|
2003/08/07, 04:45 PM
I have never used creatine before, though as soon as my wrist is healed I plan to start so I can get some quick gains.
I have heard some rumors about creatine, though I am not sure if they are true...
Rumor 1: Caffine will null the effects of creatine-
This makes sense, as caffine is dieritic making your body keep less water, and creatine makes your muscle hold more water. My question is how true is this? I don't drink very much caffine. Maybe half a cup of coffee on mornings that I didn't get a good night sleep (just for a little pick me up). If I start using creatine should I cut all caffine? I can do it easily, I just want to know if its needed.
Rumor 2: Only 40% of the population are receptors for Creatine. The other 60% it doesn't work on.
Is this true? I find it hard to believe considering that your body creates this stuff on its own.
Rumor 3: If you use it too much you body becomes immmune to it.
I guess that makes sense, just like anything else. You body starts to "resist" or "adapt" to it... Does this mean I should only use it in intervals?
Rumor 4: If you miss taking your creatine for even one day, you have to start your loading phase again, even if you just finished loading.
Does missing one day really nullify the creatine loading I did? Will I really have to start loading again because of one missed day?
Any answers you can give would be great!
Thanks!
-------
BoRP
|
|
|
|
2003/08/07, 05:51 PM
Rumor 1 is true for the most part. Rumors 2-4 are false, although as with any supplement almost, in rumor 3 it is partly true to the extent that it would be beneficial to cycle off for about 3 weeks, then reload.
--------------
Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
|
|
2003/08/19, 08:52 PM
dont forget to be carefull of how much creatine u take a day if your body takes more that it can handle, it can effect your liver!! but this is only after an extended period of time :)
|
|
2003/08/20, 10:56 AM
There are absolutely no studies that prove this. I would like you to provide some evidence of this. Creatine has been shown time and time again, and is probably the most studied supplement of all time, that it is in no way harmful, even in folks taking it for months on end without ever cycling it.
--------------
Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
|
|
2003/08/21, 06:29 AM
One last thing; it's a fact that some people don't get any results from using creatine......
I use creatine with great success but you need to try yourself.
--------------
- Nina :o) Les Victoires éternelles sont celles du coeur.
|
|
2003/08/21, 07:47 PM
I just want to say that i am not bagging creatine, i use it myself but i watch how many grams i am taking and i like to have a washout period. (Hultman et al 1996). There are heaps of controversies about creatine, fact and myth. Personally i think its up to the individual to beleive what they want to believe :)
Abnormally high levels of creatine in the body have been shown to halt the absorption of creatine by skeletal muscle. This is a classic example of biological feedback. The production of creatine in the liver is also subject to this same negative feedback mechanism; creatine production is interrupted when creatine availability is high. These physiological responses make sense since the body should not have to waste energy storing or producing creatine if it is already present at high levels. It is thus possible that exposing the body to elevated creatine levels for prolonged periods might shut off creatine absorption and synthesis for longer than actually necessary.is the extraordinary stress creatine use might place on the kidneys, especially during the loading phase. During the loading phase the kidneys have to work extra hard to remove any unabsorbed creatine from the blood stream. Also if you dont drink enough water u muscles can dehydrate and even cramp. but these are pretty easy to avoid just follow the instructions on the label :). I also heard that the amount of creatine that the body can absorb is dependant on the body mass of the individual. Have a look at the following reference to find out the measurements :)
Hultman, E., Soderlund, K., Timmons, J. A., Cederblad, G. and Greenhaff, P. L. (1996) Muscle creatine loading in men. American Journal of Physiology, Vol 81: pp 232-237.
|
|
2003/08/22, 10:10 AM
Thanks for the info.
I have another question. When taking creatine spiking your insulin by taking in a high dextrose substance is supposed to help, but how do I use it?
Do I add it directly to the creatine? Or do I take it a few minutes befores?
When are the best times to take creatine? I have heard first thing in the morning and right after your workout when loading, and when on your matience take it just after your workout.
Any suggestions?
--------------
- Its never about how much you can lift, or how many reps you do. Its just about doing it, and doing it right.
~Brad~
|
|
2003/08/22, 10:51 AM
One more fact or fiction:
Rumor 5: If you use creatine for so long and then get off it completely you will lose everything you gained.
I find this hard to believe also. If you continue training and stay on a good lifting diet, how could you lose what you gained? I can see the fast gains tapering off, but starting to lose gains too?.
--------------
- Its never about how much you can lift, or how many reps you do. Its just about doing it, and doing it right.
~Brad~
|
|
2003/08/22, 01:10 PM
Long-term creatine supplementation does not significantly affect clinical markers of health in athletes.
Kreider RB, Melton C, Rasmussen CJ, Greenwood M, Lancaster S, Cantler EC, Milnor P, Almada AL.
Exercise and Sport Nutrition Laboratory, Department of Human Movement Sciences and Education, The University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA. Richard_Kreider@baylor.edu
Creatine has been reported to be an effective ergogenic aid for athletes. However, concerns have been raised regarding the long-term safety of creatine supplementation. This study examined the effects of long-term creatine supplementation on a 69-item panel of serum, whole blood, and urinary markers of clinical health status in athletes. Over a 21-month period, 98 Division IA college football players were administered in an open label manner creatine or non-creatine containing supplements following training sessions. Subjects who ingested creatine were administered 15.75 g/day of creatine monohydrate for 5 days and an average of 5 g/day thereafter in 5-10 g/day doses. Fasting blood and 24-h urine samples were collected at 0, 1, 1.5, 4, 6, 10, 12, 17, and 21 months of training. A comprehensive quantitative clinical chemistry panel was determined on serum and whole blood samples (metabolic markers, muscle and liver enzymes, electrolytes, lipid profiles, hematological markers, and lymphocytes). In addition, urine samples were quantitatively and qualitative analyzed to assess clinical status and renal function. At the end of the study, subjects were categorized into groups that did not take creatine (n = 44) and subjects who took creatine for 0-6 months (mean 4.4 +/- 1.8 months, n = 12), 7-12 months (mean 9.3 +/- 2.0 months, n = 25), and 12-21 months (mean 19.3 +/- 2.4 months, n = 17). Baseline and the subjects' final blood and urine samples were analyzed by MANOVA and 2 x 2 repeated measures ANOVA univariate tests. MANOVA revealed no significant differences (p = 0.51) among groups in the 54-item panel of quantitative blood and urine markers assessed. Univariate analysis revealed no clinically significant interactions among groups in markers of clinical status. In addition, no apparent differences were observed among groups in the 15-item panel of qualitative urine markers. Results indicate that long-term creatine supplementation (up to 21-months) does not appear to adversely effect markers of health status in athletes undergoing intense training in comparison to athletes who do not take creatine.
--------------
Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
|
|
2003/08/22, 01:24 PM
Take a look in the supplement threads to the question you asked there(the same one). This is the protocol that is research proven. The benefits are endless. A few of which include.....
Quicker and superior glycogen synthesis
Greater myofibrilar hydration - which endless studies show to be anabolic
Supression of Cortisol
Supressed Protein degredation post workout
This is a supercompensation time. Your creatine at this time will be completely utilized.
Other than this time, I would not take it with a sugar, the possible exception of first thing in the morning.
On days off just take it first thing in the morning.
============
Quoting from borpillicus:
Thanks for the info.
I have another question. When taking creatine spiking your insulin by taking in a high dextrose substance is supposed to help, but how do I use it?
Do I add it directly to the creatine? Or do I take it a few minutes befores?
When are the best times to take creatine? I have heard first thing in the morning and right after your workout when loading, and when on your matience take it just after your workout.
Any suggestions?
=============
--------------
Great people never want it easier, they just want to be better!
Ron
|
|
2003/09/01, 12:52 AM
i just started taking creatine during the last month and i can visibly see my muscles are significantly larger, but my friend said that it is water and when i stop using it for a month (due to cycling), i won't look as muclular b/c i will loose the water in my muscles. is this true??
|
|
2003/09/05, 07:29 PM
yeah, u will lose the water in your muscles but u wont lose the muscles u gained...
|
|
2005/05/15, 12:57 PM
so aftersomeone stops taking creatine have they gained more muscle than they would have if they hadnt taken it?
|
|
2005/05/15, 01:31 PM
if theyve trained harder than yes
|
|
2005/05/15, 05:55 PM
just because of more energy and being able to do more or less rest time or what? wht exactly do you mean train harder
|
|
2005/05/15, 07:16 PM
As far as I know the athlete will lose majority of the gains in creatine....I am not sure what is meant by training harder...
Also I have read creatine has been shown to help lose 1% in body fat over 6 or 8 week period(can't seem to find this but it was cited in Mens Health)....as well as improve brain function......
http://www.maccs.mq.edu.au/~tim/mypapers/papers/2003/creatineProcRoyalSoc.pdf
http://www.edensbest.ca/Creatine2.htm
|
|
2005/05/15, 07:17 PM
err...when cycling off creatine....the athlete will lose msot strength gains*
|
|
2005/05/17, 06:22 PM
so afterward i cycle off i woulndt really be better off than if i hadnt taken it?
|
|
2005/05/17, 06:43 PM
im confused too.. i thought after you cycled creatine and then went off it for a period you would lose water weight, but would retain strength gains you achieved as a result of the creatine. by training harder i meant banging out those last few reps, or even increasing the amount you lift as a direct result of the supplementation to make you grow that much more..
|
|
2005/05/17, 06:55 PM
way I see creatine is is this......its a high octance fuel for your car. Put 93 octane in yoru car......your goona get better horse power, better acelleration, better gas milage etc.......however you still have the same engine.
Creatine give you the fuel to build more muscle.......say before creatine you maxed 225 5 times, take creatine for 6 to 7 weeks.....you can now do it 6 7 times.......
It doesnt' actually build muscle.....its giving you the means to. Which is more engery. You get extra size, becuase creatine needs water......you may loose size....but not nessarly the strength......thats is yours to keep.
--------------
" The only true eye, is your minds eye"- plato
|
|
2005/05/17, 11:14 PM
It depends whether you achieved the strength gains from muscle gains or simple from your current muscles expanding due to the extra fluid they retain.....when you cycle off you lose extra water(fluid) from the muscle...making them weaker....however if you managed to build new muscle, perhaps you can keep those gains....but generally speaking I lost considerable strength when I cycled off creatine twice before....also as I said there's no need to cycle off creatine....it's perfectly safe to be taken in similar fashion as multivitamin....I have taken it for over 2 years non-stop now...with no problems...
|
|
2005/05/18, 09:11 AM
same here menace.. I even told my doc......she wasn't concerned.
I've actualy been on it since.....like 11th or 12 grade
--------------
" The only true eye, is your minds eye"- plato
|
|
2005/05/18, 09:25 AM
yea...it's been shown perfectly safe long term.....as long as you don't have pre-existing kidney problems...you're ok taking it non-stop....
|
