When should I cycle creatine?

[mattsams89]

I read somewhere that creatine malate, might be better than monohydrate, because it brings more of the creatine to your muscles and you waste less of it, which I would assume if that is true, that I would piss less when taking malate, but idk how true this is.

If you're saturated, it makes no difference. Go cheap with Vitamin Shoppe monohydrate and you'll be saving yourself money (it really is cheaper than dirt). Even during a load, I would stick with monohydrate. It may take slightly longer to hit saturation, but I can guarantee it's the cheaper option. That's one thing about the supplement business--they cash in when people are ill-informed.

 

[DerickVonD]

If you're saturated, it makes no difference. Go cheap with Vitamin Shoppe monohydrate and you'll be saving yourself money (it really is cheaper than dirt). Even during a load, I would stick with monohydrate. It may take slightly longer to hit saturation, but I can guarantee it's the cheaper option. That's one thing about the supplement business--they cash in when people are ill-informed.

I just don't like pissing like crazy lol. I've been taking 5g a day. Today is the third day I haven't taken any, just because I took 3 days off of lifting.

 

[mattsams89]

I just don't like pissing like crazy lol. I've been taking 5g a day. Today is the third day I haven't taken any, just because I took 3 days off of lifting.

I think research has shown maintenance with 2g. How much water are you drinking? There is overkill.

 

[DerickVonD]

I think research has shown maintenance with 2g. How much water are you drinking? There is overkill.

I drink about a gallon a day roughly and on days I lift I drink maybe close to two, because I take the creatine at night before I lift and I take a gallon jug with me, and once I'm done lifting that gallon jug is almost empty. So, I'm going to say I drink a gallon on none lifting days and 1.5-2 gallons on workout nights.

 

[mattsams89]

I drink about a gallon a day roughly and on days I lift I drink maybe close to two, because I take the creatine at night before I lift and I take a gallon jug with me, and once I'm done lifting that gallon jug is almost empty. So, I'm going to say I drink a gallon on none lifting days and 1.5-2 gallons on workout nights.

I'm going to take a shot here and say it's the water intake causing you to urinate frequently. Hydration is important, but you're not accomplishing anything by overhydrating. A gallon should more than get you by unless you're sweating bullets for hours a day. Also, make sure you're taking in adequate electrolytes through food/beverages. Not a problem normally, but sweating a lot and drinking a gallon during your workout can potentially cause some problems if you're training long enough or you gulp down the water in a short amount of time.

I've found cutting a Gatorade with water (half and half) is one way to do it. Doesn't taste the best, but it won't make you sick. Again, just don't gulp it.

 

[DerickVonD]

I'm going to take a shot here and say it's the water intake causing you to urinate frequently. Hydration is important, but you're not accomplishing anything by overhydrating. A gallon should more than get you by unless you're sweating bullets for hours a day. Also, make sure you're taking in adequate electrolytes through food/beverages. Not a problem normally, but sweating a lot and drinking a gallon during your workout can potentially cause some problems if you're training long enough or you gulp down the water in a short amount of time.

I've found cutting a Gatorade with water (half and half) is one way to do it. Doesn't taste the best, but it won't make you sick. Again, just don't gulp it.

I just get thirsty when I lift and I lift afew hours before bed, atleast 2-3 hours after dinner.

 

[mattsams89]

I just get thirsty when I lift and I lift afew hours before bed, atleast 2-3 hours after dinner.

Related question: are you diabetic?

Anywho, like I said, drink water but it's impressive you're still thirsty after a gallon. Haha. That's where I got my first question. How do you partition water intake throughout the day?

Actually, have you ever used a refractometer to check your hydration?

 

[DerickVonD]

Related question: are you diabetic?

Anywho, like I said, drink water but it's impressive you're still thirsty after a gallon. Haha. That's where I got my first question. How do you partition water intake throughout the day?

Actually, have you ever used a refractometer to check your hydration?

No I havn't and I just had blood work done last month, everything came back fine except that I was low on vitamin D. I have checked my blood sugar before though. My stepdad is diabetic. I havn't checked it after I had ate, but last time I checked it before I ate lunch it was about 100 I believe. I can't remember if we checked it before breakfast or before lunch.

 

[mattsams89]

No I havn't and I just had blood work done last month, everything came back fine except that I was low on vitamin D. I have checked my blood sugar before though. My stepdad is diabetic. I havn't checked it after I had ate, but last time I checked it before I ate lunch it was about 100 I believe. I can't remember if we checked it before breakfast or before lunch.

Just a thought. That tends to be a symptom, but I wouldn't worry if your blood work is OK.

You can buy some decent monitoring stuff for cheap or see if a sports medicine/athletic training center could help you out. Like I said, that's a lot of water to feel thirsty. It may be nothing, but I tend to err on the side of caution.

 

[DerickVonD]

Well I discovered my protein powder has creatine in it. I have never had the pissing problem when taking my powder. It states on the powder that the blend is 3.359g. Invalid Link Removed
Idk if that means all the amino acids stated are that amount or all together. I always have my powder on days I work out post workout. So, I've noticed when I take the creatine, it doesn't really give me more strength or mass, but it does give me the energy I need to lift, especially if I got say 6 hours sleep instead of 8. However, I am still progressing on adding weight to my workouts at the same rate I was before I started taking creatine. If I take creatine and drink a lot, I piss alot and it keeps me up (1.5-2 gallons of water). If I take creatine and just have my regular amount of water I usually have say 1 gallon, I piss and it keeps me up, but I've noticed with less water intake on creatine, I piss just as much but in shorter streams. So, either way I may just have to stop taking it at this point, especially considering it is just giving me energy and not really making me gain strength faster. I just can't take not going to sleep until 3-4 hours past the time that I want to goto bed.

 

[mattsams89]

That isn't the creatine. To my knowledge, creatine isn't a CNS stimulant. How close do you exercise to bed? How intense are you? Do you take other supplements? Those all play a role.

Also, if your protein powder includes creatine, you can drop the extra supplementation. You're just flushing money down the toilet (literally).

 

[DerickVonD]

That isn't the creatine. To my knowledge, creatine isn't a CNS stimulant. How close do you exercise to bed? How intense are you? Do you take other supplements? Those all play a role.

Also, if your protein powder includes creatine, you can drop the extra supplementation. You're just flushing money down the toilet (literally).

I workout about 3 hours before bed. I workout after my last meal. My workout is about an hour to an hour and a half on average, except on leg days where I just do squats. I do take other supps, but I take them when I get up and fish oil I take after dinner. I take Vitamin D, a multi, Zinc and a calcium, magnesium and zinc supp. The reason I take extra zinc is the mineral supp has zinc but its under dosed.

 

[mattsams89]

I workout about 3 hours before bed. I workout after my last meal. My workout is about an hour to an hour and a half on average, except on leg days where I just do squats. I do take other supps, but I take them when I get up and fish oil I take after dinner. I take Vitamin D, a multi, Zinc and a calcium, magnesium and zinc supp. The reason I take extra zinc is the mineral supp has zinc but its under dosed.

Unless you have medical issues or are taking medications that adversely affect your zinc level, you can drop the zinc supplement. Well, as long as your diet is in line too. Zinc can affect your absorption of other nutrients (copper and iron).

Do you drink caffeine or take any other stimulants? You could be exciting your nervous system to the point that you require an extended period to calm down. It happens. The athletes we work with (sliding sports) require prescription sleep meds some nights, as driving down a complex track at 60+mph definitely fires up the nervous system. That may or may not be what you're experiencing (high neurological stimulation, that is), but stimulants and intense exercise are the two culprits that come to mind first.

 

[DerickVonD]

Unless you have medical issues or are taking medications that adversely affect your zinc level, you can drop the zinc supplement. Well, as long as your diet is in line too. Zinc can affect your absorption of other nutrients (copper and iron).

Do you drink caffeine or take any other stimulants? You could be exciting your nervous system to the point that you require an extended period to calm down. It happens. The athletes we work with (sliding sports) require prescription sleep meds some nights, as driving down a complex track at 60+mph definitely fires up the nervous system. That may or may not be what you're experiencing (high neurological stimulation, that is), but stimulants and intense exercise are the two culprits that come to mind first.

I'll have a cup of coffee rarely, say every few months. I don't take any stimulants. I take melatonin some nights. Lately it's been hard to get on a decent sleep routine. I always wind up like sleeping 6-7 hours and taking a nap. Even if I try to sleep all the way through for 8 hours I can't and I always get up atleast once to piss.

 

[mattsams89]

I'll have a cup of coffee rarely, say every few months. I don't take any stimulants. I take melatonin some nights. Lately it's been hard to get on a decent sleep routine. I always wind up like sleeping 6-7 hours and taking a nap. Even if I try to sleep all the way through for 8 hours I can't and I always get up atleast once to piss.

Consistency is important. With my schedule, I have no consistency so I tend to nap. Nothing wrong with them, in fact 20-30 minutes can be beneficial. Now if it's a couple hours, that could do it too.