Creatine supplements.

14

Hello. Recently i realised to persue my Uni career in Ice Hockey i need to turn my measly 9st 1 body into around 11stone, and obviously i don't want it as just fat - i want muscle. So i have signed up to the local gym and started going there on a regular basis (5 days a week, 1-2 hours per day). The guy who did my induction suggested i used Creatine to help build up this muscle mass. Now i've tried to do a bit of research on Creatine but haven't really found out how much of the stuff i need to take per day & also which stuff to buy.

Has anyone else used Creatine before, and if so do you have any hints and tips?

Reply 1

Guffy

I've used creatine monohydrate and creatine ethyl ester before.

I found I didn't respond to monohydrate at all, but ethyl ester gave me a pretty damn good pump.

With regards to how much you need to buy: how much are you looking to spend, to cover what period of time? How many days a week are you planning on lifting?

Reply 2

edu

2

doesnt that crap damage your liver guffy?

Reply 3

Guffy

No. Creatine is an organic acid that ocurrs naturally in meat, and it is far from "crap."

You may be thinking of steroids which can be toxic to the liver if taken for an extended period of time in certain doses, but again, they are far from "crap" when used in moderation.

Reply 4

edu

2

I was actually told by a dr friend of mine that creatine would damage your liver if you took it for extended periods of time.

Reply 5

Guffy

edu

I was actually told by a dr friend of mine that creatine would damage your liver if you took it for extended periods of time.

I would like to know what he predicated that on, considering there are actually no studies linking creatine to health risks, and it is a naturally occuring organic acid found in meat.

Then again, a lot of doctors seem to think of steroids as always being a bad thing, and when used in moderation they only provide health benefits.

Reply 6

edu

2

Well increasing/decreasing levels of any nutrient in your body beyond reason can be potentially harmful. Im guessing there is a correlation between people who take excess creatine to build up muscle mass and liver problems??

Reply 7

Guffy

edu

Well increasing/decreasing levels of any nutrient in your body beyond reason can be potentially harmful. Im guessing there is a correlation between people who take excess creatine to build up muscle mass and liver problems??

There is no correlation that I have ever been made aware of, and I have looked rather thoroughly into it. I'm certainly more than interested to hear if this is the case, however, so perhaps you could ask your doctor friend next time you see him. What you have to bear in mind is that doctors are human beings too, they don't know everything, and quite honestly they talk crap about stuff they don't know everything about just as much as other people do. Your average doctor isn't going to know much more about creatine or nutrition than your average person.

He will definitely know a great deal less than your average weight lifter.

Reply 8

edu

2

Ah yes no doubt, thing is tho he weight lifts himself. Only reason why I listen to him regarding these matters because your average dr will tell you a protein supplement is bad for you to.

Reply 9

Guffy

edu

Ah yes no doubt, thing is tho he weight lifts himself. Only reason why I listen to him regarding these matters because your average dr will tell you a protein supplement is bad for you to.

Exactly. Still, I would be very interested to hear what he bases his conclusion on, considering I have never read anything of the sort, and even ex-Mr Olympia Franco Columbu who is a doctor, and expert in sports medicine heartily endorses creatine for its health benefits.

Reply 10

Nathan3535

It's simple, stick to the rules, take it as it recomends, If you overdose, or load up without unsaturating then it wilnt work, could even cause a little damage. It should explain how to take it on the tub. It's normally a cycle like, 4 times a day for a week to load, then once a day for 11, then none for a week, repeat etc. Id stick to protein/mass builder suppliments for now.

Reply 11

just t

stick with foodddddddddd!

Reply 12

melonman

i've been taking creatine monohydrate for the past six months. i really rate it because although you can take it to "pump up", it also can be taken so that you can excersize more before your body gets tired - and therefore increase your stamina. i have found that i can continue excersising for considerably increased time periods when i have taken creatine than when i have not. because i was recommended creatine by an enormous bodybuilder friend, i was very sceptical about its safety - i'm muscly as it is and dont want to turn into a bodybuilder! - so iresearched it thoroughly before taking it. it appears to be completely safe. i have not experienced any side effects at all.
i prefer to take creatine in capsules because the powder can be "gritty" - the capsules i have are about £25 and i have to take 4 a day on the days i am excersising.
creepy u kno where i am if you wanna talk any more!
xXx

Reply 13

rock_eleven

1

whats your training and diet going to be like anyway?

Reply 14

Creepy

OP

14

Training i will have 90 Mins / week Ice Time, and i plan on doing 5 days of between 1 and 2 hours in the gym. Now im not using Free weights, but there are Cardio Machines and Resistance machines. I intend to do 3 sets of 10-15 efforts on each of the Resistance Machines.

I was advised if i do heavy exercise to give a full days break in between exercise, and also to give a day break if i do a few days sessions.

Nat i'll talk to you on MSN, i didn't know you were on it too :wink:

P.S, i heard the Capsules are quite hard to swallow?

Reply 15

NilDesperandum

I recently started full on training, 6 days a week, 3 weight training (1 hour each), 3 cardio (20 minutes interval). I was advised by the "beef-cakes" at my gym to solely adjust my diet and intense training in order to pile on the pounds at first, and then once you hit a 'plateau' later in training (1-2 months), start taking creatine.

It can be dangerous when taken irresponsibly, I got about a Kilo of Body Fortress Creatine and the instructions the shop-assistant gave me were to go on for 11 weeks, off for 4, and repeat. The first week is a build-up period where you take 3 times daily and then once a day after that. I'm happy with the progress I've seen so far, so won't be taking it for another couple of months I don't think.

I'm eating 5 meals a day including two egg and milk protein shakes (moving onto whey protein later), and I'm following a reverse pyramid training technique (low weight, high rep count, finishing on high weight, low rep count). Check out http://www.bodyforlife.com/ for a very reliable program.

Anyway, enough of that, I'd say use creatine after you've got used to the training regime and you feel it's time to start adding a bit of 'oomf' to your progress.

--Saul.

Reply 16

Guffy

depiction.

I recently started full on training, 6 days a week, 3 weight training (1 hour each), 3 cardio (20 minutes interval). I was advised by the "beef-cakes" at my gym to solely adjust my diet and intense training in order to pile on the pounds at first, and then once you hit a 'plateau' later in training (1-2 months), start taking creatine.

A gym n00b isn't going to plateau after a couple of months. If you're relying on a supplement to get you over a plateau, you're not training right. You think Arnie, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler etc. got to the sizes they were/are by thinking "Hmmmmmm, I've plateaued. I know, I'll start taking creatine!" Plateaus are overcome by changing training.

depiction.

It can be dangerous when taken irresponsibly, I got about a Kilo of Body Fortress Creatine and the instructions the shop-assistant gave me were to go on for 11 weeks, off for 4, and repeat. The first week is a build-up period where you take 3 times daily and then once a day after that. I'm happy with the progress I've seen so far, so won't be taking it for another couple of months I don't think.

Shop assistants know bugger all, they regurgitate what they've been told to say. What do you base your conclusion that creatine is dangerous on? Do you even have any evidence whatsoever? Even a tiny, tiny piece? The reason cycling creatine is recommended is because your body gets used to it after a certain time, and it stops being effective.

depiction.

Anyway, enough of that, I'd say use creatine after you've got used to the training regime and you feel it's time to start adding a bit of 'oomf' to your progress.

I half agree with this, half don't. Getting your diet and training down first is of utmost importance, it really doesn't matter when you start using creatine though.

Reply 17

edu

2

Would you really trust a shop assistant with your personal health :s-smilie:

*gulps*

Reply 18

NilDesperandum

Guffy

A gym n00b isn't going to plateau after a couple of months.

I've been going to the gym for over a year now, but have only just started training intensely.

Guffy

If you're relying on a supplement to get you over a plateau, you're not training right. You think Arnie, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler etc. got to the sizes they were/are by thinking "Hmmmmmm, I've plateaued. I know, I'll start taking creatine!" Plateaus are overcome by changing training.

If you're training properly you should never plateau. A decent training program is constantly changing, increasing weight and ensuring a variety of exercises are being used.

Guffy

Shop assistants know bugger all, they regurgitate what they've been told to say.

I agree with you there, that was why I asked some of the trainers at my gym and the guys who enter competitions.

Guffy

What do you base your conclusion that creatine is dangerous on?

I'm not concluding that creatine is dangerous, I should have added 'this is only my opinion'. I just can't believe that something which is known to do such wonderous things to a person cannot have any side-affects or tags attached.

I was merely giving my opinion, I'm sure there was no need for you to analyse every word I said, but thank you anyway.

--Saul.

Reply 19

Guffy

depiction.

If you're training properly you should never plateau. A decent training program is constantly changing, increasing weight and ensuring a variety of exercises are being used.

Well, yes. What I meant was that if you're doing the same exercises for a certain amount of time (as many people do) and then your gains slow, you change exercises. Not everybody changes their routine on a weekly basis, because it's more difficult to monitor gains that way.

depiction.

I agree with you there, that was why I asked some of the trainers at my gym and the guys who enter competitions.

Presumably we're talking about the stage at which creatine should be introduced here, and not the "dangers" of it. Yes, it is one more thing which can help to break a plateau, but as you said, if you're training right then you shouldn't need it to break a plateau, and therefore you're missing out on the gains it can provide by holding it in reserve for a time when in theory it should never be necessary.

depiction.

I'm not concluding that creatine is dangerous, I should have added 'this is only my opinion'. I just can't believe that something which is known to do such wonderous things to a person cannot have any side-affects or tags attached.

You aware aware it occurs naturally in food, right? I mean, do you think all food has these side effects and tags? Do you think that protein shakes have side effects? What about pasta and wholemeal rice? It's a rather pessimistic way of looking at life if you think everything good comes at a price, and is completely illogical in practice.

Creatine supplements.

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