When Can I Stop Creatine?

flyswatter

I've started taking creatine in the last few days.

It's recommended that I spend 5 days of the loading phase taking 4 33g scoops.

I'm just wondering when can I stop? Do I have to keep taking it?

I have concerns that it is keeping me awake at night.

For health reasons, it is maybe not the best time to be taking this being close to exams.

I'm not getting enough sleep these days and I need to get enough energy for the exams.

Will things calm down once the loading phase is finished?

Tragamin2k2

33g? whaaaaaaa :eek: creatine doesnt keep you awake but im not sure about 33g doses!

5g a day is the usual, first thing in the morning or post workout. Theres talk of "loading" being lies to just sell more creatine. If you really wanna load take 3-4 5g a day

I really dont think it has any effect on sleep

flyswatter

Tragamin2k2 wrote: »

33g? whaaaaaaa :eek: creatine doesnt keep you awake but im not sure about 33g doses!

5g a day is the usual, first thing in the morning or post workout. Theres talk of "loading" being lies to just sell more creatine. If you really wanna load take 3-4 5g a day

I really dont think it has any effect on sleep

It's the Maximuscle Creatine. It says 33g, so do they just want me to use as much as possible so I can buy more?

How much is 5g? It came with a little scoop. Think that's been lost somewhere in the kitchen!

Can I stop it after the loading phase or do I have to take it for a month after the load?

Mauricmo

Usually the small scoop is 5g of creatine.

So 7 scoops of creatine?! :eek:

I'm petty sure your body will just pass most of that.

Never heard of creatine affecting someones sleep.

mrpink6789

33g seems like a lot. I usually take 2X5g scoops on weight training days and 1X5g on cardio days. do that for about 4-5 weeks then i take a week off.

everyone is different though, if the manufacture says take that much then sure why not? dont think you will have any issues sleeping.

Hanley

What does it say on the tub? Cyclone?

Saviola

It must be cyclone or some all in one thing. 33g sounds like a ridiculous amount to be honest.

And i think the whole loading phase is nonsense too!

flyswatter

Yeah I was taking way too much then.

Yeah it is passing mostly.

Should you take a day off inbetween exercise?

Don't think Cyclone is creatine, it's Maximuscle Creatine Extreme.

Saviola

Ahh just looked it up there, its called a 'creatine formula' apparently and there is actually only 5g of creatine per 33g scoop so you are taking the right amount.

For future though i wouldn't buy anything with maximuscle written on it, way overpriced stuff and you can get much better for cheaper.

Rossin

would 5g be roughly a stacked tablespoon?

Saviola

Yeah that sounds about right. And make sure you drink enough water to drown a fish too!

gymsoldier

Hanley wrote: »

What does it say on the tub? Cyclone?

I think reading the front of the tub and seeing Maximuscle is enough reason not to buy it.

DL Saint

gymsoldier wrote: »

I think reading the front of the tub and seeing Maximuscle is enough reason not to buy it.

+1

Tigger

drink loads of water or you'll cramp up

flyswatter

I've done a good bit of research and is maximuscle not one of the best around? Is there not a reason a lot of top rugby players and athletes use it? What are the cheaper ones that are better?

Tragamin2k2

flyswatter wrote: »

I've done a good bit of research and is maximuscle not one of the best around? Is there not a reason a lot of top rugby players and athletes use it? What are the cheaper ones that are better?

They get paid for it

Mellor

flyswatter wrote: »

Yeah I was taking way too much then.

Yeah it is passing mostly.

Should you take a day off inbetween exercise?

Don't think Cyclone is creatine, it's Maximuscle Creatine Extreme.

You weren't taking too much.
33g is the correct dose. You know need a laoding stage.

The confusion came about because you aren't taking just creatine.

33g per scoop = 5g Creatine + 5g Glutamine + 18g dextrose (sugar) + 1g or less of various nutrients that you don't need

It would be far more cost effective to just take plain creatine everyday. Adding in glutamine (if you wish) on weight training days

gymsoldier

Tigger wrote: »

drink loads of water or you'll cramp up

Id contribute low electorlytes and calcium to muscle cramp.

flyswatter wrote: »

I've done a good bit of research and is maximuscle not one of the best around? Is there not a reason a lot of top rugby players and athletes use it? What are the cheaper ones that are better?

Did youre research stop when you went onto the Maximuscle website?

Athletes are sponsered by companys to sell products, you just got sucked into it too.

How much did you spend? 50euro? And with 30 odd servings?
A kilo of Mono is only 40euro, thats 200 servings!
http://www.universalnutrition.ie/viewproduct/14

And I know it doesnt contain Gluatmine, but even if you get a small tub of that your still miles cheaper then Maximuscle.

flyswatter

gymsoldier wrote: »

Id contribute low electorlytes and calcium to muscle cramp.



Did youre research stop when you went onto the Maximuscle website?

Athletes are sponsered by companys to sell products, you just got sucked into it too.

How much did you spend? 50euro? And with 30 odd servings?
A kilo of Mono is only 40euro, thats 200 servings!
http://www.universalnutrition.ie/viewproduct/14

And I know it doesnt contain Gluatmine, but even if you get a small tub of that your still miles cheaper then Maximuscle.

Would the athletes use it if it was bad though? I know a famous ex rugby player (Martin Corry) endorses H&B creatine. Everyone know that's a bad one.

It is expensive I'll admit but I got a massive tub of whey protein. I still have loads left. The creatine I got is a big tub as well. I was taking far too much though, a full spoon, not a teaspoon.

nbrady20009

gymsoldier wrote: »

Id contribute low electorlytes and calcium to muscle cramp.



Did youre research stop when you went onto the Maximuscle website?

Athletes are sponsered by companys to sell products, you just got sucked into it too.

How much did you spend? 50euro? And with 30 odd servings?
A kilo of Mono is only 40euro, thats 200 servings!
http://www.universalnutrition.ie/viewproduct/14

And I know it doesnt contain Gluatmine, but even if you get a small tub of that your still miles cheaper then Maximuscle.

Why pay €40 for a kilo when you can get a kilo of Creatine Monohydrate and a kilo of L Glutamine for €40 @ MP?

Pace2008

flyswatter wrote: »

Would the athletes use it if it was bad though? I know a famous ex rugby player (Martin Corry) endorses H&B creatine. Everyone know that's a bad one.

It's not that it's bad, it's just ridiculously overpriced. The athletes use it, or at least endorse it, because hey get paid big bucks to do so.

I don't even think the H&B creatine mono is bad; again, it's just way too expensive for what you're getting.

The success of elite athletes does not hinge around glucose-filled water, but they'll still appear on Lucozade ads because the company pays them top dollar.

Reggy

can anybody give some advice relating back to the original post? ie when creatine supplementation should cease?

I have read contradictory research on whether it is better to stay on creatine or take it in cycles. I have used it frequently, both in cycles for a couple of months as well as for over a more sustained period of say, 6 months.

I have to say, when I used it in cycles, I noticed that after going back on it, for the first couple of weeks, I noticed a significant difference, feeling both stronger and bigger. Currently I am about a month and a half into my latest cycle and will finish it once the tub is finished.

thoughts?

flyswatter

Tragamin2k2 wrote: »

They get paid for it

Mellor wrote: »

You weren't taking too much.
33g is the correct dose. You know need a laoding stage.

The confusion came about because you aren't taking just creatine.

33g per scoop = 5g Creatine + 5g Glutamine + 18g dextrose (sugar) + 1g or less of various nutrients that you don't need

It would be far more cost effective to just take plain creatine everyday. Adding in glutamine (if you wish) on weight training days

Yeah, that's exactly what I want to know too.

I've taken it for four days. Stopped today. I was taking more than the recommended dosage , full teaspoons cos I was watering it down too much. When should I stop? Is it safe to stop now?

nbrady20009

Reggy wrote: »

can anybody give some advice relating back to the original post? ie when creatine supplementation should cease?

I have read contradictory research on whether it is better to stay on creatine or take it in cycles. I have used it frequently, both in cycles for a couple of months as well as for over a more sustained period of say, 6 months.

I have to say, when I used it in cycles, I noticed that after going back on it, for the first couple of weeks, I noticed a significant difference, feeling both stronger and bigger. Currently I am about a month and a half into my latest cycle and will finish it once the tub is finished.

thoughts?

8 weeks on, 1 week off works very well I believe.

Compak

nbrady20009 wrote: »

8 weeks on, 1 week off works very well I believe.

That recommendation only came about as the earlier studies limited time periods to 8 week periods.

Studies have shown saftey now for five years and more of continuous use

Compak

flyswatter wrote: »

Yeah, that's exactly what I want to know too.

I've taken it for four days. Stopped today. I was taking more than the recommended dosage , full teaspoons cos I was watering it down too much. When should I stop? Is it safe to stop now?

Dont even need to load in the first place, but when you do 5 days reaches saturation levels.

Whatever serving gives 5g a day is all you need now. In fact you would probably get away with less than this.

gymsoldier

flyswatter wrote: »

Yeah, that's exactly what I want to know too.

I've taken it for four days. Stopped today. I was taking more than the recommended dosage , full teaspoons cos I was watering it down too much. When should I stop? Is it safe to stop now?

Are you taking mono, or maxi-waste-of-money-muscle?

deadlybuzzman

Its only creatine not crack

flyswatter wrote: »

I've started taking creatine in the last few days.

It's recommended that I spend 5 days of the loading phase taking 4 33g scoops.

I'm just wondering when can I stop? Do I have to keep taking it?

I have concerns that it is keeping me awake at night.

For health reasons, it is maybe not the best time to be taking this being close to exams.

I'm not getting enough sleep these days and I need to get enough energy for the exams.

Will things calm down once the loading phase is finished?

Lots of people have the same problem in your position that arent taking creatine.
Instead of trying to juggle everything at the one time, stop taking it till after the exams-hit the weights really hard then and if you can eat and train exactly like any good programme tells you to, then go back on it.

Mellor

flyswatter wrote: »

Would the athletes use it if it was bad though? I know a famous ex rugby player (Martin Corry) endorses H&B creatine. Everyone know that's a bad one.

just because he or anyone else endorses it doesn't meant he uses it.

flyswatter wrote: »

Yeah, that's exactly what I want to know too.

I've taken it for four days. Stopped today. I was taking more than the recommended dosage , full teaspoons cos I was watering it down too much. When should I stop? Is it safe to stop now?

The correct dose is 33g, thats one large scoop (about the size of a shot glass) that came with it.
Don't need to load up, its no harm just wasteful
Why would you stop after 4 days? Finish the tub as you you have paid for it.
Next time buy plain creatine. Its fine to keep going with creatine after this tub if you want to bulk more.