CREATINE

[ridge44 0]

Does anyone klnow if it hurts you or helps you, i have been gettin differnt answers

[Donkeysupreme 0]

makes your weiner shrink. or at least thats what 385 told me.

[The Bear 0]

Creatine basically helps your recovery time when you workout. Like say you workout hard one day it speeds up the recovery process so you can perform at your best the next day. I was on it for a while and am about to get back on it. To be honest I hate weight lifting but, I was on this for a while and it made weight lifting fun. It became easier because I was never sore and within just a few weaks I was seeing a big difference in the length of my workouts and was upping my weights also. As far as physical appearance I saw I was more trim. Not too big of a difference in physical appereance though it really helped with my workouts.

[The Bear 0]

makes your weiner shrink. or at least thats what 385 told me.

Sorry dude that's called steroids.

[pin2win 58]

i hear it adds water weight..

[danmoody 1]

It does add water weight; it basically super-hydrates muscle tissue so that you don't fatique as quickly and recover faster.  For the off-season, it's great if you're going to be lifting consistently and looking to put on bulk muscle.  Don't use it during the season though, as its use is counterproductive when trying to shed water weight.

[plee 0]

ridge44 - I'd also add this warning.  I don't know if this is 100% true or not, but I have heard people "theorize" that you lose some flexibility when you are on this supplement.  Your muscles are pumped full of water.  You will look a lot bigger.  But I think you are more susceptible to muscle tears while on this.  My son took it and said he could tell he wasn't as flexible when he was on it.  I talked to a personal trainer about this and he said every time he took creatine and played sports (not just lifting) he ended up with some sort of muscle injury.  I've not seen any articles proving this or anything, just something I've heard.  But in the off season it is a great supplement I think. 

[OhWhatASlideBY 0]

Creatine basically helps your recovery time when you workout. Like say you workout hard one day it speeds up the recovery process so you can perform at your best the next day. I was on it for a while and am about to get back on it. To be honest I hate weight lifting but, I was on this for a while and it made weight lifting fun. It became easier because I was never sore and within just a few Weeks I was seeing a big difference in the length of my workouts and was upping my weights also. As far as physical appearance I saw I was more trim. Not too big of a difference in physical appereance though it really helped with my workouts.

actually that would be weigh protein that speed recovering. creatine is an enzyme in your body allowing you to workout longer, but i guess it could speed recovery time a little if its still working after your workout but basically its just so you can work out longer. so a combination on creatine and weigh protein have a lot of benefits, but at the same time there are negatives.

[larry hinkle 0]

it depends on what sport Ur playing if Ur playing football its great it helps u build muscle and puts water in Ur muscle's but in our sport its bad b/c of the water think about it if it puts water n Ur muscles thats making u gain weight and its not as easy to burn off like the water we would drink so unless Ur deciding to go up like 2 r 3 weight class dnt use it jus get in the gym and work

[grapplehed 8]

In a nut shell,  It takes three phosphates to create energy. 

ATP- short for energy.  Your muscles carry a supply in hand.  AT(TRI or three) P phosphates.

You also have a stash of ADP or Di (2) Phosphates, right just hanging around.

Then you have just phosphates floating about, but must be brought via the red river, blood, which requires oxygen.

with me so far?

Creatine or Creatine Phosphate, gives you an extra stash of phosphates which hook up with the ADP to make ATP which gives you more energy, thus giving you more repititions before the muscles are depleted of energy. 

EX: Push ups, let's say you knock out 65 push ups before running out of ATP, thus stopping or burning.  After loading on creatine, you can now do 75 push ups before burning.  or look at it this way.

Let's say, hypothetically your muscle group contains, 100 ATP's, and 20 ATP's.  Supplementing Creatine Phosphate will give you the 20 that were looking for.  Bad analogy, but it might work for some.

On the flip side, Coach Moody is correct in the super hydration of muscles. Full of water, muscles may appear fuller.  Dehydration is not good while on CP, your body is trying to store water, but you are trying to shed water, thus sending your kidneys into wacky world.

[119Rider 61]

Great analogies Grapple. Kidneys can go into shock from the back and forth situation you create during the weight loss cylce. Great for the off-season if you plan on bulking up muscle wise but bad for the season. Season workouts should consist more of repition workouts to increase stamina and not so much strength.

[indyman189 1]

Make sure you drink lots of water if you are doing football, during practice you will lose alot of water and if you dont replace it you will dehydrate alot faster than normal.

[bigman2010 0]

this might b a dumb question but ive heard after you get off of creatine you loose all the muscle weight u put on..personally im 40 pounds underweight and i cant afford to loose what ive worked on all summer so would it b better to take creatine or straight protein?

[Jacketcoach 19]

Why is everybody looking for a short cut to create the same results that can happen with hard work?  Those same short cuts can create bigger problems in the future.  As one of my college professors once said kidneys are not used to straining all of the stuff we put in our bodies now for short cuts, the earlier we start the bigger chance for problems in the future. 

[old140 4]

Why is everybody looking for a short cut to create the same results that can happen with hard work?  Those same short cuts can create bigger problems in the future.  As one of my college professors once said kidneys are not used to straining all of the stuff we put in our bodies now for short cuts, the earlier we start the bigger chance for problems in the future. 

I totally agree.  Eat right, workout hard, and you could get the same reults without worrying about what could happen to your body down the line.  Taking the easy way comes back to bite you most of the time. (A-Rod)

[Dutch1873 0]

While I have read some good information on this page I am wondering about the level if education by those posting. I'm not saying that those posting are not smart, but how much nutritional, medical, biological education do these posters have? I've stated before that I am a certified athletic trainer so my profession is in orthopedic evaluation and rehab. I have a base of information on the subject of supplements but I resist posting on the subject because I don't want to put forth incorrect info. I have seen more damage done by good intentioned and well meaning individuals giving anecdotal evidence.

What I am trying to say is that if we are going to discuss things like this, lets find someone that is qualified to educate us on the question. Grapplehead did a great job of explaining how creatine works. Grapplehead where did you get your info? Just wondering, and thanks for the good info for everyone.

[The Bear 0]

Well let me clarify my posting then. My post was based straight from experience. I honestly don't know the chemistry behind it but, that's how I felt physically when I took it. I honestly don't know the re procussions of it in the long term though. I would like to know because I had bought a new bottle of it and plan on taking some again when I start working out. As much info you can give though Grapplehead is much appreciated. I'm 18 years old and if this stuff is bad for you in the long run I don't want to start off on the wrong foot, right?  :mrgreen:

[grapplehed 8]

Dutch1873,

Thanks, It was a wild guess.  Just kidding.  Of course, it is broken down into much greater detail. Few physiology courses in college, covered the Kreb's (energy) and a few papers.  Not to mention, experience is the best teacher.  My experience with creatine were the days prior to the flavors, and sugar.  It was drab, plain and didn't mix well in water.  I learned the hard way. 

In my opinion, most supplements are garbage and soiled with toxins or nothing at all, kind of like vitamins.  There are a few supplements out there worth checking into but it boils down to whole nutritious foods as your best bet.  These supplement companies are in it for one reason, $.  Where are companies like Xyience now? 

Every other year, there will be a "latest breaking supplement", similar to the "magic diet pill"  These companies ride the $ wave, rake it in, then turn you onto something else.

[385 109]

makes your weiner shrink. or at least thats what 385 told me.

Lol thats funny. You still won't man up and tell me who the hell you are. You're nothing but a little punk, hiding behind a screen name.

[385 109]

Sorry dude that's called steroids.

Actually its your testicles that shrink on steroids.

[Dutch1873 0]

Dutch1873,

Thanks, It was a wild guess.  Just kidding.  Of course, it is broken down into much greater detail. Few physiology courses in college, covered the Kreb's (energy) and a few papers.  Not to mention, experience is the best teacher.  My experience with creatine were the days prior to the flavors, and sugar.  It was drab, plain and didn't mix well in water.  I learned the hard way. 

In my opinion, most supplements are garbage and soiled with toxins or nothing at all, kind of like vitamins.  There are a few supplements out there worth checking into but it boils down to whole nutritious foods as your best bet.  These supplement companies are in it for one reason, $.  Where are companies like Xyience now? 

Every other year, there will be a "latest breaking supplement", similar to the "magic diet pill"  These companies ride the $ wave, rake it in, then turn you onto something else.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I am a firm believer in a quality diet and maybe a good multivitamin. There have been multiple studies that show supplements labeled to contain a certain amount of a supplement per tablet. When three tablets were taken from the same bottle and tested they were shown to have wildly different amounts of the stated supplement. Nothing takes the place of hard work and eathing right.