Everything below concerns FTIR spectroscopy. We keep the language plain, cite what the science says, and separate well-supported claims from open questions.
Last reviewed on 2025-08-13. Where a claim depends on a specific study, the study is described rather than over-claimed.
Analytical laboratories commonly use high-performance liquid chromatography to separate creatine from creatinine and related impurities. Ion chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and titration assays can also quantify the compound. Water content is measured by Karl Fischer titration or loss on drying, because the monohydrate has a defined theoretical water fraction. Particle size, bulk density, and flowability are physical properties that affect blending and capsule filling. These measurements support quality control and help verify that a lot matches its specification.
Regulatory status varies by country. In the United States, creatine monohydrate is sold as a dietary supplement ingredient, while in the European Union it is placed on the market as a food supplement component. Some jurisdictions have established purity monographs or permitted health claims, while others treat it as a novel food or require notification. Product labels may state the amount of creatine monohydrate or the equivalent creatine content, and the two figures can differ. Independent testing programs sometimes check identity, potency, and contaminant limits.
Creatine monohydrate is stable under dry, cool conditions but can degrade when exposed to moisture and heat. In solution, it undergoes hydrolysis to creatinine, a cyclic derivative with little role in phosphagen energy transfer. The rate of conversion increases with temperature, storage time, and acidic or alkaline pH. Solid material kept in a sealed container at room temperature generally retains its composition for extended periods. Moisture uptake is a primary concern because it can accelerate breakdown and caking.
Stability studies typically examine the effects of temperature, humidity, and light on creatine monohydrate. Sealed containers stored in cool, dry conditions help limit moisture uptake and hydrolysis. Elevated temperature and high relative humidity can accelerate conversion to creatinine, especially in aqueous solutions. In solid dosage forms, excipients and processing steps may also affect stability. Published stability data are not fully consistent across studies because test conditions and analytical methods vary.
Quality control of creatine monohydrate relies on a combination of identity, purity, and moisture tests. High-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection is widely used to separate creatine from creatinine and other related nitrogenous compounds. Spectroscopic methods such as infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance provide structural confirmation. Because the material is a hydrate, water content is measured separately, often by Karl Fischer titration. These tests together establish whether a lot meets a defined specification.
Manufacturing processes can leave trace amounts of dicyandiamide, creatinine, or residual solvents, depending on the synthetic route and purification steps. Heavy metals, arsenic, and microbial contamination are also monitored for food or pharmaceutical grades. Particle size distribution can affect dissolution behavior and blending uniformity, so it may be specified for certain applications. Analytical results are reported on a dry basis or as-is basis, and the difference matters when comparing certificates of analysis. Open questions remain about how minor impurities influence long-term stability under varied storage conditions.
| Property | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Typical storage temperature | 15-25 °C | Sealed container; protect from moisture and direct heat. |
| Theoretical water content | About 12.1% | One water molecule per creatine molecule. |
| Primary degradation product | Creatinine | Formed by cyclization, especially in aqueous solution. |
| Common analytical method | HPLC-UV | Used to separate creatine from creatinine and related impurities. |
| Regulatory classification (U.S.) | Dietary supplement ingredient | Other jurisdictions may classify it as a food supplement or novel food depending on rules. |
In the body, creatine is synthesized from arginine, glycine, and methionine, mainly in the liver and kidneys, and is also obtained from foods such as meat and fish. About 95% of body creatine is stored in skeletal muscle, where a fraction is phosphorylated to phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine serves as a rapid reserve of high-energy phosphate for short bursts of ATP regeneration. The monohydrate form supplies creatine after dissolution and absorption, but it is not itself the active phosphorylated species.
Creatine was first identified in skeletal muscle extracts in the nineteenth century, and its role in phosphagen energy buffering was clarified in the twentieth century. The monohydrate salt became widely studied after methods for inexpensive synthesis and crystallization were developed. Modern research examines its effects on muscle energetics, recovery, and cognitive performance under specific conditions. Findings vary with population, exercise protocol, baseline creatine status, and measurement method. Studies often compare supplementation with placebo during controlled training or testing schedules.
Creatine monohydrate is a crystalline compound formed from creatine and one water molecule in its solid lattice. Creatine itself is a nitrogen-containing organic acid involved in energy transfer in muscle and other tissues. The monohydrate form is the most common solid form used in research and commercial products because it is stable and easy to handle. The term "monohydrate" refers to the fixed one-to-one ratio of water to creatine in the crystal, not to moisture content. This distinction matters when comparing labels or calculating creatine content.
In chemical terms, creatine monohydrate is often described as N-(aminoiminomethyl)-N-methylglycine monohydrate, though nomenclature varies. Its solid state consists of zwitterionic creatine molecules linked with water through hydrogen bonding. The compound dissolves in water, but dissolution rate depends on particle size, temperature, and agitation. Once dissolved, the hydrate water becomes part of the solvent, leaving free creatine in solution. The monohydrate is not the same as creatine anhydrous, which lacks the water of crystallization and has a higher creatine fraction by mass.
Creatine monohydrate is a crystalline compound formed from creatine and one molecule of water. Its systematic name is N-(aminoiminomethyl)-N-methylglycine monohydrate, and it appears as a white, odorless powder with limited solubility in water. The monohydrate is the most common solid form used in research and commercial products because it is stable under dry conditions. The anhydrous form lacks the water of crystallization and differs slightly in molar mass. Both forms participate in the same biochemical reactions once dissolved.
In the body, creatine is synthesized from the amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine, primarily in the liver and kidneys. It is transported to muscle and other tissues, where it is phosphorylated to phosphocreatine by creatine kinase. This phosphagen system provides a rapid source of adenosine triphosphate during short, intense contractions. Dietary creatine comes mainly from meat and fish, and the body's total pool is influenced by both synthesis and intake.
As a supplement, creatine monohydrate is studied for its effects on muscle performance and recovery. The compound is often described as an ergogenic aid, meaning it may support physical work capacity. Research typically compares it with placebo or other forms, such as citrate or nitrate, under controlled conditions. Questions remain about the optimal dose and long-term effects in different populations, and findings are not uniform across all studies. The monohydrate form remains the most extensively tested.
=== Leadership === Roger D. Cone began his tenure as the Mary Sue Coleman Director of the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute in September 2016. A leading researcher in brain regulation of body weight, Cone also serves as vice provost and director of U-M's biosciences initiative. The managing director is Anna Schork. The institute's first director was Jack E. Dixon. In 2002, Mary Sue Coleman, U-M's president, appointed cell biologist and expert on insulin signaling Alan R. Saltiel as director. Saltiel served as the director until 2015, followed by interim director Stephen Weiss, who led the institute from 2015 to 2016.
Trials are investigating whether botulinum toxin, when used to make a person appear to frown less, stops negative feedback from the face and affects depression. Psilocybin may have a beneficial role in the treatment of depression. A 2019 meta-analysis found that hypnotherapy may be an effective way of alleviating the symptoms of depression. No model of depression in animals that fully explains the mechanism of depression has been found as of 2019.
Turquoise is an opaque, blue-to-green mineral that is a hydrous phosphate of copper and aluminium, with the chemical formula CuAl6(PO4)4(OH)8·4H2O. It is rare and valuable in finer grades and has been prized as a gemstone for millennia due to its hue. The robin egg blue or sky blue color of the Persian turquoise mined near the modern city of Nishapur, Iran, has been used as a guiding reference for evaluating turquoise quality. Like most other opaque gems, turquoise has been devalued by the introduction of treatments, imitations, and synthetics into the market.
== Pathogenesis == In susceptible persons, beryllium exposure can lead to a cell-mediated immune response. The T-cells become sensitized to beryllium. Each subsequent exposure leads to an immune response involving CD4+ helper T-lymphocytes and macrophages accumulating in the lungs. As this response continues macrophages, CD4+ T-lymphocytes and plasma cells aggregate together to form the noncaseating granulomas. When beryllium is phagocytized by macrophages, the beryllium triggers macrophage apoptosis, thereby reducing beryllium clearance from the lungs and eventually resulting in secondary necrosis and lysis. Eventually, the outcome is fibrosis of the lung. Several studies have shown that there is a genetic component to beryllium sensitivity. Specifically, those beryllium-exposed workers with a mutation at the HLA-DPB1 Glu69 position have increased prevalence of beryllium sensitization and chronic beryllium disease. The HLA-DPB1 gene is important for MHC class II molecule function on antigen presenting cells. A study of the immune response to beryllium in individuals who express the HLA-DP2 allele found that CD4 T-cells do not detect the Be2+ cation itself, but instead detect surface changes in the HLA-DP2/peptide complex in which Be2+ is embedded. Those researchers concluded that chronic beryllium disease is a predisposition that lies between "allergic hypersensitivity and autoimmunity." According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, beryllium and beryllium compounds are Category 1 carcinogens; they are carcinogenic to both animals and humans.
general studies of protein structure and properties (because it is available in large quantities). studies of serpin structure and function (the fact that ovalbumin does not inhibit proteases means that by comparing its structure with that of inhibitory serpins, the structural characteristics required for inhibition can be determined). proteomics (chicken egg ovalbumin is commonly used as a molecular weight marker for calibrating electrophoresis gels). immunology (commonly used to stimulate an allergic reaction in test subjects; e.g., established model allergen for airway hyper-responsiveness, AHR). (For in vivo and in vitro studies based on ovalbumin it is important that the endotoxin content is less than 1 EU/mg.)
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
== Further reading == Baena-Cagnani CE (2001). "Desloratadine activity in concurrent seasonal allergic rhinitis and asthma". Allergy. 56 Suppl 65: 21–7. doi:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2001.00001.x-i1. PMID 11243501. Devillier P, Roche N, Faisy C (2008). "Clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of desloratadine, fexofenadine and levocetirizine : a comparative review". Clinical Pharmacokinetics. 47 (4): 217–30. doi:10.2165/00003088-200847040-00001. PMID 18336052. Geha RS, Meltzer EO (April 2001). "Desloratadine: A new, nonsedating, oral antihistamine". The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 107 (4): 751–62. doi:10.1067/mai.2001.114239. PMID 11295678. Henz BM (2001). "The pharmacologic profile of desloratadine: a review". Allergy. 56 Suppl 65: 7–13. doi:10.1034/j.1398-9995.2001.00101.x. PMID 11243504.
=== Shiley defective heart valves settlement (1994) === Pfizer purchased Shiley in 1979, at the onset of its Convexo-Concave valve ordeal, involving the Bjork–Shiley valve. Approximately 500 people died when defective heart valves fractured and, in 1994, Pfizer agreed to pay $10.75 million to settle claims by the United States Department of Justice that the company lied to get approval for the valves.
== History == Lurasidone was first synthesised circa 2003. Lurasidone is a structural analogue of ziprasidone. Lurasidone shows a very close pharmacological profile and has been synthesized similarly to ziprasidone. Lurasidone is chemically similar to perospirone (also a chemical analogue of ziprasidone), as well as risperidone, paliperidone and iloperidone. Lurasidone was developed by Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, a division of Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co. of Japan. In 2009, Sunovion decided to develop lurasidone for the treatment of bipolar depression.
==== Other events ==== 20 Russian missiles were reportedly shot down over Kyiv during an early morning attack. The governor of Kharkiv Oblast said that Russian forces repeatedly fired at an ammonia pipeline owned by TogliattiAzot which runs from Tolyatti in Russia to the Ukrainian port of Odesa, in a section located south of Masiutivka, causing an ammonia leak The Russian Defence Ministry claimed that it was caused by "Ukrainian saboteurs". Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said that 71 Russian soldiers had been killed following attacks by Ukrainian forces along the frontlines in recent days, adding that 15 Russian tanks and nine armoured vehicles were also damaged by Ukrainian troops. In Russia, the border district of Shebekino in Belgorod Oblast came under renewed Ukrainian shelling. Australia was considering whether to provide Ukraine with 41 retired F/A-18 Hornets from the Royal Australian Air Force, with discussions ongoing between the Australian and United States governments according to the Australian Financial Review. According to the Washington Post, European intelligence informed back in June 2022 the CIA and President Biden that Ukraine had a plan to attack the Nord Stream 2 pipeline using six divers who answered directly to Ukrainian Armed Forces Commanding General Valerii Zaluzhnyi.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Recent studies aimed at measuring and valuing the hidden costs of agrifood systems have used True Cost Accounting (TCA), an accounting approach that measures and values the hidden impacts of economic activities on the environment, society and health. These impacts are regarded as hidden because they are not reflected in the market prices of products and services, i.e. not included in the operational profit and loss accounts.
== See also == Le Grand Saut Lockheed U-2 Overshooting top Ozone depletion Batterie Pommern (the first projectile to reach the lower stratosphere) Paris Gun (projectile was the first artificial object to reach the upper stratosphere) Perlan Project Project Excelsior, world record for highest recorded jump 1961–2012 Red Bull Stratos, world record for highest recorded jump 2012–2014 RQ-4 Global Hawk Service ceiling Upper-atmospheric lightning Sudden stratospheric warming
== Applications == One of the potent applications of siRNAs is the ability to distinguish the target versus non-target sequence with a single-nucleotide difference. This approach has been considered therapeutically crucial for silencing dominant gain-of-function (GOF) disorders, where the mutant allele causing disease differs from the wild-type allele by a single nucleotide (nt). These types of siRNAs, which are capable of distinguishing a single-nucleotide difference, are termed allele-specific siRNAs. ASP-RNAi is an innovative category of RNAi with the objective of suppressing the dominant mutant allele while sparing expression of the corresponding normal allele with the specificity of single-nucleotide differences between the two. ASP-siRNAs are potentially a novel and better remedial alternative for the treatment of autosomal dominant genetic disorders, especially in cases where wild-type allele expression is crucial for organism survival, such as Huntington disease (HD), DYT1 dystonia (Gonzalez-Alegre et al. 2003, 2005), Alzheimer's disease (AD) (Sierant et al. 2011), Parkinson's disease (PD) (Takahashi et al. 2015), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) (Schwarz et al. 2006), and Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) (Alves et al. 2008). Their therapeutic potential has also been assessed for various skin disorders like epidermolysis bullosa simplex (Atkinson et al. 2011), epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK) (Lyu et al. 2016), and lattice corneal dystrophy type I (LCDI) (Courtney et al. 2014).
Sources: en.wikipedia.org
A sealed container at room temperature, away from moisture and direct heat, is suitable for most solid material. Keeping the lid closed limits water uptake and caking. Long-term storage in a refrigerator is not necessary if the powder remains dry.
Heat, moisture, and prolonged time in solution promote conversion to creatinine. The reaction is faster at higher temperatures and at pH values far from neutral. Dry powder is much more stable than dissolved material.
Common methods include high-performance liquid chromatography for creatine and creatinine, plus water-content analysis by Karl Fischer titration. Heavy metals, residual solvents, and microbial limits may also be tested. A specification may list total creatine content and impurity limits.
Purity is commonly assessed by HPLC, which separates creatine from related compounds such as creatinine. Water content is measured separately by Karl Fischer titration. Together these results help calculate the actual creatine content in a sample.