I Love Creatine!

Body2Shape

Creatine is without doubt the most incredible natural performance enhancing substance to hit the market. It can increases strength, speed, power and muscle mass noticeably if used correctly in conjunction with intense exercise and a good Diet.

Creatine raises muscle energy availability. Muscle Cells in our body store energy in the form of a molecule known as Adenosine TriPhohsphate (ATP). The amount of work our muscles can perform is a result of the amount of ATP they have stored as well as the ease with which ATP is regenerated.

Creatine is a natural component of skeletal muscle. Meat and fish are the richest natural sources of creatine. However, the quantity is low due to cooking these foods.

The Ground Work


All in All, from my years of taking cycles of Creatine I have noticed that it was only ever as good as I made it. What I mean by this is that if I didn’t do the proper ground work prior, during and even after my 6-10 week cycle of Creatine I would find that my muscle and strength gains were not nearly as significant as when I did do this ground work.

This ground work is far from just doing the hard yards in the in the gym. In fact it is everything but lifting heavy weights in the gym that can make Creatine so Effective.

Before you begin gulping back your creatine follow a few guidelines:


--Pick a time carefully

In order to maximise your gains you should chose a period of 6-12 weeks where you do not have any other major commitments such as work deadlines, vacations, excessive aerobic exercise etc. This period should allow you to ALWAYS have time to lift weights 3-4 times per week.


--New weightlifting program

Get rid of your old Program that you have been doing for months. Chances are that your muscles are stale and not getting full stimulation from doing the same old exercises every week. Start a New weightlifting program made up of good compound exercises to increase strength and encourage new muscle mass.


--Take a Week

Establish your Max lift for each exercise on your program during your loading week. Take note of the results. Over the coming weeks of your cycle you MUST aim to improve on these lifts every week to maximise gains in strength and muscle mass.


--Eat, Eat & EAT!

Eat approximately 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight and consume 6-7 meals per day.

--Drink, Drink & DRINK!

Drink a 4-6 litres a day to ensure that the creatine you drink is absorbed properly. Avoid caffeine.

--After your cycle try and maintain your lifts--

[Note: More is NOT better! There's only so much your cells can absorb. Take Creatine according to what the manufacturer state and consult a physician before use]

Hope this Info Helps!

Kieran

P.S Let me know of any questions and experiences with Creatine!

lebowski11

Ive only recently starting taking creatine and I'm pretty impressed with it so far.Ive been lifting weights for about 2 and half years and have always used a protein supplement.Since I started using creatine I've started to increase the weight of my lifts to the point where i'm now lifting heavier weights than ever before whilst dropping the number of reps to about 6 for each set.I've done this for about 5 weeks but I now feel I need to change my routine.Could you advise me on what type of routine I should now do after maxing out for 5 weeks at most lifts?I was thinking of dropping the weight of the lifts down whilst increasing the reps,or maybe doing a week or 2 of power sets.What would you recommend?Also,what do you mean by a creatine cycle?How long should I take it for and how long should I stop taking it for?Any help would be appreciated.Thanks

gnolan

WTF is going on here?

What brand do you take? I don't just want it, i need it! I have my credit card at the ready...

podge57

you make it sound like a steroid

there is no need to completely change everything, and cycling is not neccessary either

Degsy

These two clowns are obvioulsy working hand-in glove to sell the stuff somehow.
Personally i think its a load of overrated pap.

narwog7

long time lurker, first time poster.

I was training for about 6 months when i used creatine(monohydrate) first(May 08). After the loading phase I took 10g per day for 6 weeks. This was coupled with a whey protein shake. (ie morning + PWO).

I found it useful, all my lifts improved and i found myself progressing nicely. Not sure if it was a psychological effect but i felt stronger while on it too!:D

Did experience stomach bloating though which went fairly soon after i finished the creatine cycle.

Thinking about starting another cycle from now til easter, hoping to make decent gains seeing as i have a nice run up to it.

If anyone cares i may aswell introduce myself, im 22, have a rugby/Gaa background, have been resistance training for only a year now but have been pretty active since my teens due to my job and sport.

1RM Bench Press is 95kg. Tore my cruciate a year ago (hence why i hit the gym!) so my squat and deadlift are works in progress but are also around the 80kg and 100kg mark for 5x5 at the moment.

Reyman

Degsy wrote: »

These two clowns are obvioulsy working hand-in glove to sell the stuff somehow.
Personally i think its a load of overrated pap.

I agree - this looks like a take off! Are these guys for real?

narwog7

possibly not the best thread to decide to enter the forum on.....

i'm in no way affiliated to the OP, been knocking around the forum for a while and decided to start posting today for some reason, must have been inspired by the rugby earlier:D

FunkZ

Well it was still a good read lads, and there's some useful info on their site too.

MagicMarker

Body2Shape wrote: »

Creatine is without doubt the most incredible natural performance enhancing substance to hit the market.

Did anyone else read past this line?

eroo

MagicMarker wrote: »

Did anyone else read past this line?

Unfortunately, I did..

jayoo

It’s the supplement you ask us about more than any other. So we looked beyond the seductive sales pitches and asked the genuine, agenda-free experts for the truth

The Experts we spoke to:
Professor Paul Greenhaff
Is chair of muscle metabolism at the University of Nottingham, and has written several research papers on taking creatine.
Dr Alfredo Franco-Obregon
Has spent over 20 years studying how and why muscle cells grow and deteriorate, and is the author of Creatine: A Practical Guide.
Andrew Hamilton
Is the nutrition writer for sports science bible Peak Performance and a fitness industry trainer and assessor.
James Collier
Is an expert in bodybuilding nutrition and runs the fitness discussion forum www.muscletalk.co.uk. He is also author of the widely acclaimed e-book Informed Bodybuilding Nutrition (available at www.bodybuilding-diets.co.uk).
Christian Finn
Founded the website www.thefactsaboutfitness.com, which offers in-depth info on strength, nutrition, health and supplementation, and has been a personal trainer for over 10 years.
Dr Robert Child
Is a consultant to several US and UK nutrition companies and currently working as a nutritional biochemist with
leading athletes.
Lee Oakley
Is a leading consultant in the health food and sports nutrition industry with over a decade’s experience advising athletes on nutrition.

The creatine theory
The cells in your body are fuelled by a compound called adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Every blink of your eye, every biceps curl, every step you take, every move you make, every bond you break… ATP’s the fuel.
You generate ATP in different ways, depending on the intensity of your chosen exercise. As long as you can take in enough oxygen to fuel the process, your body turns carbohydrates and fats into ATP. But for all-out efforts lasting a mere three to five seconds – think weight-lifting, sprinting bursts or rugby tackles – you can’t inhale enough oxygen to generate the amount of ATP you need. Which is where creatine comes into play. Phospho-creatine (PCr), a natural component of skeletal muscle in your body, makes it possible to “recycle” ATP you’ve used and make it usable fuel again, enabling you and your muscles to make another all-out effort. The body synthesizes about half of your daily creatine requirement. The rest comes from your diet. But, bodies not being 100% efficient, you lose about 2g of creatine a day. Which means that generating enough ATP for regular, intensive workouts is tough. For decades, sports scientists believed that flooding muscles with extra creatine would result in more PCr, which would enable better and quicker ATP regeneration, and give you the ability to perform more intensive sessions. And that increase in intensity and frequency would, they reasoned, lead to greater strength and muscle size. The emergence of cheap, synthetic creatine in the early ’90s meant the theory could be tested. Willing guinea-pigs have included athletes such as Linford Christie and Sally Gunnell, who took supplements at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Does it increase strength?
This is the key question for most of us, but to understand the answer we need to understand what we mean by strength and where it comes from. Our muscles are made up of different fibres – type I (slow) and type II (fast). Type I fibres are fuelled by a compound called ATP (see below for the full scientific explanation), which is fired by oxygen, and give us endurance. It’s the type II fibres that unleash the explosive force needed to lift bar-bells and 32in TVs. Or what we call strength. And owing to the intensity of the effort, these fibres don’t use the oxygen-generated ATP route. In scientific speak, this makes them “anaerobic”.
As every gym-goer knows, the more you work these type II fibres, the stronger and bigger they become. As Dr Franco-Obregón says, “Anaerobic exercise like weight-lifting and sprinting is the optimal stimulus for muscle growth.” And creatine is the fuel your muscles need for this anaerobic exercise. “Creatine gives you higher anaerobic energy stores, and thus sets the stage for subsequent muscle growth and strength gain,” says Franco-Obregón. In other words, it gives you the fuel to do the work that builds your strength. But you have to do the work.
“When creatine is supplemented at the appropriate levels, muscle creatine stores become elevated, boosting the ability of muscles to perform high-intensity work and delaying the onset of fatigue,” says Andrew Hamilton. “Those who take advantage of this ability to train more intensely can develop more strength. However, simply taking creatine without the appropriate strength training will not build strength.”
In a nutshell: Yes. “Creatine allows you to do more intense training, that’s the key,” says Professor Greenhaff. “It allows more work to be performed, and this leads to growth.”

Does it work for muscle growth?
You may have heard bodybuilders say that much of the muscle-size gains you undoubtedly get after taking creatine come from temporary water retention, rather than any actual thickening of muscle fibres. “Creatine attracts water when it accumulates within a cell,” agrees Franco-Obregón. “The water flows into the cell in an attempt to dilute the creatine, causing the cell to swell.” And this is likely to be most noticeable when you start taking creatine, in the loading phase when your powder intake is highest. “Studies report decreases in urine production during the loading phase, when creatine absorption is greatest, which might reflect greater amounts of fluid being retained by your muscles,” says Franco-Obregón.
There’s more to it than just water in and, inevitably, water out, though. “With more creatine and water in the muscle, the muscle cell is ‘volumised’, which helps to trigger protein synthesis, minimise protein breakdown and increase glycogen synthesis,” says James Collier. Or, translated from science parlance, it creates the right environment for real muscle growth. “If a muscle is then trained properly, this could lead to enhanced growth,” confirms Collier. “Most users experience notable weight increases when they start a course of creatine – up to six or seven pounds [about 3kg], especially the first time they use it.” But how much is “real” growth and how much is temporary water-filling? “Most of this weight gain is from the cell volumising effect, which isn’t permanent,” says Collier. “Some weight gain is from an increase in muscle tissue, though. Studies have shown that creatine- supplemented subjects gain significantly more lean body mass than non-creatine-supplemented individuals.”
In a nutshell: Much of the apparent muscle gain will disappear when the supplementation stops.

Does it improve endurance?
Creatine fuels explosive efforts in the gym, on the track, the court, or wherever you need them. But does it help if you’re partaking of longer, less intense activities? Initially, the experts thought not. “During less intense exercise, such as long-distance running or cycling, virtually all of the fuel needed for muscle contraction comes from aerobic energy production – from combining muscle fuels directly with oxygen,” explains Andrew Hamilton. So, theoretically, there’s no need for creatine. In reality, though, “endurance” activities are a little more complicated, and so is the creatine picture. “Almost all serious endurance athletes use interval training to increase their basic speed and help provide the necessary kick at the end of a tight race,” says Hamilton.
If you’re a not-so-serious athlete but want that same kick, creatine could lend a hand. “Research has demonstrated that for endurance athletes such as kayakers and runners the quality of interval training can be increased significantly after supplementation,” says Hamilton. “And higher-quality interval sessions in training can produce higher speeds in competition.”
At the end of a tough race or match, it could mean the difference between leaving an opponent for dead or joining the zombies yourself.
And it’s not just your finishing kick that can be improved via supplementation, says Hamilton. “Some endurance athletes expend so much energy in training that some muscle mass loss is virtually unavoidable,” says Hamilton. “But new research suggests that, in men at least, creatine supplementation can counter this.”
A third plus on the stamina front is currently being examined by Professor Greenhaff. Supplementation seems to enhance the muscles’ ability to store carbohydrate – the key endurance muscle fuel. The effect is rather like the carb-loading practised by marathon runners in the ’70s, only better. “If our research continues to show that creatine enables more carbohydrate to be stored in muscles then that could be of great benefit to endurance athletes,” says Greenhaff. “Double the amount of carbohydrate has been measured in muscle after supplementing with creatine and carbohydrate as opposed to carbs taken on their own.”
In a nutshell: Yes, creatine can help with endurance, but don’t do the “loading phase” (see How To Take It). And keep the dosage low. Excess weight, muscle or not, is no friend in a marathon.

Does it speed up recovery between sets and sessions?
The theory goes like this: the harder the workout the greater the damage to your muscles; and the more damage the more time you’ll need to recover. And as creatine’s whole MO involves enabling you to do harder workouts, you’d expect that taking the powder would lengthen your recovery times. “The combination of heightened-intensity training and increased strength increases the amount of micro tears in your muscle fibres, which is the stiffness you feel after a workout,” says Dr Robert Child. “When these tears repair themselves, they grow back thicker and stronger, which is essentially the reason your muscles grow bigger.”
So creatine means more muscle tears, which means more growth, but should also mean longer recovery. However, Professor Greenhaff’s studies suggest that recovery between sessions isn’t slowed by creatine. “We’ve done sessions of three-times-weekly resistance work and there were no adverse effects,” says Greenhaff.
“As for actually speeding up recovery between sessions,” says Andrew Hamilton, “this is certainly possible theoretically, because creatine appears to promote the uptake of water and glycogen into muscle cells.” These are necessary building blocks for muscle recovery, but more research is needed. “The best way to ensure rapid recovery between sessions is still a good carb-rich diet and plenty of fluid,” concludes Greenhaff.
In a nutshell: Creatine is unlikely to hasten recovery between sessions. Sufficient rest between workouts is vital: it’s when growth occurs.

Is it safe?
In the late ’90s, there were shock-horror headlines after the deaths of three US college wrestlers who, it was said, had been using creatine. It seemed dehydration, elevated body temperature and excessive weight loss had contributed to their deaths. Creatine’s contribution was hotly debated in the press, though it was later revealed that two of the wrestlers might not have supplemented at all. Still, safety is obviously still a massive concern.

…in the short term?
The main potential short-term risks seem to be cramp and dehydration. Since creatine draws water into the muscles, it’s imperative that if you’re using it you also increase your water intake. “It’s vital that anyone taking creatine and performing strenuous exercise drinks plenty of water,” says Lee Oakley. “Heavy training and sweating can also lead to the loss of electrolytes, which are important for muscles to function properly. They need to be replaced to avoid muscle cramping.”
Dr Franco-Obregón’s research indicates that, if you’re supplementing, constant hydration is vital. “You need to keep well hydrated while supplementing,” he says. Drink at least 30ml of water daily, per kilogram of bodyweight, while taking creatine – roughly equivalent to 10-15 glasses of water per day for an average-sized man. Creatine may also exacerbate other conditions, warns James Collier. “I am currently researching links between creatine supplementation and colitis and Crohn’s disease, two disorders which affect the bowel,” says Collier. “The research is not completed yet, so it can’t be confirmed, but observations have been made that there may be a link to creatine worsening these conditions, or causing relapse in predisposed individuals.”

…in the long term?
This is where you really are taking a leap into the unknown. Since creatine supplementation has only been commonplace for the last decade, long-term study of potential downsides is decidedly thin on the ground. The scientific community just doesn’t know yet, so there’s no escaping the fact that when you take the powder you’re taking a risk. “The long-term effects of creatine supplementation are not really known,” says Andrew Hamilton. “So you shouldn’t feel that you have carte blanche to swallow large quantities indiscriminately.” Essentially it comes down to a personal choice: you have to ask yourself whether it’s a risk you’re prepared to take.
In a nutshell: Pay attention to hydration, don’t exceed the dosage, be aware that it may aggravate certain conditions and, most importantly, understand that there’s no guarantee of creatine’s long-term safety or side-effects, so there’s a risk involved

The different types of creatine
Hardly a month goes by without some “latest, greatest” creatine variant entering the marketplace. But
the vast majority of rigorous research has been carried out on creatine monohydrate, so beware claims made by other compounds.
Creatine serum is a liquid form of creatine phosphate – is the most recent “miracle product”, but is dismissed as “completely ineffective” by Professor Ron Maughan, secretary of the Sports Nutrition Group. “It’s a complete scam,
and the companies involved got away with their claims because the legislation wasn’t in place to prevent them,” echoes Professor Paul Greenhaff. “With so many different types of creatine and formulas, it’s no wonder consumers get confused,” says Collier. “Creatine phosphate, creatine pyruvate and creatine citrate aren’t as effective as creatine monohydrate.Effervescent and sublingual creatine both claim to be more readily absorbed, but are really a waste of money as creatine isn’t stable in liquid form. And capsules are reported to be less effective than the powder.”
The golden rule: “Make sure you use creatine monohydrate powder,” says Collier. “Micronised creatine monohydrate formulas are great as they dissolve well.”

How to take it
If you’ve weighed up the powder’s pros and cons – the proven benefits, the risks and the cost – and you’re sold on supplementing, here’s how to get the most from it:

To load or not to load
Most creatine products suggest you take a “loading dose” over the first five days – 5g four times
a day – so your muscles become saturated with the stuff. But recent research backs the cynics’ view that this is simply
a ploy to get us to use more. “A loading phase is not required to benefit from creatine,” says Dr Franco-Obregón. “One study observed a significant rise in muscle creatine in response to only 3g a day.”So is it simply cynical marketing? “One advantage of a loading phase is that the benefits of supplementation will appear sooner,” says Franco-Obregón. “As might be expected, muscle creatine content rose more slowly using the smaller dose, but a loading phase is not actually obligatory or necessary, and similar gains in muscle creatine content can be obtained with smaller doses taken for three to four weeks.” He also stresses that skipping the loading phase will reduce renal stress and the risk of possible gastrointestinal complications. So, unless you’re in an unnatural hurry, don’t bother “loading”.

When to take it
“Without a doubt,” says Franco-Obregón, “the best time to take a creatine supplement is immediately after exercise.” It’s a window of opportunity when your muscles are most receptive to taking up the substance. “Take full advantage of this by taking creatine with a source of simple sugars, such as fruit juice, and whey protein immediately after exercise,” says Franco-Obregón. “These three nutrients, in conjunction with the anabolic hormones that are released through exercise, will combine to build new muscle and recharge depleted energy reserves.”

How much to take
If you go for a loading phase, then, after the initial five days, 2g daily is enough to keep your muscles saturated for up to 28 days, according to Andrew Hamilton. There’s little evidence to show that supplementing for any longer than this is effective. If you haven’t loaded, 3g a day does the trick.

What to take it with
Initially, make sure you have your creatine with some carbs to ensure easier absorption. “There’s no doubt creatine should be taken with carbohydrate,” says Professor Greenhaff. “You need about 80g of carbs per 3-5g of creatine. But only for the first few days. After that, just take the creatine on its own.” James Collier advises necking your powder in a hot, sugared drink (though not boiling as creatine is destroyed at very high temperatures) so it dissolves more easily, along with some fruit or fruit juice. Alternatively, mix it with a hot full-sugar cordial.

How long to take it for
“Creatine hasn’t been around long enough to know whether continual supplementation for months or years is safe,” says Hamilton, summarising expert opinion. “For these reasons, cycling creatine [alternating periods of use and non-use] is a good idea. There are no hard-and-fast rules, but many athletes follow five-week cycles – one week loading, followed by four weeks’ maintenance, then five weeks ‘off’.”
Words by Men’s Health

challengemaster

OP probably won't remember even posting this....:D

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

lebowski11

'Working hand in glove to sell the stuff'.I don't know what your talking about mate.I signed up to boards with the intention of finding some info on creatine and just so happened to come across this guys post.Thanks to everyone else for the relevant posts.

i57dwun4yb1pt8

i used it for a few months once , all it does is pump your muscles full of water so you look bigger , and de hyrdates you

once you stop using it you go back to practically where you were before.

its ****e

alansweeney100

Body2Shape wrote: »

Creatine is without doubt the most incredible natural performance enhancing substance to hit the market.

Cringe.... you sound like a radio advertisement ourlad, give us a break

g'em

Indeed. Locked.