imported_corcoran_chris

Hey, Im debating putting creatine into my protine shakes I take before working out. I did allot of research on the product and like everything...there are downsides to it...but the benifits outweigh them in my opinion.

just a summary of what creatine does

creatine is found in all our bodies, and is found in foods like meat and fish ect... It helps hydrate our muscles and body to help repair them after working out. taking creatine helps the process by provindig water cells to bond to muscless cells which makes you look bigger and helps repair them faster after they have been trained. Basically you can train harder, with better results

problems beaing is this...

can cause bloating since you ARE retaining water
You loose the gains after prolonged use if you dont CYCLE*more below*
can cause deydration if you dont dirnk lots of water


from what I was reading, Idd take it very responsibly and minimal dosages, about 5 grams a day for about 4 weeks, then none for about 2 so my body does not become amune to the new increase in creatine consumption.

I read that if you STOP all together working out, your creatine gains will be lost do to the body using up the extra water stored threwout the body.......but the way I look at it is if you stop working out all together your already expecting to loose allot since your not maintaining anythng.....so really this does not bother me.


I drink TONS of water daily...thast ALL I drink
idd take only 5grams a day
only the monohydrate creatine would be consumed
I work out every 2 days.



list your thoughts on creatine from your experiance.

Whiplash

i have heard it's best to use with grape juice..
and if yer gonna take it to definitely follow with a workout..

try not working out after drinking it and you'll understand

The Prophet

ya, i took it for 8 months in interval weeks, and u have to make sure u follow your excercise plan, once you slow down or stop, its usless and it will end up doing more harm than good

but if you plan on excercising regularly, than go for it, it worked for me

shlammed

#1 you take it AFTER you workout, not before

#2 don't take it with your protein shakes...creatine works fastest with sugary drinks like grape juice...orange juice I believe would be second best...apple juice would be slowest getting it in your system.

shlammed

Oh and one more thing, during the first 5 days you have to do the loading process which is more then 5g/day. You gotta take like 5 teaspoons I believe it is per day for those 5 days and then 2 per day after that. I wouldn't worry about these "lost gains". All that happened to me when I stopped was I lost the extra "punch" that the creatine gave me. I didn't lose any muscle or anything.

yO

You make it seem like it's a steroid. You do not have to cycle Creatine. It does not bind to recepter sites so your body will always produce it. I've been on it for over 5 years, just load up on it for five days and after that take it once per day. It does work best with high GI fluids.

imported_My Blue Si

I would take it an hour before workout...and you don't have to cycle it.

Whiplash

that's what i heard too...

imported_corcoran_chris

so should I stick to the 5 g a day? what should I take for the FOLLOWING week? what ammount? then what ammount after that? how often? im going to take it before workout, ths what ive read and thats what ill do

im 153 pounds BTW at 511

imported_My Blue Si

Usually you don't have to load on it, just take 4-5 grams a day and thats it. I was advised that you can also split it in half so you take 2-2.5 grams in the morning or early afternoon and the other 2-2.5 an hour before workout but I would stick to taking the entire 4-5 grams before the workout. Then again others will argue otherwise...
Try it out, do whats best and works out best for yourself.
Also I wouldn't take creatine 12 months a year. Usually builders go on it for 3-4 months then off of it for a couple of months or 3 and then back on it again and so forth b/c the body gets too used to it. Hopefully you can lift the same amount of weight when your off the creatine as when you were still on it, if so then your doing good.
I myself have not been on it since 4-5 years ago. Im planning on going on it in a couple of months again, i've talked to the trainers and specialists at my gym and the info im providing is from them.


Here's a couple of sites you can browse upon if you want to learn more...

www.creatinefacts.com
http://www.creatinemonohydrate.net
http://www.absolute-creatine.com/1.htm

dingus8

first off dotn' take creatine unless you ahve been lifting for awhile...make sure your diet is flawless cause no sup in the world is gonna hep if your not eatign enough of the right stuff..

post yoru diet up..you shodul be eating 6-7 meals a day eat eat eat!!

second you taek creatine with DEXTROSE which is a sugar found in grape juice powder gatorade those are the most popular...you taek it with dextrose after a workout to boost your insuline so the creatien is obsorbed into teh system....if you are lifitng regularly you shoudl be drinking atleast 1 gallon of water a day

you have to load for the first week you take it to get the concentration of creatine in yoru muscles up or else it will taek you twice as long to get the concentration you need..you need to take double doses the first week..I'm nto sure what creatien you bought so consult the nutrition person who sold it to you..or goto GNC or someplace to ask..

I bought creatine but havent' used it...I'm debating

shlammed

I've read everywhere to take creatine AFTER working out. Even on the sites of manufacturers that sell it.

imported_My Blue Si

Do you have any links or URL's where it states that?
BTW your avatar is hypnotizing me lol

VietSol

You use it an hour before. I've heard from various personal trainers. The whole point of creatine is too make you lift more and how are you gonna do that by not having it in your system? It doesn't really help build muscle, thats what protein does.

NavidOG

AGREED ! .... i work at gym and all the guys that take creatine, use it after their work out... the product is used to help heal ur muscles faster.... i dont know where everyone got their info sayin it helps u lift better or to take it before ??? even in the original post the guy said what it does:

"helps hydrate our muscles and body to help repair them after working out. taking creatine helps the process by provindig water cells to bond to muscless cells which makes you look bigger and helps repair them faster after they have been trained."

note have i have made it bold what creatine actually does...SO IF U HAVE THE ANSWER RIGHT THERE WHATS THE FUSS ABOUT. As for cycle's and etc... thats bs too, dont get me wrong, if ur not a regular guy that works out on a regular schedule then dont use it, but if u r, then yes use it after ur workouts.... and guys the best way to get big is to eat alot of times (5-6 times a day), but not a big quantity.

shlammed

Exactly...how you gonna use it to repair your muscles if you take it before you workout...and no offense but some personal trainers are IDIOTS. I prefer doing my own research and reading like 100000 people say the same thing rather then trust one trainer.

dingus8

^^exactly..I would never get a trainer..unless I knew he or she was good..even then it costs $$$