This simple vid I did showing pre mixing creatine a good idea, has gotten more traffic and discussion than any vid I have done, and still shows up regularly. So, let me explain with more details and self corrections from the criticisms I get gotten...
Yes, I may have over stated the importance of it in the vid, but, the fact is, creatine must be solubilized before it will get absorbed. There's a number of papers confirming that unless there's another route of absorption for CM I'm not aware of... It will either get solubilized in digestion or it can be done first in the glass.
People who get stomach problems from creatine have been told to pre solubilize their creatine for decades. For people who get stomach upset, non responders (approx 30% of users) they may get better responses from fully dissolving, but that's hypothesis on my part.
I can say, thousands of people have reported the stomach issues and bloating they experienced were gone once they pre solubilized their creatine.
Clearly, some of the creatine not dissolved in the glass will be made soluble and absorbed and I should have been clearer about that in the vid, but it's well established in human digestion that compounds with poor solubility are often poorly absorbed. It's also going to be dose dependent (large amounts of CM are more likely to not get solubalized and absorbed, causing stomach issues, etc) while smaller amounts, less so.
At this point, I tell people If one has gotten good response from not fully dissolving, don't sweat it, but it's my opinion that fully dissolving *may* optimize absorption for some, reduces waste, may improve effects in non responders, and will reduce stomach discomfort in those who experience it with creatine.
It's also going to be individual. Back when loading was all the rage, some got killer cramps, the runs, and a bloated stomach from those mega doses, some had no issues. That was due to the hypotonic effects of large doses of CM.