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Author Topic:   Creatine Cycling
BSmooth

Cool Novice

Posts: 44
From:New Jersey
Registered: Dec 2000

posted December 27, 2000 11:18 PM

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What's the advantage of cycling creatine on/off? It's not like your body builds up resistance to it, like with a drug. Also, when trying to get cut, does getting off creatine help? I've heard that it will make you lose weight, but it doesn't make sense because you might lose water weight, but all that water would be coming out of your muscles, correct, and you won't really be losing fat? Someone help clear this one up.


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Valdez

Elite Bodybuilder

Posts: 866
From:wa
Registered: Sep 2000

posted December 27, 2000 11:57 PM

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I'll bump you and ask one additional question. being "hydrated" is very important for being in an anabolic state. creatine can dehydrate you if you don't drink enough water, yet your retaining water?!?!? I'm sure the answer is simple.


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BSmooth

Cool Novice

Posts: 44
From:New Jersey
Registered: Dec 2000

posted December 28, 2000 05:15 PM

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bump


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Hot Bod

Amateur Bodybuilder

Posts: 70
From:Medford, MA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted December 30, 2000 08:33 PM

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First of all,I believe creatine is a good supplement. However, there are many pros and cons to using and cycling. I believe you can build up some resistance to creatine after a period of time. Also, your body will eventually stop producing creatine on it's own, because it thinks it's already getting enough. My own experience with it is, it seems to work for a couple of months and then it seems to stop. Creatine has been proven to cause kidney damage after prolonged and/or extended use.

Also, how will you know how much you've actually gained using this supplement if you don't cycle off. If you gain 7 and keep 5 that's great. If less, than accept the gain as a positive. As long as you don't end up losing even more than you started out with. Of course, I'm assuming that you're in a bulking cycle. As Valdez stated earlier, being hydrated is very important for being in an anabolic state. Be sure that you are drinking tons of water, on or off creatine.

As far as cutting, I believe you should get off creatine during a cutting cycle, especially if you're using an ECA stack. They work against each other. You'll end up getting dehydrated, because they both cause dehdration, and you'll either end up sweating it all out or pissing it all out.

You should probably decide which cycle you're in. If you're just starting out with BB, you may have some fat you want to lose and some weight. It is possible to lose weight and fat and gain some mass but it's difficult, not impossible. But, you won't get really big and cut at the same time.

My own experience, was to lose the body fat and excess weight, but eating properly doing a lot of cardio, and weight training together. When, I reached my bf% and weight goals, I was pretty shredded because I had been lifting all along. Then, I cut back on the cardio to two days a week, and increased my caloric intake and added one more day of resistance training to get bigger.

The question you asked about water coming out of your muscles by coming off of creatine... I'm not sure, but I think replacing it with food,i.e. MRP's and protein, and lean meats will have an anabolic effect. BTW, you don't only gain water in your muscles, you tend to gain it all over. That's why some people get kind of bloated on creatine.

Hope this doesn't confuse you more than you already are! Good luck in your BB efforts. Could you let us know some specifics about your goals, and your cycle? (if you know, and don't be embarassed if you don't)


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BSmooth

Cool Novice

Posts: 44
From:New Jersey
Registered: Dec 2000

posted December 31, 2000 02:07 PM

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What you were saying makes some sense. Right now I am in a bulking cycle, but I still do light/moderate cardio 4-5 days a week for 20 minutes. This is just so I don't gain excess fat. By the time I lift, its about 8 hours later so I have had time to get back glycogen and take in calories. I already do eat 6 small meals a day, very healthy and lots of protein and moderate carbs.
I can gain fat and muscle real easily, and lose it just as easily too. That's my problem. I want to start a cutting cycle in about early February, and am just trying to get some knowledge so I can keep most of the gains I've made these last few months. You said you wanted to know more about what I've been doing. Well I used to be pretty small, so in 98 and 99 I was eating shitloads of crap and working on and off throughout the year. Basically I had no knowledge of guidance of what I should eat and do.

Last May 1, 2000 I started trying to get cut and lost about 40 pounds by October 1. Thats 5 months. I had a lot less bodyfat but also had lost a lot of muscle too. Basically I am trying to learn from my mistakes so I can keep more of the muscle next time I cut. The reason I asked the creatine question was because I was off it for the last month and a half of my cutting cycle. I was also taking ECA at the time. That is when I lost most of my muscle, and thats where my question came in. I figure the reason I lost a lot of muscle during that period was because of the ECA use and lack of creatine during that time. The ECA probably just sucked the water out of my muscles. The one thing I didn't understand about your reply was you said creatine makes you dehydrated. I was under the impression that creatine makes your body retain water? The combo of no creatine and ECA probably is what made me lose so much muscle.

Thank God for muscle memory as I have gained my muscle back, and put on more than I ever had previously. This is due to proper nutrition and knowledge. Now I am trying to gain knowledge so I can cut properly the next time. The goal for my next cutting period is to still try and make small gainskeep while losing fat. I dont care if I only gain 1 pound of muscle, if I can lose even 5 pounds of fat. I know if I try to lose the fat too hard and too fast, I will just lose muscle too, and end up looking wimpier. So I think I plan on sticking with creatine the next time around. Thats where my question came from.


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Hot Bod

Amateur Bodybuilder

Posts: 70
From:Medford, MA
Registered: Sep 2000

posted December 31, 2000 05:32 PM

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For some reason, which I don't have the answer to, creatine can cause bloating and dehydration. Maybe Valdez or someone else can address this. I do know this, I have to drink a lot of water on creatine to avoid dehydration.

It sounds like we are in similar cycles. I'm bulking right now, so I cut my cardio down to twice weekly for 45 minutes each. Resistance training 4 times per week on non-cardio days. Also, I'm eating like crazy, and not quite so careful about fat intake, obviously still very high protein diet. Keep in touch.

You may want to try this, which is what I'm going to do. Once I reach my bulking cycle weight and weightlifting goals, which won't be for another 3 or possibly 4 months I'll start cutting. I'll increase cardio to 3 times per week for 45 minutes, but on those days in particular I will increase my carbohydrate intake after my workouts. The other 3 days will be resistance training. I'll go on an ECA stack, and probably go on some type of prohormone, since I don't juice and I'm old enough to get the benefit from them.(40) I'll continue to drink tons of water, possibly some glutamine peptides and continue with 200+ grams of daily. If I notice my bench going down, I'll cut back the cardio.

I believe a good high calorie, low fat, moderate carb diet, will help maintain most of the muscle. I will definitely not be working out on an empty stomach.


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b fold the truth

Pro Bodybuilder

Posts: 506
From:
Registered: Sep 2000

posted January 01, 2001 03:59 AM

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This is a great post about creatine...but you did mention something that bothered me. I don't think that you should be doing cardio 4-5 times a week "just to keep the fat off". When you bulk...bulk hard and don't worry about fat. When you cut, cut up hard and do it all the way. You get the best results when you do it hard and either don't worry about fat or count everything.

Just my opinion...email if you have any other questions.

B True


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