Creatine

[EZ_E]

Ok, so I'm thinking about taking some creatine during my "time off." Haven't taken it in a few years at least. I have a small (very small) concern about water retention, so I was toying with the idea of using a diuretic (MHP Expel for example) with it.

Any opinions on this?

 

[cal62887]

I'd skip the diuretic and forgo the loading phase of CrM and maintain at 5 grams per day. Without a loading phase you may be able to avoid the water retention.... if you're even prone to water retention. Some people don't notice any at all.

 

[slamminshaun]

Kre-Alkalyn....no water retention for me.

 

[cal62887]

Kre-Alkalyn....no water retention for me.

It's also unstable in Stomach Acid. Conversion to Creatinine is 35% greater than CrM when emerged in 900ml of pH 1 HCL.

 

[EZ_E]

I think I was just bing paranoid....and my boy recommended Kre-Alkalyn so I'll give it a whirl....I can usually stay pretty lean anyway...

Never understood the "loading phase"....Do you guys think the "loading phase" is bogus & just a way for the company to get you to buy more of their product?

 

[cal62887]

I think I was just bing paranoid....and my boy recommended Kre-Alkalyn so I'll give it a whirl....I can usually stay pretty lean anyway...

Never understood the "loading phase"....Do you guys think the "loading phase" is bogus & just a way for the company to get you to buy more of their product?

Loading phases aren't necessarily bogus. Your body is likely to reach Creatine saturation after the same amount of grams taken, whether that be 10 grams for a week (70 grams overall) or 5 grams for two weeks (70 grams). but if you skip the loading phase you're less likely to experience negative side effects i.e.: GI issues, water retention, etc.


So to answer your question; No, you're not saving money by skipping the loading phase, but you're not wasting money by starting out at low dose either.

 

[sweed]

I am taking 5 grams preworkout and 5 grams post workout. Plain ol creatine mono. Heard Kre-Alkalyn is good stuff.

 

[EZ_E]

Loading phases aren't necessarily bogus. Your body is likely to reach Creatine saturation after the same amount of grams taken, whether that be 10 grams for a week (70 grams overall) or 5 grams for two weeks (70 grams). but if you skip the loading phase you're less likely to experience negative side effects i.e.: GI issues, water retention, etc.


So to answer your question; No, you're not saving money by skipping the loading phase, but you're not wasting money by starting out at low dose either.

Good stuff, bossman. Do you have a brand recommendation?

Used to use Trac....

 

[cal62887]

Good stuff, bossman. Do you have a brand recommendation?

Used to use Trac....

I wouldn't recommend Kre or CEE because of the conversion rate to Creatinine of both of them. I'd go with CrM and stick to 5 grams daily.

In terms of CrM, anything that is Creapure. I'm pretty sure Prolab and Higher Power both satisfy the criteria.

 

[chaos13]

my experiance is that Rivalus creatine is the best, only kind i take now......here is a link

Bodybuilding.com - Rivalus ENCHARGE - Athletes Creatine! On sale now!

 

[slamminshaun]

I wouldn't recommend Kre or CEE because of the conversion rate to Creatinine of both of them. I'd go with CrM and stick to 5 grams daily.

In terms of CrM, anything that is Creapure. I'm pretty sure Prolab and Higher Power both satisfy the criteria.

See, the info I always have seen says Kre doesn't convert to creatinine at all...not saying you're wrong, just saying like with anything, there's conflicting info out there.

Bodybuilding.com - Kre-Alkalyn Information and Product Listing! Kre-Alkalyn FAQ!

 

[cal62887]

See, the info I always have seen says Kre doesn't convert to creatinine at all...not saying you're wrong, just saying like with anything, there's conflicting info out there.

Bodybuilding.com - Kre-Alkalyn Information and Product Listing! Kre-Alkalyn FAQ!

I could very well be wrong. I'm not as smart as I may think

Here is the study:

Kre-alkalyn? supplementation has no beneficial effect on creatine-to-creatinine conversion rates.

Tallon MJ1 and Child R2

1University of Northumbria, Sport Sciences, Northumbria University, Northumberland Building, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom, 2Department of Life Sciences, Kingston University, Penrhyn Rd, Kingston-upon-Thames, United Kingdom. [email protected]

All American Pharmaceutical and Natural Foods Corp. (Billings, MT, USA) claim that Kre-alkalyn? (KA) a ?Buffered? creatine, is 100% stable in stomach acid and does not convert to creatinine. In contrast, they also claim that creatine monohydrate (CM) is highly pH labile with more than 90% of the creatine converting to the degradation product creatinine in stomach acids. To date, no independent or university laboratory has evaluated the stability of KA in stomach acids, assessed its possible conversion to creatinine, or made direct comparisons of acid stability with CM.

This study examined whether KA supplementation reduced the rate of creatine conversion to creatinine, relative to commercially available CM (Creapure?). Creatine products were analyzed by an independent commercial laboratory using testing guidelines recommended by the United States Pharmacopeia (USP). Each product was incubated in 900ml of pH 1 HCL at 37? 1oC and samples where drawn at 5, 30 and 120 minutes and immediately analyzed by HPLC (UV) for creatine and creatinine.

In contrast to the claims of All American Pharmaceutical and Natural Foods Corp., the rate of creatinine formation from CM was found to be less than 1% of the initial dose, demonstrating that CM is extremely stable under acidic conditions that replicate those of the stomach. This study also showed that KA supplementation actually resulted in 35% greater conversion of creatine to creatinine than CM. In conclusion the conversion of creatine to creatinine is not a limitation in the delivery of creatine from CM and KA is less stable than CM in the acid conditions of the stomach.

Tallon is one of the leading researchers in sports supplements. He helps formulate with isatori (may ring a bell).

The link you sent me is to bodybuilding.com's information page, which is based off of a lot of "marketing" techniques and not actual science. Look at the glutamine page and it will tell you that it speeds muscle recovery, when in actuality all it may do is help with GI issues, look at the CEE page and it will tell you it's 100% better than CrM (I have the studies to prove this is wrong, if you want them),....

Hope that helps. If you want those CEE studies, let me know.

-cal