Creatine

[Nate_Drake]

Creatine works but you should take care to be sure to allow your tendons and ligaments plenty of time to catch up to your muscle strength. Too much muscle and not enough strength in other areas will be a recipe for disaster. I know from experience.

 

[Stadtaffe]

Wow if it is that powerful it makes me feel more tempted to try it at some point

I've tried different supplements over the years, such as amino acids, whey protein, and creatine. Of all of them, creatine had the biggest effect on me.

I bought a gallon of creatine powder and would mix about three tablespoons of it in a 16 oz water bottle. I would lift weights first thing in the morning, five days a week, then drink the creatine water throughout the day. I did not change my lifting routine from what I had been doing previously. The creatine lasted about six months, and I gained about 10 lbs of muscle mass in my upper body during that time. It was the biggest gain of muscle mass in that amount of time for me in my life. So, for me, creatine was very effective.

I like those instructions "drink creatine water throughout the day", it sounds doable. The once I have used it (in quantities not really high enough to see a difference), I seem to remember it being something that does not necessarily dissolve. I just read then that warm water is a good idea, maybe even in coffee.

 

[Blade Runner]

When I took it a long time ago, it gave me the shits.

 

[C-Note]

Wow if it is that powerful it makes me feel more tempted to try it at some point



I like those instructions "drink creatine water throughout the day", it sounds doable. The once I have used it (in quantities not really high enough to see a difference), I seem to remember it being something that does not necessarily dissolve. I just read then that warm water is a good idea, maybe even in coffee.

I would have to continually shake up the water bottle before every sip, otherwise the powder would start to collect at the bottom.

 

[Stadtaffe]

I would have to continually shake up the water bottle before every sip, otherwise the powder would start to collect at the bottom.

I see...

I went for a long walk today (is lockdown) and contemplated what I have been reading here about creatine. Actually, was good today, I met some other real corona deniers like myself So until a few weeks ago I was in a place with no lockdown, going frequently to the gym, making gains, now I am without the gym again, so I am doing my running again, and walking, which is the opposite of muscle gain, but at least it sheds fat - am really light at the moment. Will save the corona rants for the other threads.

I am in my early forties, and been lifting since my teens, and have never really ripped a tendon or muscle. Not at the gym anyhow, maybe the odd foot injury and strains and tendonitis from trying too hard at the gym where I may have had to take a month off, but never a real, nasty, go to the doctor or hospital style excruciating injury (from weights). I really push it and almost never have a spotter, and with what @Nate_Drake said:

Creatine works but you should take care to be sure to allow your tendons and ligaments plenty of time to catch up to your muscle strength. Too much muscle and not enough strength in other areas will be a recipe for disaster. I know from experience.

I can so imagine that happening.. Will beware of getting too excited about new found strength. Okay, well good it looks like someone has confirmed that it makes your muscles get stronger not just bigger. Is a good warning - there are certain numbers I would love to see happen on the bench press or chinup bar for example, and like a mountaineer with summit fever can just see myself going nuts with it..

With this:

I would lift weights first thing in the morning, five days a week, then drink the creatine water throughout the day.

Is that the correct order, first weights then creatine? I think what stops me also is getting a bit neurotic also about the when of it. At the moment, the powders I use are snake juice when fasting, and whey protein after an intense workout. Timing for snake juice is of minimal importance, and protein, after the workout.

When I am sure to have access to gyms, no lockdowns, and am adequately psyched up for it, in the leadup to Summer hopefully, I will do a say 3 month experiment with at least 3 days per week weights - will aim for 5, and the maximum creatine every day. At lease 1 month but then, am not sure how quickly it works and wouldn't want to cheat myself out results. Am sure the heavier result will slow down my running but if I move heavier weights and start bursting out of a tshirt that is also good.

Before I stuff it into myself wanted to check where it comes from:


Ok, reassured now..

 

[Penitent]

Creatine should be consumed immediately after mixing because it starts to degrade quickly after coming in contact with water.

How to Drink Creatine

Creatine, or 2-

www.wikihow.com

 

[Cr33pin]

Creatine should be consumed immediately after mixing because it starts to degrade quickly after coming in contact with water.

How to Drink Creatine

Creatine, or 2-

www.wikihow.com

I just dump the scoop of creatine in my mouth and then take a shot of cold juice

 

[C-Note]

I'm just saying what worked for me. I've met weightlifters who said creatine didn't do anything for them, but amino acids were unbelievable. It depends on the person, which is why alternative medicine, including health supplements, get such as hard time from liberal "science!" fanatics. Experiment and find what works for you. Drinking creatine water increased my muscle mass, more than anything else I've ever tried, AFTER I lifted. You have to try different supplements, at least for a few months, to find which works with your body and metabolism.

 

[Penitent]

Absolutely! I take both creatine and amino acids. Specifically I take Essential Amino Acid powder (as opposed to BCAA's) that I buy from Bulk Supplements, mix with a flavoring agent and take intra-workout. If I had to choose between these two supplements though I would have to choose creatine because I derive the most benefit from it.

 

[westernman]

I've taken it on and off. Maybe it helps some with strength. I definitely notice heightened rage when I take it

 

[Stadtaffe]

I definitely notice heightened rage when I take it

I need a bit of that, that is an encouraging message..

@C-Note do you want to say anything about what happened when you stopped taking it? If you continued lifting but without creatine, did the gains quickly go away again or was it more durable..

 

[C-Note]

I need a bit of that, that is an encouraging message..

@C-Note do you want to say anything about what happened when you stopped taking it? If you continued lifting but without creatine, did the gains quickly go away again or was it more durable..

The gains remained. It was four years ago when I did the creatine and I have continued to lift with basically the same routine. I have gained a little more muscle mass since.

 

[Dr Mantis Toboggan]

I would have to continually shake up the water bottle before every sip, otherwise the powder would start to collect at the bottom.

I actually like creatine in a protein shake, gives it a sort of gritty texture like a real ice cream milkshake.

 

[get2choppaaa]

IF you are getting lots of quality meat you may not notice much of a benefit from Creatine. However, peri-workout you may get a benefit from 5 g creatine monohydrate with a protien/carbohydrate source such as Whey protein isolate/and highly branched cyclic dextrin or dextrose, you will notice an increase in recovery/reduced Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.

 

[Cr33pin]

Still #TeamCreatine
Will be for life I suppose
#YOLO

 

[The Beast1]

I can't stand the taste of creatine powder so I pay a little extra to have it put into capsule form for me.
Instead of amino acids, I simply add powdered unflavored (and unsweetened) gelatin into my morning oatmeal. Added benefit of it also being a blast of protein. Sure it lacks tryptophan but I eat a well varied diet so I don't care. Super cheap protein source.