creatine

[hb]

how do I use creatine, it didnt really give me any instructions.......

 

[Kendog]

it didnt give you instructions? how cheap is it?

you have to load, this means:
days 1-5: take 5 heaping teaspoons per day.
after days 1-5(maintnence): take 2 heaping teaspoons 2x a day.

maybe once in the morning and once post workout

or whatever you find best.

 

[livin large]

you want to take 20g per day in the loading phase (days 1-5), then 5 to 10g per day for the rest of your cycle. Drink over a gallon of water per day.

There are a ton of creatine threads on here, just do a quick search and you'll find more than you need.

 

[madgame]

Ive read that the latest studies say u dont have to do a loading phase and just take like 5 (or was it 10?) g of creatine every day. Thats what im stickin to. Maybe a loading phase is better and those studies were bull****, but if u dont do a loading phase it will only take some days more for u to get loaded and have more water stored I guess..right?

 

[Kendog]

im guessing it all works. I like to load becuase i believe you achieve peak results faster.

 

[victor von doom]

Originally posted by livin large
you want to take 20g per day in the loading phase (days 1-5), then 5 to 10g per day for the rest of your cycle. Drink over a gallon of water per day.

you don't "cycle" creatine.

seriously after about a week or so, you only need about 2g of creatine a day... the residual buildup would remain in the body for up to a month if you decided to discontinue use.

 

[livin large]

Originally posted by victor von doom
you don't "cycle" creatine.

Yes, you do.

 

[diablo]

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/forumdisplay.php?forumid=1

 

[California Love]

5g/day is definitely sufficient. Creatine, like many other supps, is taxing on the liver, so you don't wanna overdo it.

 

[Shiftkey]

Two recent long term studies of (powder) creatine use have concluded that creatine use does NOT damage the liver or kidneys or harm the body in any other way if used correctly. The only reason creatine has received bad press is because of incorrect use from consumers.

You should also keep in mind that people get creatine just from eating red meat.

I don't have a link but my source comes from a mass gaining book that footnotes these two publications:

Poortmans J, Francaux M. "Long-Term Oral Creatine Supplimentation Does Not Impair Renal Function in Healthy Athletes." Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, (1999); 31:1108-111

Kreider RB, Melton C, Rasmussen C, Greenwood M, Cantler E, Milnor P, Almada A. "Effects of Long-Term Creatine Supplementation on Renal Function and Muscle and Liver Enzyme Efflux." Med Sci Sports Exer (2001); 33:S2

 

[California Love]

shiftkey, from the way that quote is worded, is it definitely propoganda for the bodybuilding cause. "If used correctly" doesnt mean anything. Most likely, it means not taken as a supp/only from meat. In that case, you'd be getting less than 1g/day.

 

[Shiftkey]

"Used correctly" means taken as directed on the label. Those studies were done just as the labels suggest.