Creatine

[MrBigDick Retired ModeratorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close MrBigDick]

OK, I need to know from some serious, hard core, weight lifting gurus. I've been taking creatine with my protein power for a bit now and I think I've gotten results. So I went to a supplement shop to get some more earlier and this "kid" (he couldn't have been older than early 20's) tells me I don't need creatine and shouldn't be mixing it with my protein powder.

A. Is this accurate and B. This seems to completely contradict what I've always been told in that creatine aids in the recovery of your muscle group that you worked out.

I really need some answers because I'm thoroughly confused and don't know which way to go. For statistical purposes, I'm 42, 6'2'' and have been working out for a good 20 plus years. I'm only trying to bulk up a tad without looking "bloated" or "fat".....

Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Girth5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Girth5]

Ok.
I'm not a expert body builder but you should take creatine before a workout solo do it solo with no whey protein.
for a at least 3 weeks then you'll see results.

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

Creatine is well established to work for most people by mainstream sports science .

[MrBigDick Retired ModeratorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close MrBigDick]

Ok.
I'm not a expert body builder but you should take creatine before a workout solo do it solo with no whey protein.
for a at least 3 weeks then you'll see results.

So I should take it for results. I'm under the impression creatine is used for quicker recovery in between workouts.......is this correct?

[Toadstool Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Toadstool]

From what I understand, creatine is not going to give you huge gains. They'll give you some slight energy for an extra rep in your sets and add to your muscles' water retention, swelling them up a big larger.

I think I remember reading that you should do some sort of introduction of creatine to your body, like take it for a few weeks in certain amounts.
It's not like protein. It's a different substance and you take it differently on a set routine.
I think anyway, I'd like to know myself. Can someone confirm or deny this?

[MrBigDick Retired ModeratorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close MrBigDick]

From what I understand, creatine is not going to give you huge gains. They'll give you some slight energy for an extra rep in your sets and add to your muscles' water retention, swelling them up a big larger.

I think I remember reading that you should do some sort of introduction of creatine to your body, like take it for a few weeks in certain amounts.
It's not like protein. It's a different substance and you take it differently on a set routine.
I think anyway, I'd like to know myself. Can someone confirm or deny this?

OK, what you're saying Toad is similar to what the kid at the supplement shop said today also. I've been taking it for maybe a month or month and a half and I've been putting one scoop with my whey protein shake.........I was told this was ok but now I'm hearing conflicting reports that I should take creatiine by itself.................fuck I'm so confused about this..........and I would take it after my workout, not before..............I've taken Nitrix Oxide before and that gives you a burst of energy during sets for more energy to give you that added rep or set..........that I know and I could tell it did just that.

Creatine, however, I'm still confused on....

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

Ok,
Creatine is part of the short term energy system and is located inside the muscle . In most guys these stores are not full and adding a creatine supplement can fill them. In a guy your size bd this would normally cause a weight gain of 2lb to 4lb, the muscle will swell slightly.
As the muscle now has more energy avaiable you can often get extra reps in a scenairo of multi sets. It is also said to increase recovery . The net effect is an increased rate of gain in muscle strength/size.

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

Standard usage is 5 g per day ,a large athlete might benifit from 10g. Levels beyond this for extended periods of time are not advised. It is important to keep hydration levels up while on creatine.
Some protocols call for a loading phase using 20g per day for a week or 2 to max stores quickly. In this case most of the loading occurs in the first couple of days anyway.
Creatine is usually taken away from protein sources which can get in the way of absorbtion. Do not mix with a heat source, eg do not put it in hot coffee as this can degrade it. Be carefull of dehydration causes, so aside from sweating you have alchol,caffine etc.

[Pegasus AdministratorPE Gym EditorPEGym Hero ☺ Admin of the Month Mar 2015 Find all posts View Profile Close Pegasus]

Btw what was the kid trying to sell you instead ,because unless it was roids I doubt it would be as effective.

[billybrown Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close billybrown]

The kid was full of shit. Take it with protein if you want (actually there are products that combine the two). Straight after workout you should also take a bit of carb supplements, as it is pretty much depleted. Don't forget the 2-3 hour window period after workout, that's the best time to replenish the hungry cells. Closer to the workout the better.

[Girth5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Girth5]

So I should take it for results. I'm under the impression creatine is used for quicker recovery in between workouts.......is this correct?

They have video on youtube of what creatine does to the body.

I'll post a link.

[Girth5 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Girth5]

check this out
the science of creatine.

How does Creatine work? - YouTube

[MrBigDick Retired ModeratorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close MrBigDick]

The kid was full of shit. Take it with protein if you want (actually there are products that combine the two). Straight after workout you should also take a bit of carb supplements, as it is pretty much depleted. Don't forget the 2-3 hour window period after workout, that's the best time to replenish the hungry cells. Closer to the workout the better.

As he was telling me this I was thinking he was full of shit myself........and ironically, he didn't try to sell me on anything else which surprised me.

Straight after my workout I take my aminos and then I usually have egg whites with oatmeal.......

[MrBigDick Retired ModeratorPEGym Hero Find all posts View Profile Close MrBigDick]

I'm ok with some weight gain from creatine usage as long as it's in the form of muscle mass and not fat......

[mr.growmymeat Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mr.growmymeat]

I'm ok with some weight gain from creatine usage as long as it's in the form of muscle mass and not fat......

Creatine with cause weight gain in the form of water, not muscle and definitely not fat. Don't freak out because I said creatine doesn't build muscle, protein does. Creatine allows you to workout harder and possibly up the weight, it provides powerful and quick burst of energy allowing you're muscle's to contract harder, faster, and more effeciently. You want to be looking for strength gains with creatine and should be taking 5-8 or even 10 grams per day. You should be drinking at least a gallon of water a day while on creatine and taking in lots of protein to help out your kidneys and make sure you're hydrated in general. Creatine is definitely beneficial to improve you're workout intensity and ultimately you're long term muscle gains. I take 5 grams an hour before I workout then 2 or 3 grams after my workout. I like to take it for 8 weeks then cycle off for 4. You can get quality creatine pretty cheap if you shop around(mainly online) SUPP STORES are generally a ripoff. If you pay more than $15 for 500 grams its a rip-off. Also try to find german made creatine. Just look at the creatine you buy and if say its "creapure" "or highest quality german creatine" that is what you want.