Bodybuilding Forum - DiscussBodybuilding.com

Rumors Or Truth about creatine

Users viewing this topic: none

Logged in as: Guest

Printable Version

All Forums >> [Bodybuilding & Fitness] >> Supplements >> Rumors Or Truth about creatine

Page: [1]

Message

<< Older Topic Newer Topic >>

Rumors Or Truth about creatine - 12/5/2003 7:53:52 AM

JeffPool12

Posts: 16
Joined: 10/10/2003
Status: offline

Im just starting on creatine monohydrate im 3 days into the loading phase and i have heard people say stuff like once you take stop taking creatine that the muscle you gained from it could turn into water fat and, well make you fat. Also i wanted to ask about what dosage i should take. Right now im taking 5grams every 4 hours 4 times a day. this is just loading also. after im done with loading it says to just take 5 grams once a day should i continue what it tells me or take more. Any Help Appreciated.

Post #: 1

RE: Rumors Or Truth about creatine - 12/5/2003 8:45:01 AM

Marc David

Posts: 9184
Joined: 4/6/2003
From: Bay Area -CA
Status: offline

I don't even think the loading phase is necessary. There's quite a few articles to the contrary. Seemed to me that loading just went thru my supply faster and those were the days when creatine was much more expensive. I've not loaded anymore and truthfully, I respond well. 20g of creatine a day can cause a bit of stomach trouble. The only major reported side effect was discomfort and it's usually with doses of 15-20g per day. So be wary of that. Once you quit loading and just take 5-10g a day.. that won't be the issue.

When you stop taking creatine you will notice a loss in strength and some size due to the cells not holding the water. But losing muscle mass or muscle turning to fat or just making you fat when you quite.. is simply BS.

I've cycled off creatine several times. I lose the heightened strength, some water retention weight as Creatine helps to hold water in the cells, but I've not lost any real muscle mass and I never got fat after quitting.

You should cycle it. I am on for 3 months.. off for 1.. repeat. Gives your body a rest. When you start taking it again you'll notice the cool effects all over.

When you are done with the loading phase you can take 5g before or after or half and half when you workout. Sometimes I'll do 10g.. but not more. 99% of the time I just do 5g daily. Every day. Rest days or not.

_____________________________

(in reply to JeffPool12)

Post #: 2

RE: Rumors Or Truth about creatine - 12/5/2003 10:58:41 AM

djduhon

Posts: 304
Joined: 11/19/2003
From: Louisiana, originally
Status: offline

Great advice as usual MDA...

It sounded like Jeff had pretty much already made his conclusions prior to asking the question, and rightfully so. Sometimes, (as Jeff did) all we have to do is put things to the common sense test. Few, if any of us are biology experts, but we all have a basic biological understanding. It is wise, as I would venture to say all of the DB staff will attest to, to have a general understanding of what a supplement does for us prior to taking it.

Here's creatine as I understand it:

Creatine is a cell volumizer, so in "simpleton" it pulls water into the muscle cell. Doing this allows our muscle cells to do a few things. First, all that water gives us that pumped look and this volumization allows us to lift more weight due to the extra leverage provided by each individual cell. This is why the instant we go off creatine we seem to be weaker the first rep of our first set of the day. Secondly, cells transport any and all necessary nutrients through their cell walls, by pumping water into the cell we increase the surface area of the cell (imagine blowing up a balloon thus increasing its surface area), and therefore make this transportation process easier, kind of like turning a two-way road into an interstate. Lastly and most importantly, Creatine provides the cell with ATP (a much more direct link than carbohydrates), a link in the chain to a muscle firing and producing energy... once again in "simpleton" it gives our muscles energy; because of this it increases recovery time both between sets and between workouts. When you think about it in these terms and from a biological perspective the idea of water and/or muscle turning to fat; WOW, what a stupid concept.

Creatine is the most widely used supplement EVER. Think about that for a minute... ok thats long enough. EVER... used more than any of the fat loss miracle cures, more than any prohormone, more than ANY supplement on the market today. Theres a reason for that, this stuff is good, it's proven. Creatine has been tested repeatedly, it has shown great results with little to no short term side effects, and in a recent study (as reported in Muscular Development) no long term side effects.

My version is a very simplified version of what actually goes on, but then again I'm a simple person, any more info than that and I'm overloaded... in fact I may have simplified that so much in my mind that it could be downright wrong (in which case there will be an onslaught of responses in this thread about how stupid I am). To that I would say, "Please educate me."... but I think I'm pretty close.

As far as dosage goes, I think most products recommend and most people take 5g prior to working out; I have actually read that taking more than this is a waste -- including a loading phase. I still take 20g a day to load for three days and then 5g a day for about a month, and I've seen good results with that and you can't argue with results.

Good luck,
D

(in reply to JeffPool12)

Post #: 3