Confusion with Creatine

soseg

soseg

Member
hey

ive been recently thinking about starting to take some creatine some of my mates n stuff have told me to take it, would help me get some faster gains in strength n muscle etc

im a bit confused on how to do this correctly i just want it done properly, ive read around a bit and am just still a bit lost on what type of creatine to take if there are different types? (as u can tell i prob dont know too much atm), ie monohydrate/CEE or something?

Ive read a bit on the loading phases such as either take for 5-6 days like 20g a day then for the rest do 2-3g a day for maintenance, OR just do 2-3g a day for a longer period of time (im thinking of the first option), then theres a bit on how to take it such as with some simple carbs so it spikes up ur insulin levels or something, and then just a bit more on that it should be preferably taken after workouts?


im just wondering if theres any other imporant information i need to know, one website i was reading showed to take it with some glutamine (wondering if its necessary) and was showing to take the creatine in different doses

just if someoen could give me a basic run through on what to do correctly and what not, ie when to take it preferably and with what, any types or brands or how other guys do it and what would be effective?

thanks
 
soseg said:
hey

ive been recently thinking about starting to take some creatine some of my mates n stuff have told me to take it, would help me get some faster gains in strength n muscle etc

im a bit confused on how to do this correctly i just want it done properly, ive read around a bit and am just still a bit lost on what type of creatine to take if there are different types? (as u can tell i prob dont know too much atm), ie monohydrate/CEE or something?

Ive read a bit on the loading phases such as either take for 5-6 days like 20g a day then for the rest do 2-3g a day for maintenance, OR just do 2-3g a day for a longer period of time (im thinking of the first option), then theres a bit on how to take it such as with some simple carbs so it spikes up ur insulin levels or something, and then just a bit more on that it should be preferably taken after workouts?


im just wondering if theres any other imporant information i need to know, one website i was reading showed to take it with some glutamine (wondering if its necessary) and was showing to take the creatine in different doses

just if someoen could give me a basic run through on what to do correctly and what not, ie when to take it preferably and with what, any types or brands or how other guys do it and what would be effective?

thanks
Click to expand...

First off, how old are you?

If you have never used creatine before, I would suggest starting off with some micronized creatine monohydrate. There is years of science to back this stuff, and it is generally regarded as the safest form of creatine.

As for the loading phase, it isn't necessary. Just start off by taking 5g pre-workout, and see how your body reacts. If it doesn't, use another 2-3g post workout. I recommend AST Micronized Creatine Monohydrate to start off. You don't "need" to take it with carbs, however it does help, I usually take it with some white grape juice.
 
im 19
have been working out properly for about 6months

used to workout when i was 15-17 then took about a years break

im feeling confident to take the full stuff... so yeah hmm
i got a mate or two who took it, one was like 16 or 17 and he absolutely exploded in size massive shoulders n back n arms now and at 16 was benching out 220lbs
 
I wonder about creatine also.......I heard that its just water around your muscle so it looks fuller but not neccesarily makes you stronger
 
yeah ive heard about that they call it water retention it will make u bigger apparently but it will give u a more "less ripped" look, i recon more like a rugby player or something, ull have shape but minus the rip thats my opinion but i aint a pro in this field

but the good side to it is that it does increase ur strength heaps apparently so thats where it works wonders, u eventually get off it as u cycle it and keep lifting that HEAVY weight and ur muscle should grow into it, thats what i was told "use it and gain strength and then just keep lifting heavy"

heavy is the key.

also i was told creatine is good for beginners kinda like me who are thin and "desperate" for size to bulk up because the water retention does inflate u so if ur stick thin for example it will make u look bigger say in a shirt at least, which is something i wouldnt mind atm but the strength increase i believe is a bonus in the long run, probably good for breaking plateaus
 
Yes you'll bloat up for sure, atleast I do. Make sure your getting enough water also. It helps the effects.

I dont load either. I just stick with 10gr non training days (5gr 1st thing am and about 6-8 hrs later) and 15gr on training days ( 5gr 1st thing am/pre/post) day. This will help with strength a ton IMO. I'm a good amount stronger when takeing Creatine vs. off it. It may just be in my head but if you look at the science behind it....you know its the creatine.

Some people are non-responders, very few are, but it stil may happen. I think i've only meet 1 or 2 people that is doesnt work for out of hundreds.Hope this helps
 
Just so you know, creatine isn't really a mass building agent, it's simply a chemical that will give you a few extra reps per set. It will however make you look bigger when you first start using it since it does bind with water (intracellularly I believe) which gives the appearance of a bigger fuller muscle. Don't confuse this with a major explosion of lean muscle though. It might aid a small amount in strength via the additional water but it's mainly there to increase your available supply of ATP (the fuel which your muscles use to lift the weights). Basically it donates it's phosphate molecule to ADP (used-up ATP, if you will) recreating ATP again. Your ATP gets used up fairly fast so that's where the creatine comes into play prolonging the time until the inevitable "failure" you experience at the end of a set. That's creatine in a nutshell. Hope that helps better explain just what exactly this stuff is.
 
Im doing a 3 day on and 3 day off cycle of monohydrate for about a 8 week run. Im on week one. 3 days on at 25g's and 3 days off. A few other guys swear by it on here.
 
yeah i figured even if i do get to bloat up it wont be lean muscle etc but i want the strength gains. for you guys that have taken it and do get strength gains, do u stay on them once ur off? say u take creatine for a month or something and add 20 or 30lbs (lets say?) to ur bench press, when u stop taking it do u still stay benching that extra amount or do u fall back?


all ive read is theres 2 ways to take it, the "loading phase" type where u take like 20-25g a day for the fist week then drop to 2-3 daily for maintenance, or just always take 2-3g a day for a slightly longer period of time...

what do u guys recon or what have u read in terms of taking it?

Distilled Water you said u take 10g a day and 15 on days u workout... i havent read anything like that?
 
I dunno, these guys use these methods probably because it works for them.

But if you haven't had much experience, use only 5 g post workout with a carb source and 5 g on off days first thing in the morning.
 
my other question is... ive been told to take it by heaps of guys, for the extra strength gains etc and the small bonus of possibly inflating a tad, but coz ive started a new routine recently etc im kinda getting into it and still gaining results at a good rate so i dont know if creatine will help get me more gains yet even faster or not?

one guy ive talked too told me to take it when i plateau and stop gaining results... which to me sounds really smart aswell

i want opinions!
 
soseg said:
Distilled Water you said u take 10g a day and 15 on days u workout... i havent read anything like that?
Click to expand...

Yea I've been running it this way since I was 17, 8 weeks on 2 off. Its what workd best for me. I use to do the 5 with carbs like somone suggested but that didnt do much for me this way has wokred best. Kind of a trial and error I guess.

5gr w/ a shot of water and then eat a little later, has worked wonders
 
hm fair enough

this is what i just got:

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it doesnt require a loading phase and comes with all the chemicals n stuff already added so u just mix with water and take it for easy digestion / absorbtion, i was told to take it after my workout, and then wait like 20mins before i take my whey

im wondering whether thats right? each 18g serving scoop has 5g of protein... so just that 1 scoop a day after my workouts or when i wake up on empty stomach on days i dont work out(how long would i wait before i eat?)

also when i take these what types of carbs should i eat with them like whats popular with u guys? and do i eat it straight away or wait a while?
 
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