Creatine Agglomerate Composition for Solubility and Flow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing creatine products have low solubility in water, leading to incomplete dissolution and poor handling properties, such as difficulty in stirring and dissolving in liquids, with micronized products exhibiting low bulk density and poor flow properties.
Innovation Solution
Agglomerating ground creatine with a binder containing at least one oligosaccharide, particularly maltodextrin, to form stable creatine agglomerates that maintain high creatine content and improve solubility and handling characteristics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If creatine is micronized to improve solubility, then dissolution properties improve, but bulk density decreases and flow properties worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The creatine is ground into fine particles (segmented) to improve solubility, then these fine particles are agglomerated into larger clusters using oligosaccharide binders. This segmentation approach allows the fine particles to dissolve well while the agglomerated structure improves flow and bulk density properties.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite structure by combining ground creatine particles with oligosaccharide binders (such as maltodextrin). This composite agglomerate maintains the high solubility of fine creatine particles while the binder provides structural integrity for improved flow and handling properties.
2Reliability
If creatine is ground to improve solubility, then dissolution rate increases, but handling properties deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The creatine is ground into fine particles to increase the surface area and dissolution rate, then these fine particles are agglomerated using oligosaccharide binders. The segmentation into fine particles ensures rapid dissolution, while the subsequent agglomeration restores good handling properties.
Solution Approach 2:
Oligosaccharide binders act as an intermediary substance between the fine creatine particles and the final product. The binder mediates between the conflicting requirements of fine particle size (for solubility) and good handling properties, allowing both to coexist in the agglomerated structure.
3Reliability
If large quantities of additives are used to improve solubility, then dissolution properties improve, but creatine content decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameter of binder type from conventional additives to oligosaccharides (such as maltodextrin). This parameter change allows for improved dissolution properties with minimal additive quantity, maintaining high creatine content because oligosaccharides are highly effective at low concentrations and do not interfere with creatine's functional properties.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The agglomerated creatine particles exhibit improved solubility and handling properties, dissolving quickly and uniformly in aqueous liquids with reduced residue, while maintaining a high creatine content and avoiding the drawbacks of micronized and ground creatine.
Implementation Method 1
finely ground creatine, which is agglomerated after the addition of a binder containing at least one oligosaccharide
Data Source
AI summary
The subject matter of the present invention is a creatine agglomerate with improved solubility characteristics in aqueous systems and improved handling, thus simplifying the intake of creatine. The agglomerate is characterized in that it contains 30 to 99.9 wt. % of ground creatine and/or ground creatine derivatives and/or ground creatine salts and 0.1 to 30 wt. % of a binder containing at least one oligosaccharide, in particular maltodextrin, based on the total weight of the agglomerate.