Do you think creatine helps with recovery?

[RenegadeRows]

We all know creatine is great. It's main purpose is to increase ATP / muscle energy. Most of us take creatine before a workout to help bang out extra reps.

Creatine stays in your blood for 1-2 hours after ingesting. So when you workout, it is there for your muscles if they need it for energy.

However, when you are sedentary, and your muscles are jam-packed full of creatine, the creatine you ingest will be converted to creatinine and come out in your urine.

This makes me question the use of creatine on off days. As I sit here drinking my creatine on my off day, I'm wondering what purpose this serves. I think we've all accepted that creatine be taken on off days to 'replenish creatine stores'. But I think this topic deserves a little discussion.

Logically, if you are taking creatine before a workout, or after a workout, your muscles should be saturated with creatine. The ATP/creatine they burn during a workout will be restored with that drink.

If creatine only stays in your blood for 1-2 hours after ingesting, and on your off day your not using any ATP or muscle energy, are we just spinning our wheels?

The one reason I drink creatine on my off day is because I beleive it helps with recovery. As I sit here my whole body is sore, I'll use just about anything if you tell me it will help DOMs and aid recovery.

What do you think?

[ReaperX]

That's a really good question. When I take my monohydrate, it is to keep the creatine levels high within the body. I've never thought about it as a recovery aid though.

[matthew76]

Funny - because on most creatine containers it states, "excelerate recovery" hmmmmmm.... I have not used creatine in a few years, but I'm exited about some that AX is working on - should be interesting

[ReaperX]

I'm going to go with yes, it does help with recovery, although that's not its main objective.

[thesinner]

If creatine only stays in your blood for 1-2 hours after ingesting, and on your off day your not using any ATP or muscle energy, are we just spinning our wheels?

Creatine has a short lifespan in your blood, but it's the creatine in your muscle tissues that we're after The whole point behind supplementing creatine is that it increases the amount of Crea/ATP in the sarcoplasm of your muscle fibers.

Sarcoplasm is a fluid layer surrounding the actual myofibril. It store's all the 'goodies' like creatine, other aminos, water, and important ion's your body needs to function. This a breeding group for 'satellite cells', think of these as muscle cells in fetal form. Creatine is just another thing these baby satellite cells need to mature into full blown muscle cells.


We also have to remember that creatine/ATP serve other purposes in the body than just moving our muscles. They also play an important role in CNS/Brain functions. Next time you're feeling mentally drained doing a really difficult math problem or something, shotgun a few grams of CM. Stuff works wonders.

So yeah, it does aid in recovery. But if you don't feel like taking it on non-training days, I would say you could probably get away with it. In fact, it might be useful in preventing against negative feedback.

[matthew76]

sinner - i love you (in a non-homo way)

i would rep you, but i'm whored out

[EctoPower]

sinner - i love you (in a non-homo way)

i would rep you, but i'm whored out

I got it covered. Although it's like flinging a rock at his mountain of rep points, it's the thought that counts.

Sinner, regarding your negative feedback comment, I think this is where a method like creatine cycling could be helpful, right? I really like the 3 days on, 3 days off method with "loading phase" doses, but I know others have successfully implemented other cycling methods.

[bioman]

I voted for increased recovery...it helps but just a weee tiny bit. Aside from boosting ATP levels there is a small but corresponding rise in intramuscular IGF-1 levels that I think is "more" responsible for the recovery aspect.

You also have to keep in mind that it helps the CNS and heart to recover their energy stores after workouts as well which is a big plus for older athletes IMO. At 35 I have a much harder time recovering from workouts than I did 10 years ago. Things like creatine and D-ribose seem to help this a little.

[OCCFan023]

Don't most creatine formulations on the market today serve to help on the basis of recovery/other areas that would justify taking it on off days?

[thesinner]

Don't most creatine formulations on the market today serve to help on the basis of recovery/other areas that would justify taking it on off days?

Most creatine formulations on the market today serve as hype, IMHO. Creatine monohydrate works, but it's not going to make your company a worthwhile amount of $$$$ to sell it.

[thesinner]

I got it covered. Although it's like flinging a rock at his mountain of rep points, it's the thought that counts.

Sinner, regarding your negative feedback comment, I think this is where a method like creatine cycling could be helpful, right? I really like the 3 days on, 3 days off method with "loading phase" doses, but I know others have successfully implemented other cycling methods.

I usually just take on training days. I usually just take it once preworkout and once later in the day after class.

[EctoPower]

I usually just take on training days. I usually just take it once preworkout and once later in the day after class.

Interesting. How many training days do you have per week and what size dose are you taking? I'm just curious.

[thesinner]

Interesting. How many training days do you have per week and what size dose are you taking? I'm just curious.

4 days per week 2on 1off 2on 2off. I usually take 5-10g each dose.

[superdrollover]

I only use it for recovery. About 1 hour after workouts and when i dont I can deffinately tell a difference.

[Dalamara]

I'm 6'1", 198 pounds, and just take creatine with my PWO shake 3 times a week. 4g each too. It's plenty to keep my muscles saturated however, as I've noticed absolutely no strength, size, or weight loss since I switched over from a 5g everyday schedule.

Which leads me to believe that we have been vastly mislead on the proper supplementation of creatine by supplement companies who want to move as much product as possible.

[dabolika]

thanks for this info i'm planning to use creatine for the next 2 months

[shortstop1616]

Creatine has nothing to do with recovery. Creatine synthesizes ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate molecule, therefore allowing the myosin head to stand back up and bind actin once again (sliding filament theory)

[walugi]

Creatine works for me. My muscles look more full when i'm on it, even if it's just after a few days. They're a bit less hard though, and some parts seem more squishy. That's probably just in my mind though :P

I'm wondering if taking creatine on days that I have 2 hours of soccer/football training from 7:30-9pm is a bad thing? I know to drink a lot of water the days i'm taking it, so I assume it dries you up somewhat. Will that, plus the cardio ruin me or help me?

Thanks for any insight

[nemo]

I take it pre-workout,... as I understand it, as the muscle works the triphosphate or something like that breaks down to di-phosphate,.. and the creatine I take pre-workout helps keep it triphosphate, so I can get those lasts reps!!!