CREATINE.. Good or Bad???????

[JADE ROSE]

Recently I have added Creatine to my training (Weights that is) after all the hype about it and a fair few of my friends recomending it I thought I would give it a try.

Well the results were what I did not expect I could seriously lift more wight and go for longer. Excellent you say ? Until I read the back of the container it comes in telling me not to take it on a full stomach (no explanation given) so I delved a little further into the research and found out that it can give you the sh*ts & dehydration.

Now I am abit reluctant to try it again has anyone been on it for a substancial time and if so how have you found the Side Effects?

[rubthebuddha]

i think this is the most common thread on the health forum.

creatine -- some say good, some say bad. the difference as i see it? individuals. different people benefit different ways, some not at all. i had similar, but not as profound, results as you had. several others have had the same, while some none at all.

on the other hand, some have had negative results. many of these problems can be sourced back to poor hydration -- creatine pulls more water into the muscles and, thus, away from other parts of the body. drink more water when you're on it. other folks, regardless of hydration levels, had stomach problems. i've never heard of any permanent side effect, other than that huge lump on ironfist's back ().

as far as the empty stomach -- creatine is said to work best when taken in conjunction with a decent amount of carbohydrate. some brands recommend juice, others have their own advice.

best thing you can do? experiment, in moderation, with the stuff. if it helps, and you don't feel ill in anyway, you have yourself a winner. if you're taking it right and drinking plenty of water, and you're having problems, nix it immediately.

[IronFist]

Don't bother loading creatine. Just start taking 5g a day. Loading it is a waste because your body can't really handle more than 5g a day anyway. The companies just tell you to load with 30g a day so you use more of it and then have to buy more.

i've never heard of any permanent side effect, other than that huge lump on ironfist's back

The hair on the lump is long enough now that I can braid it. Creatine is awesome!

IronFist

[Mckind13]

The lump is Ironfist head, the hair is growing from the ears and nose!


JK Iron Fist ol buddy... I really just want to be the sidekick to the greatest super hero that ever lived!

No wait thats the Blue Beatle, Yah he rocks.

I take creatine too. good stuff but I hope it doesn't grow weird lumps or hair.

David

[Ford Prefect]

Drink lots of water while you are on it.

[Kempo Guy]

As mentioned creatine may act as a diuretic and cause dehydration and cramping. From what I understand (which isn't much.. ) this is caused by water volumizing your muscle cells. This is why it's recommended that you hydrate properly by increasing your water intake when you are on creatine.

I agree with IronFist that there is no need to go through a 'loading phase' with creatine. Studies have shown that one group loading creatine (30g for 4 - 6 days, then using the regular dosage of 5 - 7g/day) for four weeks experienced the same results (in strength and muscle gain) as a group using 5 - 7g creatine a day for a period of four weeks with no loading phase.

Creatine as suggested should be taken with simple carbohydrates, and I have read that a drink containing high-levels of dextrose works best (you can find dextrose in grape juice).

Another study have shown that if Creatine is ingested with OJ, and then followed by half a glass or so of OJ every fifteen minutes (over a period of an hour) results in great gains because of the continued insulin spikes. What I though was kind of odd with this study is that 'rumor has it' that OJ should never be taken with creatine (due to it's acidic content) as it turns into creatinine (sp?). I don't know if this is accurate but it's something that I've been hearing for a long time.

KG

[JADE ROSE]

Thanks for the advice. I hit the gym again tonight on a Creatine High and the pump I got out of biceps was impressive but (always a but) I can't handle the dehydration no matter how much water I drink it still hits me, maybe body make up I don't know. So for the sake of a healthy stress free body I might say good bye to the Creatine and just stay on a balance diet with protein shakes mixed in.

[inic]

i used it for about 6 months 3 years ago.... didnt notice any benefits or side effects...

[Silumkid]

As far as creatine goes, I have enjoyed good gains while using it. So obviously, for me, I am all for it.

I have a tub of Cytodyne's Cell-Tech waiting for me for my next lifting phase. Anybody have any experience with Cell-Tech? I tried it once when I first got it to judge the taste and it burned my throat a little...they say it's due to some sort of acid that helps the shuttling effect, but it still tasted good. I'll be using it in about 4 weeks for my max strength phase...just wanted to see if anyone else has tried it, results, likes/dislikes?

[IronFist]

Jade Rose, what is a creatine high? Did they put caffiene in your creatine?

I heard creatine is best absorbed when taken with warm or room temperature liquids. Something about it becoming less stable as it gets colder (or something).

And since no one has asked about or mentioned it yet, I will, stay away from creatine serum because it sucks.

Now I need to go get this other lump checked out

Cell-Tech... it's supposed to be alright, I heard it's expensive, though. Cell-Tech gets made fun of a lot because they're all like this:

CELL-TECH CREATINE GIVES 838296.128% BETTER GAINS THAN ALL OTHER BRANDS. YOU WILL ADD 59483.5892% MORE MUSCLE IN ONLY 2 WEEKS WITH CELL-TECH!

As far as I know tho, it's just as effective as any other brand. A few companies got busted for not having their product meet label claims, but I don't think Cell-Tech was one of them.

IronFist

[Kempo Guy]

To elaborate on what IronFist said, one of the reasons "liquid creatine" is not recommended by people is because Creatine when mixed with liquid turns into "Creatinine" after 20 - 30 minutes. Creatinine is a 'waste product' and will not have any effect in size or muscle gain, hence when purchased in liquid form some nay-sayers say it is already in 'creatinine' form...
So when mixing your Creatine, make sure you don't mix it and let it sit for a long time before it's consumed.

I've never tried Cell-tech, but EAS Phosphagen HP has worked pretty well for me in the past. I'm going on a cycle of EAS' new Phosphagen XT to see how it does in comparison...

KG

[Jamesbond_007]

Kempo Guy:
I used to use EAS Phosphagen HP and the beginning of this month I wanted to try Phosphagen XT, and all I can say is it rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been able to add a constant 5 pounds every week to my bench press and back workouts. I've increase my bench press 15lbs already this month, which is huge for me because in the past it would take me 3 months to increase this much. I have also seen an increase of muscle size and over all strength. Personally I am sold on the XT brand!!!!

[Kempo Guy]

Jamesbond_007,

Encouraging to hear that Phosphagen XT is working for you.
I just got my XT today! And decided to start the cycle today instead of next week.

I am going on a 8 week cycle with no loading phase and only 5 grams (1 scoop) of creatine per day taken post workout. FWIW, I am also taking Glutamine for faster recovery as I work out six to seven days per week (lift 3 days, cardio/Kettlebell 3 days). On top of that I have my MA training (roughly 3 days a week during my bulking cycle).

KG

[Serpent]

I really don't understand the use of these type of supplements. Surely the body isn't really designed to benefit from such things? And is it purely for gains that you could still make naturally over a slightly longer period of time?

[yu shan]

In my 30`s, creatine worked well! An explosive energy, an apparent water weight gain, who knows what damage to liver. Always remember what goes into your system, goes thru your liver...vitamins, supplements, etc.