This would probably be easier for substances other than creatine; it needs to be taken in pretty large doses (5-10 grams, although some sources recommend an initial phase of up to 25 grams) to be effective, and it has a distinctive taste and odor. Unless you want to be swallowing ten or so 00 gel capsules a day...
It really doesn’t have a taste or smell at all. I take it in a small amount of water and it’s basically just completely tasteless particles suspended in solution but not fully dissolved. You can get creatine caps, but its a pain to swallow enough of them.
Although, if Ryan hasn’t tasted it before, finding something that also has a distinctive taste is better than nothing. That would be an interesting study to have (maybe someone has already done it): is there a bigger placebo effect if the taste is more distinctive?
This would probably be easier for substances other than creatine; it needs to be taken in pretty large doses (5-10 grams, although some sources recommend an initial phase of up to 25 grams) to be effective, and it has a distinctive taste and odor. Unless you want to be swallowing ten or so 00 gel capsules a day...
I’ve never noticed a smell or taste to my micronized creatine monohydrate. Maybe because I take it in fruit juice?
Taking it in fruit juice also solves the “how to make a placebo” problem.
Creatine doesn’t dissolve in water at all, so the placebo would have to be something else that has that property.
It really doesn’t have a taste or smell at all. I take it in a small amount of water and it’s basically just completely tasteless particles suspended in solution but not fully dissolved. You can get creatine caps, but its a pain to swallow enough of them.
I take it IV isn’t practical?
Although, if Ryan hasn’t tasted it before, finding something that also has a distinctive taste is better than nothing. That would be an interesting study to have (maybe someone has already done it): is there a bigger placebo effect if the taste is more distinctive?