What do you think of this product (creatine powder)?

[Wayne_D]

Creatine Powder (http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=574&xs=8E2DE8D0958D4D30A80F8A19494ED6E9)

I want to build a little more muscle, but avoid bulking myself up. Would you recommended this product?

Thanks.

[bluesand]

:think: Whats in it Wayne ?

[RunsWithFoxes]

Would you recommend this product?

No. Your body is quite capable of adding muscle in response to exercise without magical powders. :hamster:

[sumsums]

Creatine Powder (http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=574&xs=8E2DE8D0958D4D30A80F8A19494ED6E9)

I want to build a little more muscle, but avoid bulking myself up. Would you recommended this product?

Thanks.

my SO used it and it worked well, but its not a magic powder, you gotta put alot of work into it

[RunsWithFoxes]

my SO used it and it worked well, but its not a magic powder, you gotta put alot of work into it

In order to run a rudimentary scientific experiment, you'd need another SO (SO #2) with exactly the same build who does exactly the same exercises as SO#1 but DOES NOT use the magic powder but a placebo instead. You could then determine whether the powder did any good. I'd bet my last dollar (or pound) that it would have no effect.

For a higher quality experiment, you'd need a lot more SO's doing the same tests. This would make your life very interesting, but your SO's might start killing each other in jealousy and thus damage your test results.

:sunny:

[Percy]

I would not use it... I'm sure if you stop working out... your muscles will become nasty

[Thalia]

My understanding is not that it adds more muscle, it just allows you to work out longer and harder. So you still need to do the work.

[Cosmo]

I'm pretty big into cycling, and a lot of the guys in my weekly group ride have been talking about creatine. They claim it increases their lactic acid threshold, and increases the amount of oxygen their blood can carry.

I have not tried any of it because I don't know what's in it, and since it's relatively new I want to give it a while to see if there are any long-term effects.

I will say, however, that the guys that are using it are reporting that they do feel like they can ride longer and at a higher rate. Granted, nothing is going to magically make you into great shape, but for the people willing to do the work, it does seem that creatine can enhance the benefits from the work itself.

[Libellula]

i just carboload if i know i'm going to be working out any longer and harder than normal, but taht's just me

[Thalia]

And btw, I have started weight lifting, and once it gets more serious, I think I will probably start using some.

It helps to convert ATP to ADP, so it is actually helping you maintain aerobic metabolism longer, keeping you out of anaerobic which causes lactic acid to building up, and that is what makes your muscles start to hurt and be unable to lift. At least that is my limited understanding, I haven't done a lot of research yet.

[Bof]

:think: Whats in it Wayne ?

Would you believe creatine? :D

[Bromo33333]

I have used creatine for a period where I was doing intense workouts -

1. You have to drink a LOT more water. Creatine causes your muscles to draw in more water into the cells after workout.

2. Creatine has the effect that your recovery after workout will be shorter than it would be otherwise (recovery in 2-3 days instead of 1 week for example)

3. The amount of work you can do before "muscle failure" increases

4. You gain about 10 lbs in muscle weight during the "loading pahse" or creatine loading - this is due to the extra water your muscles draw in. You will look a tiny bit more "pumped" all the time.

5. There are lots of urban legends about creatine loading - generally you take a huge amount (~20g) daily for about a week, and then you take the maintenance amount (~5g) daily after that. You continue for abotu 6 weeks, then go off of it for ~2 weeks and start over.

I noticed the quicker muscle recovery, and the increased endurance, but overall I hated having to drink water constantly, and urinating constantly.

As I am lifting for health, I eventually realized that I didn't need the extra oomph it offered - though I really do notice the difference in my workouts.

Also, the main source of supplemental creatine (extra creatine) is from meat sources, so a vegetarian will have less of it than those that eat meat. (Your body produces its own creatine as well).

I believe that Creatine monohydrate is synthetically created - so may be appropriate for vegetarians - though I am not 100% certain. I used it before I pursued a vegetarian diet.

[leedsdog]

I did an undergraduate dissertation on creatine supplementation about 10 years ago. Pretty much everything Bromo33333 says it correct (though the having to drink all the time is new to me, It would make sence during the loading phase but afterwards I've never heard that). The only 3 things I would add are that
1)yes it can be made synthetically so can be vegetarian.
2) and when you take it you should either take it with a sweet drink or while you are exercising to aid it's uptake into the muscle
3) it aids the recovery during a session (it is good for multiple sprint sports). so if you do your 8 reps then rest for 30 seconds 8 more reps, rest etc you will take longer to get to failure.

Andy

[Wayne_D]

Well I bought some today for £20. What I will do is take 1-2 spoonfuls a day in a drink, as I read the suggestion online. If I followed the recommended dosage I'd be bankrupt. :P However, I won't be taking it until I recover from a little soreness I've been having since my last workout.

[HectorSchmeets]

I've have taken creatine off and on for the past 3 years and I have gotten pretty good muscle gains. It will also help you recover quicker from your workouts. However if you stop takeing creatine and working out you will lose your gains. Here is some useful info on Creatine Monohydrate (http://www.illpumpyouup.com/articles/creatine-monohydrate-information.htm)

[Vegreenmom]

I have used creatine for a period where I was doing intense workouts -

1. You have to drink a LOT more water. Creatine causes your muscles to draw in more water into the cells after workout.

2. Creatine has the effect that your recovery after workout will be shorter than it would be otherwise (recovery in 2-3 days instead of 1 week for example)

3. The amount of work you can do before "muscle failure" increases

4. You gain about 10 lbs in muscle weight during the "loading pahse" or creatine loading - this is due to the extra water your muscles draw in. You will look a tiny bit more "pumped" all the time.

5. There are lots of urban legends about creatine loading - generally you take a huge amount (~20g) daily for about a week, and then you take the maintenance amount (~5g) daily after that. You continue for abotu 6 weeks, then go off of it for ~2 weeks and start over.

I noticed the quicker muscle recovery, and the increased endurance, but overall I hated having to drink water constantly, and urinating constantly.

As I am lifting for health, I eventually realized that I didn't need the extra oomph it offered - though I really do notice the difference in my workouts.

Also, the main source of supplemental creatine (extra creatine) is from meat sources, so a vegetarian will have less of it than those that eat meat. (Your body produces its own creatine as well).

I believe that Creatine monohydrate is synthetically created - so may be appropriate for vegetarians - though I am not 100% certain. I used it before I pursued a vegetarian diet.

You posted basically the things I was going to say.

Fine more articles and information on creatine here:
Bodybuilding.com Search - Creatine (http://search.bodybuilding.com/search?q=creatine&btnG=Search&site=wwwbodybuilding&output=xml_no_dtd&client=wwwbodybuilding&proxystylesheet=wwwbodybuilding&getfields=description&filter=0)

[Andre]

Are you going to take Creatine for life?

Please ask yourself this question.

Your body produces creatine by itself and this is amount is adjusted through a system scientists call homeostatisis. I bet you've learned about it in science class. Your body 'adjusts' to maintain a balanced amount of almost any chemical, so by supplementing you be be reducing your bodies natural ability to make its own creatine, so when you go off you'll quickly lose the gain caused by the creatine, and more. That's the way of nature.

Working hard, drinking lots of water, sweating, and urinating frequently throughout the day are not what I want in life. I'd rather relax and have fun.

Your choice.

[grapico]

I wouldn't take... personally it makes me bloated... and if I go off of it... I'm back to where I was before... also after being on creatine, my creatinine and BUN levels were up a ton on my blood tests.

Andre good point, there is some emerging evidence of down regulation of receptors by supplemental creatine.

[Ajna Chakra]

Yeah, I definitely recommend Creatine powder.
Here is some good information on it:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/creatine.html
http://www.creatinemonohydrate.net/
But hey, dont just use the amount that the instructions on the box say, every one's requirments are different, and if you use the incorrect amount, it wil have adverse affects.
Here is an excellent way to calculate the amount of it that you need: http://www.fitnessnet.nl/nextgen/creatine_calculator.php3
Btw, you probably already know this, but dont over supplement.
And I wouldnt recommend that you use anything except 100% pure creatine monohydrate powder.

[Ajna Chakra]

Are you going to take Creatine for life?
Working hard, drinking lots of water, sweating, and urinating frequently throughout the day are not what I want in life. I'd rather relax and have fun.

Your choice.

Some people actually enjoy being extremely fit, and find the hard work it takes to maintain an excellent physique very rewarding. Youre right, everyone has their choice in life, and you have little to no influence over other people's decisions. I drink a TON of water a day, and I urinate frequently, and I work hard, and I still relax and have tons of fun. It also feels extremely good to know that your body doesnt limit you in anyway.

[drjoe]

I use a pre-workout drink with creatine called Vasocharge. I think it works great. I have trained with and without creatine and have found creatine to be helpful.

[ForestGlade34]

I'm not buying what I can't afford, plus I'd rather not insult my natural ability.

[Spirittap]

I used the creatine powder form when i was 16 or 17. I gained 25 pounds the first month and 10-15 the second. The problem is i had to drink 1 gallon of water per day or else i'd be dehydrated. At the time i read there were no solid studies done on the long term side effects of creatine powder. Also it's been said that when water is added to the creatine powder it converts into a toxic by product called creatinine. This has been said to have a number of negative side effects such as liver and kidney problems. I'm not sure if any recent studies have been done or not though.


I even tried creatine in a liquid form. I didn't get any results from it, if i did it was barely anything. I tried the liquid form because it was said to be more safe.

Later i realized you can get big by simply lifting big. Big weight and low reps (4-6) worked for me. Also i'd only target a specific muscle group only once per week. It takes longer to gain, but it's probably better off for your health.

[Shamandura]

My two brothers use to take this when they did body building. But when they stopped working out their muscle turned to fat alot faster then when they gained muscle without it.
I guess it just depends on your goals for your workout regimen. I never heard of it being unsafe though.

[kali]

As I am lifting for health, I eventually realized that I didn't need the extra oomph it offered - though I really do notice the difference in my workouts.

Same with me, although I didnt notice as much difference as I thought I would.