Stopped taking creatine, huge decrease of energy in gym

waterford1988

I finished a cycle of creatine about a week ago. I know creatine brings about an increase in production of ATP which is energy for muscles. I used to take it about half an hour before working out.

In the last few days I have been feeling really tied during workouts and have actually noticed a slight decrease in my bench press.

Is there anything I could do to counter act the effects of coming off creatine?

drdeadlift

Im taking creatine at the moment,and im still getting weaker :mad:

cardio,shoot me

why did you come off it?

waterford1988

Just finished a 4 week cycle and it was beginning to cause acne.

itsallaboutheL

waterford1988 wrote: »

Just finished a 4 week cycle and it was beginning to cause acne.

Whut?


Were you keeping properly hydrated?

COH

waterford1988 wrote: »

Just finished a 4 week cycle and it was beginning to cause acne.

Acne from creatine?

ray jay

COH wrote: »

Acne from creatine?

first I've heard of it too

RealistSpy

I must be the lucky one thats Creatine (Micronized) helps? :O

What Creatine company are you using?

waterford1988

I have creatine from complete supplements.

I have heard of a lot of people getting acne from creatine. Someone suggested to me taking it with water, but it requires a glucose spike to work effectively? (Orange juice ect)

I have been keeping myself hydrated (2-5 litres a day)

Hanley

waterford1988 wrote: »

I have heard of a lot of people getting acne from creatine.

You've heard plenty of lies so.

carl456

The amount of misinformation on this stuff is amazing, people have come out with the most strange side effects when i tell them i use it. There's no need to cycle creatine and it didn't cause your acne

TommyKnocker

carl456 wrote: »

The amount of misinformation on this stuff is amazing, people have come out with the most strange side effects when i tell them i use it. There's no need to cycle creatine and it didn't cause your acne

Really, I have heard that it can cause gout, hemorrids and can cause your teeth and hair to fall out. Dreadful stuff I tell ya'


M

Brian?

carl456 wrote: »

The amount of misinformation on this stuff is amazing, people have come out with the most strange side effects when i tell them i use it. There's no need to cycle creatine and it didn't cause your acne

Agreed. There is some serious nonsense spouted about creatine. Mostly lists of side effects and methodologies consistent with steroid use. It all plays into the nonsense that there's something dodgy about creatine and that its basically a legal steroid.

waterford1988

Creatine brings about an increase in testosterone? correct? Acne can be caused by an increase in hormones in the body!

As for cycling creatine, if your not supposed to do it, why is is stated on most tubs of creatine that you should? Surely the company would make more money if you didn't cycle it.

Hanley

waterford1988 wrote: »

Creatine brings about an increase in testosterone? correct? .

Incorrect.

carl456

waterford1988 wrote: »

Creatine brings about an increase in testosterone? correct? Acne can be caused by an increase in hormones in the body!

As for cycling creatine, if your not supposed to do it, why is is stated on most tubs of creatine that you should? Surely the company would make more money if you didn't cycle it.

It doesn't increase testosterone.....it's not a steroid. There's no science based evidence to indicate you should cycle it or that it causes any harm during long term use, this is taking into account that your consuming the correct amount and staying properly hydrated.
From a medical perspective, people with diabetes, renal insufficiency, or a family history of either should use caution because of the increased burden creatine places on the kidneys, especially when loading.
If you're going to use it long-term, it would be best to calculate your exact dosage requirement. Taking more than you need won't give you a greater effect. Your body will just excrete the unused portion in the form of creatinine, to the dismay of your kidneys.
Here's how to calculate:
"During the loading phase take 0.3 grams of creatine monohydrate for each kilogram you weigh. The maintenance dose is 10-times less, or 0.03 grams of creatine monohydrate per kilogram of body weight. To calculate you creatine dose in pounds simply divide your bodyweight in pounds by 2.2; 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds. In other words, an "average" sized male of 154 pounds, weighs 70 kilograms, or 154 divided 2.2. The next step is to multiply your weight in kilos by the appropriate dose. For example, our average person would load with 21 grams of creatine monohydrate per day (0.3 x 70 = 21) and maintain with 2.1 grams of creatine monohydrate daily (0.03 x 70 = 2.1)."

Hultman, E., Soderlund, K., Timmons, J. A., Cederblad, G. and Greenhaff, P. L. (1996) Muscle creatine loading in men. American Journal of Physiology Volume 81: pages 232-237.

COH

waterford1988 wrote: »

Creatine brings about an increase in testosterone? correct? Acne can be caused by an increase in hormones in the body!

Educate yourself on the things you put into your body. Nothing wrong with taking creatine, but always a good idea to know what it actually is first

This kind of crap is precisely the reason we see useless articles in the media demonising supplements

Procasinator

waterford1988 wrote: »

Just finished a 4 week cycle and it was beginning to cause acne.

Have you been exercising for long? Have you been exercising particularly harder?

Creatine in itself shouldn't increase acne, but you might be less hydrated (though you ruled it out), sweating a lot more potentially causing blocked pores, have an increase in testosterone (note: from the increase in strength training, not the creatine), etc.

digme

waterford1988 wrote: »

I finished a cycle of creatine about a week ago. I know creatine brings about an increase in production of ATP which is energy for muscles. I used to take it about half an hour before working out.

In the last few days I have been feeling really tied during workouts and have actually noticed a slight decrease in my bench press.

Is there anything I could do to counter act the effects of coming off creatine?

More than likely it's psychological.

Brian?

waterford1988 wrote: »

Creatine brings about an increase in testosterone? correct? Acne can be caused by an increase in hormones in the body!

This is exactly what I meant, equating creatine to steroids. Creatine doesn't increase T levels. In fact if you find something natural and legal that'll increase my T levels enough to give me Acne, let me know and I'll pay for enough for both of us.

You should really educate yourself on the supplements you take, asking some fella down the gym is not education.

thirdmantackle

how could you put stuff into your body if you don't know exactly what it does to your system???

creatine (as creatine phosphate - naturally occurring) is stored in your muscles.
it is made from three amino acids
it is used by the muscles to produce high powered energy for very short energy needs
it boosts the repeated short term power availability to muscles
assists development of muscle by allowing greater training levels
boosts recovery as muscles' natural creatine stores will be better maintained

it naturally occurs in these foods: herrings, beef, tuna, pork, salmon, milk, prawns. all these can help contribute to the creatine maintenance period of a loading cycle