

Been a big fan of Muscle Milk Powder for a couple of years. I usually mix with my oatmeal and fruit, but tastes great with just milk. It is dairy free, low in sugar, and cholesterol If you are in a jam, not bad with just water either. If just mixing with milk/water, a spoon will suffice, no need for a blender. Vanilla is my go to, but chocolate and banana are both great. MM not only tastes great, it is easy on the stomach.

I recall years of trying to stomach down Hot Stuff, not only a brutal to stomach down, took an industrial blender to mix, and went through me so quick I was never sure if I retained any benefits from it.

Personally I echo @johncox I would rather stick to meats and fish for protein also, but in terms of preparation time and convenience, MM works great for recovery/meal replacement for me, also for diet reasons, I know exactly how much (protein, fat, cals) I am putting into my body. @razorskier1 hit it on the head regarding the convenience in a time constrained world. Work, wife, kids, gym, bike, oh yeah I want to ski too.

 

I would love to hear what @SoCalWaterSki (or another triathlete) eats based on his crazy miles on the bike, feet, and water and then has strength/energy to ball.

 

@Than_Brogan whether or not it "works" is debatable, FDA won't even stamp any of the aforementioned products. What I interpret as "working" is that I am able to use the powder as a supplement to my diet and I have consistently gotten stronger and increased endurance, but only when I have put the time in at the gym.

 

[6balls]

@wish, for taste try the dark chocolate almond Zone Bar. May not be the best protein bar but makes up for it in taste IMHO. I can't stand most others.

 

As for bulk and power...excessive bulk is not the way to go...though it can be built with surprisingly little gym time (though effort is extremely high).

 

Having been a powerful but bulkier slalom skier, I will attest that when I gave up comp lifting and lost weight with ski performance as the focus I got more balls. Glorious power excess does no good if it carries excess weight...even if it's muscle weight. I'm no wimp now, but I'm not as strong. I still really have to try not to rely on power, but the little extra I still have saves my bacon at times, and I'm at a good weight for skiing. Much lighter and I'd be on the wrong end of the power curve.

 

I don't think this means no skier should lift for power. For those who feel they are not strong enough, a judicious 5 lbs of extra muscle and the strength gain it brings may put them in the right spot in terms of their personal power:weight ratio.

 

 

 

[Hersh]

Paleo diet. Cross-fit and specialized interval training. Bikram yoga. Nothing more is needed.

[jayski]

@Than_Bogan as stated above..."Dude, get your ass in the gym longer and start eating twice what you are eating now..." sounds like bulking to me...

 

Lots of talk of 'inexpensive' protein, you get what you pay for, besides that whey is not the end all be all answer, it has a time and place in use depending when and what kind of nutrients you need to uptake, metabolic timing...and taste? really? honestly eating clean and healthy doesn't "taste" as good as the alternative...take chicken breasts for example, plain with a little sodium free seasoning, extremely bland to those whose palate likes the sauced (I mean sugar covered) versions... taste is aquired, suck it up and drink it if it biologically benefits you more than a "tastes great" version...also the use of sweetners in most of those protein powders is worse than natural sugars, such as honey, cane juice, stevia etc...Sweetners cause your body to react in the same way as when you consume refined sugars, (it won't raise you blood sugar though), plus it's a engineered product (chemical to harsh of a word?)

 

Ed's protein is the best one listed by far besides the Isagenix line I stated, but @ $35-$40 plus a bag most will shy away, and waste the money on inferior products, a person requires premium fuel, plus when properly fueled the great majority will consume less quantity...And the people at GNC, really, for whatever retail wage they are pulling in do you really think they are educated besides what the labels and company sales pitch says? They know to sell the GNC private label as it's their biggest margins...

 

need more info? nutrition, fitness send me an email or get Ed's son's email, or Jenny Labaw, all will be benficial but I'm sure we all have a cost for intellectual property...

 

@Ed Obermeier I'm sure your son has a wealth of info and knowledege that can help you out, seems like he is on the right track with the protein. Let the man educate you, knowing you personally and what you want to achieve, there is no one online that could give you better guidance to achieve your goals than what he can offer with the personal connection and his education...

 

[Ed_Obermeier]

Actually @jayski I think he's trying to kill me...

[Chef23]

I have been working with Jenny Labaw and she is in the Paleo CrossFit centric workout camp. My workouts include squats, deadlifts, pullups and lots of other stuff that develop power and are dynamic. Jenny's program has helped me lose weight and build strength. My guess is that Marcus follows a similar program but I don't know that for certain.

[6balls]

I'm sure you can't go wrong with Jenny...far more advanced in methods/technique etc than any of us hacks. If you are serious I would bet she is worth your time and $.

[Chef23]

@6balls Jenny has been great for me. You guys are a lot more advanced than I am. It helps me to not have to figure out what to do on my own. I definitely work out harder than I would have if I put my own program together and the workouts are quick paced so I don't have to spend more than an hour in the gym plus some stretching time at home.

[DAL]

@Bogboy, really depends on a few things. The first of which is; what do you call 'good condition'?

Peoples perceptions differ.

Your genetic make up plays a big part. If you have a naturally athletic physique it will be easier than if you're an Endomorph body type. Ultimately though, you need to burn off what you're putting in. Moderation is the key due to the high calorie count (I know that's not what you want to hear).

 

[SocalWaterSki]

Sorry, a bit late to the conversation here. Usually I jump on these types of conversations.

@mylemsky - To start with, the protein powder I use is Cytosport Muscle Mix with added L-Glutamine...

Now, what do I eat everyday to keep up with all that I do? It will probably shock you to know I'm a pescetarian. Yeah yeah say what you want.. I've been doing this now for 6 months at my coaches request and I've never felt better. I always have and always will love fish more than any other meat. I don't really drink beer ( I can count on my hands the beers I've had this year.) Junk food is kept to a minimum although I love dark chocolate and really good coffee (I roast my own) more than you will ever know. I'm an Air Traffic Controller, so a big motivator for me is the stress I deal with.

So, with that in mind...

Average day of in season training for me, wake up 4:15, eat a bowl of oatmeal, get out the door to swim. Most days I hit the pool, the others I hit the bay. 3-5 miles a day. Jump out of the water and have 16oz of Cytomax. I work late to early (my monday I start work at 4pm... my friday 6am) so Sun/Wed I knock out a few miles on the bike. Those are usually lighter days (50-80 miles.) Tues/Thurs are my lighter run days. I usually run to work (7 miles if I take the scenic way) on thursdays. After the bike or run I have a protein shake. Lunch comes around at strange hours for me. We've got a bbq at work, so I usually bring a cut of fish with me. Grill it up with some rice and some veggies, and that takes care of that. Sometime during the day when I get hungry I'll have a bag of trail mix or a cliff bar. Then if I had fish for lunch I'll do some steamed veggies or soup for dinner, or reverse those meals if I want to change things up. As for Friday, that's the Brick day.. bike then run after work (painfully fun really...) Usually the wife and I will go out to dinner that night. Sat/Mon.... those are the days from hell. That's where I do all the distance work. 100-130 mile rides, or 13-18 mile runs. Those days I tend to tie on the feed bag. Lots of fish, lots of protein shakes, lots of cliff bars. Sundays are cross training days. Usually that's when I ski (snow and water,) rock climb, or mountain bike. I usually end up skiing on some of the other days as well... my Tuesday is a normal person Saturday... so I end up skiing or climbing then as well.

Off season, I cut down to 4 days a week..and supplement cross training for the rest. I'm less stringent on the off season.

 

Sorry for the long winded answer...

 

[Razorskier1]

Anything you do to improve strength and balance is good. I think everybody on the thread is on the same page there. Some of us have more time and experience in the gym than others, but we can all learn. I have had the benefit of over 30 years of strength training at this point. Through that process I have done many different workouts and exercises. I have worked out by myself for most of that time, and more recently have been training with my kids. Overall I will say that what matters most for strength and muscular density (high strength, small space) is intense, shorter workouts.

 

I also spend a lot of time on my shoulder joints (rotator cuff exercises) and core. My goal is to be strong and to do things that will protect my body from injury during the season. Having suffered through numerous injuries (ruptured disc, shoulder surgeries, knees, etc) I have spent a lot of time with PT and have learned many things that I now incorporate into my offseason training. If it wasn't working, I'd definitely hire a trainer.

[LeSkiAvantTout]

"Anything you do to improve strength and balance is good." not sure about that mate, i tried boxing recently on those grounds. lad from work took me along and told them i waterskied on one ski, am reasonably fit looking so got thrown in the ring with a hardcase who battered me, not sure will help me make an extra buoy! Good workout for skiing though if you just do the training and stay out of the ring.

[jayski]

@Ed Obermeier that's too funny, it's all for good results, it'll get less traumatic with consistency and time spent

[Skoot1123]

My two cents on a Protein Powder is Rezzerect (sp?) from Complete Nutrition. It tastes great mixed with water and frozen fruit and is pretty much my desert after my workout/dinner. I have some stuff I am "using up" right now because I have it, and need to get rid of it. Don't want to waste it and the money used to buy it. I'll be looking at something different here when I finish it as the Complete Nutrition stuff is expensive.

 

My opinion on supplements is that you MUST be CAREFUL with what you get. A lot of marketing is done to make the product appear to be something it isn't. Biggest thing I found is reading the label. Sounds simple and easy, but a lot of times just going into a store and looking seeing all the products is intimidating. Before I bought any supplements I tried to get educated and sought the experience of those that had done it before. I had the privilege of talking to a world champ power lifter who gave me some basics to go by.

 

As for Creatine I also just started taking it. The same power lifter told me the best stuff on the market was Creapure (Made in Germany by Alzchem). Any product that uses Creapure must have that on their label, so you know the quality of it. As with any creatine, you must drink fluids - water being the best, to ensure you don't dehydrate yourself (and your vital organs).

 

@scotchipman - you and I are about the same build. After starting Creatine I have added about 6 lbs and definitely notice the strength increase.

[6balls]

Optimum nutrition makes a good creatine as well.

[Skoot1123]

@6balls and @scotchipman - Optimum nutrition uses Creapure (at least mine does). I got the 4 lb tub for under $40. That will last a long time, at least for me as I am only using 5 grams a day.