Who here uses creatine properly?

[manuva]

Lots of people here have indicated they are taking or intend to take creatine. From what I've read, none of these people have referred to creatine cycling, rather from what I can deduce they just take the same dose day in day out.

This post is just a feeler, if people are not using creatine properly then I'll write a post on how best to cycle it.

For Creatine Takers:

Do you take the same amount daily,

OR

Do you follow a cycling phase consisting of loading, maintaining, and abstaining?

 

[Javelin44]

i loaded for a week. Now I just take about the day's worth of creatine or just skip it if I'm not working out. I don't stop or cycle it. I just take a break some days.

 

[semag]

i've read a lot that says you don't need to cycle it, but i do just because i'm superstitious like that

I go for about 8-10 weeks on, and thne 8 or so weeks (sometimes more) off.

 

[simon]

I got 100g of the stuff free with my order of whey so I just take a teaspoon of it a day.

 

[Warboss Alex]

Good post manuva, and while I don't use monohydrate I'm looking to get my hands on some CEE as soon as possible.. dunno what took me so long to be honest.

 

[Lifeforce]

I usually load with one spoon extra a day. Then after a week I take normal dose once a day and keep at it for about three weeks, then I stop taking it for a couple of weeks.

 

[Fitch]

Originally posted by manuva
Lots of people here have indicated they are taking or intend to take creatine. From what I've read, none of these people have referred to creatine cycling, rather from what I can deduce they just take the same dose day in day out.

This post is just a feeler, if people are not using creatine properly then I'll write a post on how best to cycle it.

For Creatine Takers:

Do you take the same amount daily,

OR

Do you follow a cycling phase consisting of loading, maintaining, and abstaining?

Please write about how to use creatine properly.

 

[Lifeforce]

Re: Re: Who here uses creatine properly?

Originally posted by Fitch
Please write about how to use creatine properly.

It's pretty simple.

First there is a loading phase were you take more creatine to load up the muscles (though the necessity of a loading phase is debated)

After a week loading you take creatine for about 3-4 more weeks then get off creatine for about 1-2 weeks and then start again.

creatine should be taken with fast carbohydrates, ideally after training. During creatine use one should drink more water than usual.

That's about it.

 

[Fitch]

Re: Re: Re: Who here uses creatine properly?

Originally posted by Lifeforce
It's pretty simple.

First there is a loading phase were you take more creatine to load up the muscles (though the necessity of a loading phase is debated)

After a week loading you take creatine for about 3-4 more weeks then get off creatine for about 1-2 weeks and then start again.

creatine should be taken with fast carbohydrates, ideally after training. During creatine use one should drink more water than usual.

That's about it.

Okay, thank you.

 

[MrFitness880]

I am using CEE, recently I tried taking just 3g after a workout but didnt like it. I'm thinking of switching to 3g before and 1 or 2 grams after.

I should add that there is a considerable amount variation on how one effectively uses creatine. The above would not necessarily be agreed upon, and should not be considered the absolute proper way to use creatine at all.

 

[mrRuckus]

Re: Re: Re: Who here uses creatine properly?

Originally posted by Lifeforce


creatine should be taken with fast carbohydrates, ideally after training.

What do you think about this? :


"* So, with Creatine powder - should I take it before my workout or after?

Here is our advice - take the powder about 1 hour before your workout. Here is our reasoning...

It can take about 1 hour for the creatine to be absorbed into the bloodstream - and from that point you have about 1.5 hours to use the creatine or lose it. So, let's say you workout at 10am - here is our logic. At 9am you take the creatine powder. By 10am the creatine is in the blood stream. Your muscles are probably mostly saturated with creatine from the supplement you took the day before. So, some of the creatine you took at 9am may be absorbed into the muscles - but the rest is still in the blood. At 10am you start working out and depleting the creatine in your muscles. Your muscles then replenish their creatine supply from the creatine in the blood stream. Your workout ends at 11am (you really should not workout more than 1 hour - but that is a topic for a different day). Remember, you took creatine at 9am - but it was not absorbed into the blood stream until 10am. This means it will stay there until 11:30am (1.5 hours). So, now you have another 1/2 hour where your muscles can replenish their creatine supply if depleted. In a way you are getting the best of all worlds - you have creatine available before, during and after your workout.

You will hear other theories - but that is what we have found to be most effective. Since creatine supplies us with energy when working out - it is important we have creatine available during our workout. Creatine as a recovery agent is much less clear, so taking it after a workout to help with recovery is not proven. "


http://www.absolute-creatine.com/9.htm

 

[Phoenix_of_the_ashes]

I got myself creatin yesterday. Since its my first time using it I plan on taking it for one month with a 5 day loading phase with 20g and then 5g every day.

 

[Phoenix_of_the_ashes]

I plan on taking creatin for Thai boxing, I will train every day, but I dont understand why so many lifter rave about it, it shouldnt make such a different for actual muscle gains, as it is a substance for enlarging the energy flow to your muscles, it does nothing for makinf the miscle bigger and any size gains are due to water in the muscle and will go away after you stop using creatin.

 

[onelife]

1 week loading on 20mg then an 8 week cycle on 5mg with a 2 week break between cycles for me.

 

[mrRuckus]

Originally posted by Phoenix_of_the_ashes
I plan on taking creatin for Thai boxing, I will train every day, but I dont understand why so many lifter rave about it, it shouldnt make such a different for actual muscle gains, as it is a substance for enlarging the energy flow to your muscles, it does nothing for makinf the miscle bigger and any size gains are due to water in the muscle and will go away after you stop using creatin.

yeah who needs energy for lifting giant weights over your head?

 

[MVP¤¥¤JI€GALO]

while were talkin bout creatine i was thinkin like should i mix it (creatine drink mixby the way) with my protien shake? it would cut down the time and stuff a whole lot. Right now im usin creatin mixin it with apple juice but mixin it with protein would be much faster, less time. (Before u ask y im usin creatine well its for football so.)

 

[Phoenix_of_the_ashes]

Originally posted by mrRuckus
yeah who needs energy for lifting giant weights over your head?

Other than the energie aspect, some people believe that creatin has some anabolic use, thats what I was referring to you ****ing smartass.

 

[MVP¤¥¤JI€GALO]

Originally posted by Phoenix_of_the_ashes
Other than the energie aspect, some people believe that creatin has some anabolic use, thats what I was referring to you ****ing smartass.

calm down dam* all of you got bad tempers.

 

[onelife]

Originally posted by MVP¤¥¤JI€GALO
while were talkin bout creatine i was thinkin like should i mix it (creatine drink mixby the way) with my protien shake? it would cut down the time and stuff a whole lot. Right now im usin creatin mixin it with apple juice but mixin it with protein would be much faster, less time. (Before u ask y im usin creatine well its for football so.)

sounds good in theory but creatine absortion is improved if taken with a simple sugar so its best to mix it with some fruit juice.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Some people think it may contribute to hamstring and other injuries. Remember to s_t_r_e_t_c_h.

Regardless of the injury issue, this runner's page is interesting.
http://run-down.com/training/training4.php

"...I started taking Creatine as an experiment recommended by a health food specialist. While I wonder to this day if it had anything to do with my subsequent injury, I can tell you this -- there is no question that Creatine works. That is, if you use it correctly. This means following the instructions, not doubling up on doses, taking it with a mixture of grape juice and grapefruit juice, allowing four to five minutes between intervals for maximum creatine reabsorbtion into the muscles, etc. For you doubters, Creatine is a completely natural suplement that is essential to the energy cycle and is thought to be too low in non-wild animals. In a month of taking Creatine, I gained 10 pounds, yet I felt lighter and faster than ever."