i just got a bottle of this powder. i am researching but i have three quick questions. first, does anyone here use the stuff? second, it says do not use it with citrus juices. does that mean dont use citrus juice to swallow it or while taking creatine dont drink citrus juices at all? third, any bad side effects?
it works great, the only COMMON side effect is cramping in smaller muscles, as creatine hoards weater to larger muscles. drink 2 gallons of water a day!
What's the reason for not taking citrus juice with it again?
Also, you should be taking creatine when your insulin levels are high. So you should eat it with simple carbs, and not too much, if any protein.
I get cramping if I don't stay hydrated, and same thing w/ the water retention.
Right?
"...creatine hoards weater to larger muscles." Creatine does not know the difference between small muscles and large ones. The water that is retained is a systemic effect and is therefore not relegated to any specific muscle as classified by size.
The reasons listed above are correct about citric juices. The acid in the juices will make the powder itself ineffective. But once the creatine is in your system it's not a problem to drink juices with a higher citric acid content.
Best in Health and Training, J. R.
an article i found had a doctor saying that creatine does essentially nothing for helping build muscle mass and energy stores. basically he was saying that the water retention gives the illusion of mass which inspires the athlete to dig deeper and work harder. does anyone else know anymore?
The acidity of citrus juice is nothing compared to stomach acid. If creatine were destroyed by acidity then it would certainly be destroyed in the stomach acid. I've heard of not taking creatine with citrus juice for years but can't think of a single reason why not or find any evidence to support this. Still, I take mine with Gatorade because I get it free a work.
As for it not working, with anything in performance research there are two types of people: responders and non-responders. Some people naturally store high levels of their muscle's maximum capacity while others store low levels. A person that stores only 70% of what their muscle can maximally hold will respond to supplemental creatine much better than a person who naturally stores 95%. People who claim it doesn't work are probably non-responders who store naturally high levels. The only way to know if creatine will work for you is to give it a try. No research on this, just my opinion. Personally, I'm a big responder.
JRS-
When the body is underhydrated, water is NOT spread evenly to all muscles, rather those of the torso and upper legs (first). This is known throughout the medical field- in a dehydrated state, extremeties suffer lower water levels, as water does not travel faro from intestines before being used by larger muscles (which happen to be closest to the trunk).
when you fail to water a plant, the leaves die before the trunk.
Again, drink 2 gallons of water when on creatine or you WILL experience cramping in extremeties (calves, feel, forearms)
ps- obviously creatine doesen't know the difference. but it does increase demand for water in skeletal muscles throughout the body.
Fletchmonster, your initial post didn't state that we were talking about a body already in a dehydrated state. Under those conditions I'd agree. However, in a case of a well hydrated system I'll still state that there is no preferential hoarding of water dependent on a muscles size.
Thanks for clarification on your point.
Best in Health and Training, J. R.
no, thank you. it would have been easier for me to just say "be sure to drink ALOT of water (2+ gallons) to avoid cramping in smaller muscles"
i took it for about a month last year and did notice the size gain
and muscle endurance. i also "felt" stronger.
i didn't experience any cramping, but did have uncomfortable
kidney pain. i also had to pee every 20 minutes and would wake
up at least 3 times a night having to pee, so my sleep schedule
was messed up. I also felt dehydrated a lot.
i'm 28yrs old with no prior kidney problems. i was drinking about
1 gal of water a day, although I do drink about 8 cups of coffee
throughout the day which may have added to the problems.
I quit using it after about 1 month and feel fine now... though I did
lose any benefits from taking it. I still drink around 8 cups of
coffee daily but suffer no problems like I was having when taking
creatine.
It was EAS "Simply Creatine"
I've been taking creatine monohydrate for 3 weeks now, and so far I've been happy with the results. I'm 5'11 and before I started I was at a constant 147-148lbs (yeah I'm scrawny). I weighed myself last night with the same amount of clothing on the same scale at the gym, and was at 155.
I'm sure that its pretty much all water weight, but I have also noticed that my lifts are increasing faster than usual (I do 5x5 for squats, DL, and bench). I haven't really experienced any cramping, but I do piss a lot more, but that's expected because I drink more water now. I'd say I drink about 3 liters of water more than I regularly would. I'd like to drink a little more, but it's a just a hassle drinking the 3 liters alone.
I was told to take it with white grape juice. Supposedly there is something in white grape juice that shuttles insulin to muscle faster than regular grape juice. Why this is important and whether or not its true I have no idea. Maybe someone else could expand.
Guys, is there any real evidence yet for this cramping accusation?
the more research i do on creatine monohydrate the less i want to take it. someone already said this but: there is so much unknown about the stuff that it seems like a huge risk. i have not experienced any negative side effects. i rolled for almost two hours straight last night and about 15 minutes later i felt ready to go more. however, the info on this stuff is so conflicted. can anyone name an alternative weight gain/muscle building supplement?
alright, here is an article from the mayo clinic on creatine. this does not sound very horrific but it leaves many questions
Creatine
Creatine monohydrate is a compound produced by your body that helps release energy in your muscles. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound -- you can ingest creatine from protein-rich foods such as meat or fish, or you can take a nutritional supplement. Supplements are available over the counter.
Unlike androstenedione, scientific research indicates that creatine may have some benefit -- it can produce small gains in short-term bursts of power.
"Most of the research points to small improvements in short-term power activities like improving maximum-weight bench press or increasing speed during cycling sprints of very short duration," says Edward Laskowski, M.D., a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., and co-director of Mayo Clinic's Sports Medicine Center. "Some studies have shown an increase in lean muscle mass with creatine. As a result, we've got a lot of press on creatine producing steroid-like results without the side effects."
Creatine helps muscles make and circulate more adenosine triphosphate (ATP). ATP is used for quick, explosive bursts of activity, as in weightlifting or sprinting. Creatine also reduces energy waste products -- such as lactic acid -- that can cause muscle fatigue. As a result, creatine is purported to enhance performance and decrease fatigue. But there's no evidence that creatine enhances performance in aerobic or endurance sports.
Your liver produces about 2 grams of creatine each day. You can also get creatine from the meat in your diet. Creatine is stored in your muscles, and levels are relatively easily maintained. Because your kidneys remove excess creatine, the value of supplements to someone who already has a high muscle creatine content is questionable.
Possible side effects of creatine that can decrease athletic performance include:
Stomach cramps
Muscle cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Weight gain is a known side effect of creatine -- one that is sought after by athletes who need to increase their size. But with prolonged creatine use, weight gain is more likely the result of water retention than an increase in muscle tissue. Water is drawn into your muscle tissue, away from other parts of your body. This puts you at risk of dehydration.
High-dose creatine use may potentially damage your:
Kidneys
Liver
Heart
It's unknown what kind of effect taking creatine has over the long term, especially on teens or younger children. Dosage levels vary widely, depending on which product you use and how much creatine you take.
Since creatine isn't regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), you can't be sure of the purity of creatine supplements you buy on the market. Studies have found varying mixtures of creatine in different creatine products. And some of the inactive ingredients mixed in with the creatine may cause significant side effects, such as allergic reactions.
The bottom line is that the safety of taking creatine is questionable. Most studies involving creatine use examine the performance-enhancing aspects, and side effects are generally reported only anecdotally.