Creatine help please

[kcklla]

I just got some Creatine Monohydrate powder and I was woundering what kind of schedule was used. I know that there is a loading period and a maintenance period. I head that you need to stop for a while and I was woundering if there was and if there is what was it.

 

[bigshooter]

How much do you work out. There are studies taht say it's bad for the liver so you may want to read up. The proper schedule should be on the container, but you should load for a few days to a week (don't remember which one) then take it regularly for a month or two, then take a week or two off. That's how i used it. The only size gain i noticed that i attributed to teh creatine was from holding more water. You'd be better off eating more and healthier than using that stuff.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Originally posted by: bigshooter
How much do you work out. There are studies taht say it's bad for the liver so you may want to read up. The proper schedule should be on the container, but you should load for a few days to a week (don't remember which one) then take it regularly for a month or two, then take a week or two off. That's how i used it. The only size gain i noticed that i attributed to teh creatine was from holding more water. You'd be better off eating more and healthier than using that stuff.

Creatine is fine if you know what you are doing with it.

Loading is a waste of time. The most "loading" I would suggest doing is taking a serving once a day, for maybe 5-7 days, and drink LOTS and LOTS of water.

Then, I would only take it on workout days. There are people who like to take it either pre or post-workout. Really up to you. I do it post-workout since I load up on the simple-sugars in my PW shake. So, if you do a 4-day split take it only on those 4 days that you are at the gym.

I haven't read of any proven benefits to "cycling" creatine. Keeping your muscles saturated with water seems like a good thing, it will only help you in lifting heavier which in turn (with a proper diet of course) will cause larger muscles.

 

[Argo]

Creatine never worked for me. I gained the same amount of muscle while on and off it.

 

[halik]

im just cruious which b&m storry sell creative an/or protein shakes? I've gained about 20 lbs in past 6 some months with my goal being aobut 180-200ish. The sooner the better

 

[bGIveNs33]

Originally posted by: halik
im just cruious which b&m storry sell creative an/or protein shakes? I've gained about 20 lbs in past 6 some months with my goal being aobut 180-200ish. The sooner the better

Well, GNC is the obvious choice... BUT, recently we've gotten a BodyBuilding.com B&M and their prices seem to be MUCH better.

 

[PMoore]

I would suggest loading back up for 5 days with 4 scoops, or whatever it says on the label.

After that just take it once at day 30 minutes before working out...

As for the people who say it does not work, it does for some and does not for others.
Creatine is safe as long as you don?t abuse it. Drink plenty of water during and after use.

Here are some links to online stores:

www.bodybuilding.com
www.1fast400.com

 

[dahunan]

Originally posted by: bGIveNs33

Originally posted by: halik
im just cruious which b&m storry sell creative an/or protein shakes? I've gained about 20 lbs in past 6 some months with my goal being aobut 180-200ish. The sooner the better

Well, GNC is the obvious choice... BUT, recently we've gotten a BodyBuilding.com B&M and their prices seem to be MUCH better.

GNC usually has the worst prices on the planet...

I have purchased from
http://www.netrition.com and http://www.muscledawg.com Both were well priced and came quickly

 

[bigshooter]

Originally posted by: Nutdotnet

Originally posted by: bigshooter How much do you work out. There are studies taht say it's bad for the liver so you may want to read up. The proper schedule should be on the container, but you should load for a few days to a week (don't remember which one) then take it regularly for a month or two, then take a week or two off. That's how i used it. The only size gain i noticed that i attributed to teh creatine was from holding more water. You'd be better off eating more and healthier than using that stuff.

Creatine is fine if you know what you are doing with it. Loading is a waste of time. The most "loading" I would suggest doing is taking a serving once a day, for maybe 5-7 days, and drink LOTS and LOTS of water. Then, I would only take it on workout days. There are people who like to take it either pre or post-workout. Really up to you. I do it post-workout since I load up on the simple-sugars in my PW shake. So, if you do a 4-day split take it only on those 4 days that you are at the gym. I haven't read of any proven benefits to "cycling" creatine. Keeping your muscles saturated with water seems like a good thing, it will only help you in lifting heavier which in turn (with a proper diet of course) will cause larger muscles.

The only thing i was saying about possible liver problems is that creatine in supplement form hasn't been around long enough for any long term studies to determine it's effects. Noone can really say they know what they are doing, because noone know's if it does have long term effects. Personally having used it, and other supplements I would recommend a couple things. First, don't waste any more money on that crap. Eating a good diet and getting enough sleep will do a LOT more than some creatine will. Second, unless you are working out a ton, i'm tlaking 1 and a half to two hours a day, every day, strenuously, and you are in excellent shape already, creatine won't do anything for you. It makes you look and feel bigger because you hold more water, when I took it, I noticed no great increases in anythign as opposed to when I wasn't on it. I guess i did piss a lot more, but thats not something that attracts women, so I just stopped taking it and decided to spend that money on eating better.

 

[Nutdotnet]

Originally posted by: bigshooter

Originally posted by: Nutdotnet

Originally posted by: bigshooter How much do you work out. There are studies taht say it's bad for the liver so you may want to read up. The proper schedule should be on the container, but you should load for a few days to a week (don't remember which one) then take it regularly for a month or two, then take a week or two off. That's how i used it. The only size gain i noticed that i attributed to teh creatine was from holding more water. You'd be better off eating more and healthier than using that stuff.

Creatine is fine if you know what you are doing with it. Loading is a waste of time. The most "loading" I would suggest doing is taking a serving once a day, for maybe 5-7 days, and drink LOTS and LOTS of water. Then, I would only take it on workout days. There are people who like to take it either pre or post-workout. Really up to you. I do it post-workout since I load up on the simple-sugars in my PW shake. So, if you do a 4-day split take it only on those 4 days that you are at the gym. I haven't read of any proven benefits to "cycling" creatine. Keeping your muscles saturated with water seems like a good thing, it will only help you in lifting heavier which in turn (with a proper diet of course) will cause larger muscles.

The only thing i was saying about possible liver problems is that creatine in supplement form hasn't been around long enough for any long term studies to determine it's effects. Noone can really say they know what they are doing, because noone know's if it does have long term effects. Personally having used it, and other supplements I would recommend a couple things. First, don't waste any more money on that crap. Eating a good diet and getting enough sleep will do a LOT more than some creatine will. Second, unless you are working out a ton, i'm tlaking 1 and a half to two hours a day, every day, strenuously, and you are in excellent shape already, creatine won't do anything for you. It makes you look and feel bigger because you hold more water, when I took it, I noticed no great increases in anythign as opposed to when I wasn't on it. I guess i did piss a lot more, but thats not something that attracts women, so I just stopped taking it and decided to spend that money on eating better.

Disagreeing. Creatine DOES work for many people. It helps your muscle retain more water (dumbest way to explain it), for me it allowed me to lift heavier and/or perform more repititions. Allowing me to grow and get stronger at a quicker rate. This does not mean that I had immediately gained more muscle, and if I went off of it at the time my strength levels would have gone back down. But using it for over 9 months I would have to say that it DOES help WITH a damn good/great diet. Food is always #1. Resting #2. And finally, #3 is supplements.

Again, it is my personal belief (along with many other body-builders) that loading is a waste of time and money, so is taking it everyday. I explained what the best and most cost-effective way to use it in a previous thread.

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Dude, ignore most of the information posted above. If you are still in college or otherwise have access to a health sciences library, Medline, or PubMed do a search for creatine. You could probably go directly to the journal stacks in your HSL and skim the Journal of Sports Medicine or Journal of Clinical Nutrition. There are very few if any GOOD joe blow studies of creatine. Most decent studies were with trained athletes but a few did include weekend warrior-types.

There are MANY factors that determine absolute benefit from creatine . . . exercise intensity, exercise duration, starting BMI, creatine dose, other supplement use (taurine, lipoic acid, dextrose, glutamine), diet, water intake . . . You could take as little as 3g once a day to 5g twice a day and see the exact same benefit depending on the above criteria . . . then again you may just wind up with expensive urine (good German creatine is still $40 for a kilo.

Read a reputable/peer-reviewed journal and make a decision about the best way for YOU to use creatine.