Creatine

jack90210

I am thinking about taking creatine for the first time and I would like some advice.

1. What are the effects of creatine, in your experience?

2. Will it make me puffy?

3. Should I take it for a cycle?

4. When should I take it? Only training days? Before and after a session?

5. Should I be hitting seriously heavy weights before I start? I think I'm plateauing at the moment.

Any other advice very welcome!!

Thanks guys.

Buzz Buzz

Hey mate,


1) I find the creatine gives me the extra pump, and helps create a more solid, strong muscle.

2) Depends on the form, some of the 'cheaper' types I find have a high sodium content which usually causes water retention giving you that puffy look. Creatine is naturally produced by the body anyway so taking a supplement just adds that little extra your body will be demanding from an intense workout.

3) I rarely do cardio, but I do know friends who recommend you take it anytime you workout.. basically anytime you put your body through intense exercise.

4) I workout five days and take it everyday, before and after a workout and once on rest days. Even with that I'm still coming under the suggested daily dose, but I find thats all I need.

5) Depends on what you consider seriously heavy weights. I think as long as you are used to lifting weights, your form etc is good you'll probably find the benefits of using it.

Just bear two things in mind.. one, creatine will not build muscle for you, hard hours in the gym are the only way, creatine will just give you the extra pump you need. Two, watch the calorie content of it.. I've noticed some brands mixing it with various other substances like taurine etc, which send the number of calories through the roof!

And purely for information purposes you can always take a look at something called 'tribulus'.. a testosterone enhancer, NOT A STEROID, its completely legal.. gives that little extra pump.. but it all depends on how intense your training is.

Thats my two cents worth, good luck.

rubadub

Buzz Buzz wrote: »

I've noticed some brands mixing it with various other substances like taurine etc, which send the number of calories through the roof!

I don't think taurine is particularly high in calories, and it would be only small doses. People recommend taking creatine with simple carbs, like grape juice. That could boost the calories up, maybe that is what you are thinking of?

If worried about the carbs take it before or after a workout so at least they are going to some good, other than creatine absorption.

g'em

Buzz Buzz wrote: »

And purely for information purposes you can always take a look at something called 'tribulus'.. a testosterone enhancer, NOT A STEROID, its completely legal..

Not in Ireland it isn't, legal that is.

OP by all means try creatine. I suspect it won't be the magic performance enhancer you hope it'll be, but it won't harm you and experience will leave you poorer, but wiser. In reality it will provide slightly more energy for you to train, allowing you to get an extra set in or put a couple of extra kilo's on the bar. creatine doesn't make your muscle bigger, it causes them to draw in water to make them appear bigger, but if you train hard and eat smart alongside it, more intense training and accompanying rest will help you build lean mass.

Degsy

Buzz Buzz wrote: »

And purely for information purposes you can always take a look at something called 'tribulus'.. a testosterone enhancer, NOT A STEROID, its completely legal.. gives that little extra pump.. but it all depends on how intense your training is.

Apparantly they've made tribulus illegal here and will seize it if you order it from a supplier.However,it grows pretty easily and you can get seeds from the internet and grow it out the back!Personally the only difference i noticed with it was increased grouchyness.

AlphaMale 3OO

Degsy wrote: »

Apparantly they've made tribulus illegal here and will seize it if you order it from a supplier.However,it grows pretty easily and you can get seeds from the internet and grow it out the back!Personally the only difference i noticed with it was increased grouchyness.

I'm sure it's fairly easy to get Tribulus proper in Ireland if you really want it.

moby2101

Hi jack90210,
Ive taken creatine for two periods in the last 12 months. As Gem said its bloody expensive. I train mainly for triathlons, I do 4 weights sessions per week (mornings) and 4 cardio sessions pw(evenings). The first time out i took creatine for 3 months, I saw only a slight improvement in muscle size, my lifts were up maybe 10%. I found that I could recover from intense cardio a lot faster tho'.
out of triathlon season I increased the weights and cut down on cardio for 8 weeks, again i did not see a huge difference and as before the increase in lifts was up 10 -15%.

Im back doing 4 2hr cardio sessions a week and am pretty knackered at the end of a week. Im thinking about the creatine again.
Anyone have any other suggestions I have a very good diet and take vitamins, ginseng,echinacea etc religiously.

joepenguin

to save alot of money you could just get creatine monohydrate on its own.
€27 for 100 servings/ 27c per serving:
https://nutritionx.ie/store/creatine-p-49.html?osCsid=7752ee41bc7906b34b753e5724a09bd3

and add protein/carbs etc as you see fit pre-post workout

justsomebloke

forbesii wrote: »

I'm sure it's fairly easy to get Tribulus proper in Ireland if you really want it.

yes it is also easy to get hash and coke in ireland too:rolleyes: