why cycle creatine?

Hi, i'm just wondering...why do we cycle creatine? is it because its unhealthy to allways take some or its just that it stops working after a certain time?

Your body becomes used to 'an extra surplus', so cycling means your body will continue to make full use of the extra load when you are on it.

V,
    You're the Clipart Photoshop GOD!

 

_Virtuoso_


Your body becomes used to it after a while, so cycling means your body will continue to make full use of the extra load when you are on it.

Keep in mind there's no science that backs up this theory.


Not everybody cycles.  Try it both ways and find out for yourself what works for you.

there are no set standards for cycling creatine and as snatchula stated above it really is down to you some research suggests a 4 week cycle of creatine with the same amount of time off it, where as others say up to 3 monthes on it.

personally i go for 6 weeks on and 1-3 weeks off, bt thats what i find best for me, others will probably say different.

yeah the first creatine i ever took it said to take some for 8 month and take 4 months off so i guess its not the same thing for everyone...

There is no need to cycle creatine.
And no...your body does not build up a "resistence" to creatine.

Current Stack: HDROL,Celltech,Superpump 250, Glutamine,Beta alanine,Whey protein.

I never said a resistance, but it stands to reason that your body will start accepting higher intakes as a consistant thing, so when returning to a lower intake and then back up to a higher one it will suddenly have a surplus to deal with.

Most competative level bodybuilders cycle because of this reason, regardless of lack of evidence proving or dissproving it, they've obviously found cycling it is what works best. Plus I'm sure if the supplement industry thought there was nothing to it and could pass saying there's no reason to cycle, they'd stop telling their customers to cycle the product - meaning extra sales.

V,
    You're the Clipart Photoshop GOD!

 

Virt....not gonna argue on this one....
HOWEVER....When you cycle "off" creatine....What Happens????
You lose the extra water that had been retained in your muscles...Right???
So then you cycle back on....Then what happens????
Extra water is taken into the muscle....and after a month.....you're right back where you were....BEFORE you cycled off.

So what's the point????

My guess is that supplement companies are erring on the side of caution,knowing most people don't keep theirselves hydrated enough while taking Creatine to begin with....Avoiding lawsuits from the thousands of idiots whom "claim" that creatine supplementation caused their medical problems....I.E.....Kidney stones....when it was just a lack of drinking enough water.

I don't "cycle" creatine....But there is really no  hazard in doing so....except wasting your time...lol...

However....if you're supplementing creatine....Please keep yourself well hydrated!!!!

Current Stack: HDROL,Celltech,Superpump 250, Glutamine,Beta alanine,Whey protein.

ALSO....Competetive BBers would want to cycle off creatine due to cutting down for the show....no one wants to be retaining water at that point...LOL

Current Stack: HDROL,Celltech,Superpump 250, Glutamine,Beta alanine,Whey protein.

_Virtuoso_

Plus I'm sure if the supplement industry thought there was nothing to it and could pass saying there's no reason to cycle, they'd stop telling their customers to cycle the product - meaning extra sales.

I dont think this theory fly's. Look at every single creatine and what does it tell you to do? Load for the first week after getting onto creatine, which usually entails taking half to more then half of the tub. So your actually using more of the product cycling because of their loading phase.

Whether you load or not, or cycle or not...I just dont think the above is a good reason for anything.

I started spending a lot less on creatine when I continually took it w/o cycling and no loading phase. I still remember my first tub of creatine. said 30 servings, so im like cool 1 month's worth. I got home read the directions and 1 week later I was left with 10 or so servings...ahh the bad ol' days.

just pointing that out

6'3"  @213

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press:200, Deadlift:475, Bench:300, P.clean:235, Squat:385

"The only failure that is final is to stop trying to improve"

_Virtuoso_


I never said a resistance, but it stands to reason that your body will start accepting higher intakes as a consistant thing, so when returning to a lower intake and then back up to a higher one it will suddenly have a surplus to deal with.

Most competative level bodybuilders cycle because of this reason, regardless of lack of evidence proving or dissproving it, they've obviously found cycling it is what works best. Plus I'm sure if the supplement industry thought there was nothing to it and could pass saying there's no reason to cycle, they'd stop telling their customers to cycle the product - meaning extra sales.

You said your body becomes used to it.  Same thing, really.


My brand of creatine doesn't suggest a cycle.  I know some do.  Like Higher Power.  They suggest a typical load (16-24g daily for 5 days), and then a 3 day deload before repeating the cycle.  Which is ludicrous, sure, but as you can see, using their cycle does result in extra sales.

snatchula



You said your body becomes used to it.  Same thing, really.

It's not the same thing. Your body becoming used to a certain dose and therefor making use of a surplus after a deficit, is not a resistance.

bulkingup


ALSO....Competetive BBers would want to cycle off creatine due to cutting down for the show....no one wants to be retaining water at that point...LOL

That is of course one time they would cycle off it, but that isn't the only time they choose to.

Nm0ney34



I dont think this theory fly's. Look at every single creatine and what does it tell you to do? Load for the first week after getting onto creatine, which usually entails taking half to more then half of the tub. So your actually using more of the product cycling because of their loading phase.

Not true. On loading it's usually, roughly, twice the dose of what you would normally take, for a week. Considering a typical cycle is 8ish weeks on and 4ish weeks off, it would really work out as having 9 on, 3 off. Still less than if they told people not to cycle.



Anyway, I agree it's a pointless debate with little evidence for either side, I simply gave the reason why it is suggested to cycle and why people do cycle. So to OP - try both and see what works for you.

V,
    You're the Clipart Photoshop GOD!

 

Nm0ney34

_Virtuoso_

Plus I'm sure if the supplement industry thought there was nothing to it and could pass saying there's no reason to cycle, they'd stop telling their customers to cycle the product - meaning extra sales.

I dont think this theory fly's. Look at every single creatine and what does it tell you to do? Load for the first week after getting onto creatine, which usually entails taking half to more then half of the tub. So your actually using more of the product cycling because of their loading phase.

Whether you load or not, or cycle or not...I just dont think the above is a good reason for anything.

I started spending a lot less on creatine when I continually took it w/o cycling and no loading phase. I still remember my first tub of creatine. said 30 servings, so im like cool 1 month's worth. I got home read the directions and 1 week later I was left with 10 or so servings...ahh the bad ol' days.

just pointing that out

HaHa....Yeah...The old loading phase....thats purely up to the individual....
The funny thing is...if you load,it gets into your system faster....at 2 weeks there is a huge difference from loading to those who didn't.
However at the 30 day point....they are exactly the same!!!!!!

Current Stack: HDROL,Celltech,Superpump 250, Glutamine,Beta alanine,Whey protein.

_Virtuoso_

It's not the same thing. Your body becoming used to a certain dose and therefor making use of a surplus after a deficit, is not a resistance.

Your body makes use of the supplementation either way.  Only difference is, one method is periodically weakened by the deload.

The reason for loading is to fully saturate the body with the maximum amount of creatine it can store in the quickest amount of time. It is not required but will give you full effectiveness quicker. Creatine is also made naturally in the body, and aids the muscles when ATP is low, because your muscles are unable to keep up w/ ATP production, like at the end of your bench press set. Supplementation gives you the advantage of storing more than the body would naturally be able to produce, thus improving your performance slightly. You don't have to cycle it but I like to every 5-6 weeks when I take a 5-7 day break from lifting. I also don't take it on my off days.

There is not a lot of reasearch on long term effects of creatine supplementation so it is hard to tell if it may present problems later on. If you stick to 5-10g a day you should be fine.

RedJeep


The reason for loading is to fully saturate the body with the maximum amount of creatine it can store in the quickest amount of time. It is not required but will give you full effectiveness quicker. Creatine is also made naturally in the body, and aids the muscles when ATP is low, because your muscles are unable to keep up w/ ATP production, like at the end of your bench press set. Supplementation gives you the advantage of storing more than the body would naturally be able to produce, thus improving your performance slightly. You don't have to cycle it but I like to every 5-6 weeks when I take a 5-7 day break from lifting. I also don't take it on my off days.

There is not a lot of reasearch on long term effects of creatine supplementation so it is hard to tell if it may present problems later on. If you stick to 5-10g a day you should be fine.

EXACTLY.....LOL...what I meant I "wanted" to say...HaHa...Thanks RedJeep

Current Stack: HDROL,Celltech,Superpump 250, Glutamine,Beta alanine,Whey protein.

i had taken it for a long while an never had a problem your body naturally has creatine all your life so i dont see how your body wouldnt be used to it already , so i dont buy the that long term use becomes uselesss with out cycling

I think its more about NOT abusing it than anything else .... Abuse it and take too much, and your body will stop making it naturally ...

I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. - Frank Sinatra

The_Bull


I think its more about NOT abusing it than anything else .... Abuse it and take too much, and your body will stop making it naturally ...

No it Won't!!!!
It's Comes from red meat (dietary) and is stored in our muscles.
Your body doesn't "produce" it.
 
If you take more creatine than your body needs....It will rid itself of the excess.

Current Stack: HDROL,Celltech,Superpump 250, Glutamine,Beta alanine,Whey protein.

I've taken creatine for 10 months straight.  I stopped the beginning of last week, also stopped beta alanine and reduced protein from powders.  My reason Is because I will probably be gaining a lot of weight in the next 6 weeks, and if I stop the creatine it will reduce the amount of weight I will gain, hence less stretch marks.  And then when I go back to powerlifting I will start the creatine a little while later, and enjoy getting my lifts back up really fast, at the same time putting some weight on while lifting big weights.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx

I agree with bulking and redjeep...

Creatine is a high energy molecule in the body that can be broken up to form ATP when the anaerobic glycosis falls short of it's glucose requirements.

It's just like saying cycle food so you'll gain weight when you start eating again.

ACE-CPT, NASM-CPT, AFPA-Nutrition Consultant 

bulkingup

The_Bull


I think its more about NOT abusing it than anything else .... Abuse it and take too much, and your body will stop making it naturally ...

No it Won't!!!!
It's Comes from red meat (dietary) and is stored in our muscles.
Your body doesn't "produce" it.
 
If you take more creatine than your body needs....It will rid itself of the excess.

The body does produce some but a lot of it comes from diet. Creatine is formed from 3 amino acids, Arginine, Methionine, glycine. The liver is the main organ responsible for synthesizing creatine from these three amino acids in the body.

Since you can store more than your body produces you can supplement creatine and see some results. The more meat you eat also, the more creatine you will have in your body.

MVP

 

It's just like saying cycle food so you'll gain weight when you start eating again.

haha i like that.

What are the benefits of creatine?  I understand it's a cell volumizer meaning more fluid in each cell.  Does that just mean bigger (wetter) muscles for aesthetics or does the increased fluid allow more nutrient delivery/transfer and hence more hypertrophy (dry muscle mass)?  I also understand it aids in workout recovery, no?  I'm only taking 5g post workout, so that's only 15g per week.  Am I selling myself short on creatine's benefits?  I'm of the mindset that less is more when it comes to supplementation:  the closer I can get to a 100% real food nutrient profile, the better, imo.  But to sum, what is creatine for, anyway?  Thx!

5g a day regardless, it has a role in atp production and replenishment I suppose.  Usually while on it you can lift heavier and longer, due to improved leverages from larger muscles as well as recovery improvement between sets etc.  When I stop taking it I don't usually have too huge of losses, but while I am on it I make great gains.

http://www.discussbodybuilding.com/Seos-Log-2008-m442008.aspx