Anybody take creatine?

I'm on a gym break at the moment but I was taking creatine a few months ago. I'd do two protein shakes a day, one with creatine and one without. I think it was 5 grams but I'm not sure, I'll check for you later.

Anyway, the idea is that you should be able to lift more when you're taking it, hence you should be able to increase muscle mass more quickly. I never noticed a significant differance but I wouldn't say it did nothing either.

To be honest though I don't think you need it unless you're a serious bodybuilder. The money it costs for the effect it has isn't worth it for me.

 

Do your research before you start taking creatine so you don't waste it. Generally it's 5g a day with around 100g of juice or a 1:1 ratio of protein and carbs. The insulin that is released from drinking juice enhances creatine uptake, but newer studies show that you can mix it with protein and carbs for the same result (though the overall effectiveness is still subjective).

If you're not training for power/explosiveness and strength then you should evaluate your progress after a couple of months and decide if it's worth it to you. Creatine is not really a great supplement for the average gym-goer, especially if you mainly do aerobic or endurance workouts.

 

I just started taking creatine again last week. I notice a difference in my ability to handle higher weights, and I am already noticing gains, even if only of 1/4th an inch on my arms at this point.

the thing that hasn't been noted that creatine's effectiveness is based upon how much muscle you already have; the more you have, the more you can store. your body can only store so much, and it can only store so quickly.

You might not get much effect out of it if you have an average build. I found it only started to give me gains one I had transitioned from an average build, to a more muscular build. the moment I started to reach that build, all of a sudden, creatine became effective. it took me a few years to get to a muscular build. now, creatine is worthwhile for me because my body has adapted its metabolisem to one that builds muscle fibres more effectively.

I use universal's chewable creatine myself. a months supply is like 12 bucks, plus shipping that usually brings it to about 19 bucks at bodybuilding.com's store. I find it to be effective and convienant, as you waste alot by mixing it yourself, as it clings to the glass.

What I usually do is load 10 grams a day for five days to saturate my muscles, doing 5 grams in the morning, 5 in the evening, both with meal and lots of water, then 5 grams a day, one in the afternoon on off days, then after my workout on workout days. once the bottle is done, I dont use creatine for a month, but push through. I do this because creatine increases muscle mass indirectly, one by storing a ready source of energy effectively in the muscles themselves, which lets you push harder, which causes more microtears to the muscles, which stimulates more growth faster, and also because it stores more water in the muscles too, which visibly increase size. by going the month without, I sacrafice a little strength, but push through, cementing some of the size that is lost as you remove the last of the creatine from your muscles, and also lose the water retention.

The last time I did this, I started with arms that were 13 and a half inches cold, and got them to 14 inches cold, and 14 and a half inches pumped (I am 6'2", so my muscles are mainly long at this point). when I stopped creatine (i did two months off because of christmas shopping cut my budget), I was able to train my arms to be 14 inches cold. now, on my second week of creatine, I am at 14 and a quarter cold, and 14 and a half pumped. soon I should be 14 and a half cold, and 15 inches pumped by the time I am getting low on creatine again.

my goal is to have 15 and a half inches cold, and 16 inches pumped by june.