Should I stay away from creatine?

[SgtSlaughter]

Cyrex: I hate you.

 

[cityhick]

Dont listen to those GNC guys. Thier shit is overpriced and its usally some lard ass telling you bullshit that he learned from another lard ass. I take pureCEE and I have been really pleased. Mono is alright and I never had a problem with cramping or anything. Use up the Mono if you cant take it back and then try PureCEE from the AF store. And when you stop you might loose some water weight but big deal. If you keep training hard you prob wont even notice when you stop. Creatine is one of the cheapest greatest legal supplements you can buy.

 

[cyrex]

Cyrex: I hate you.

well it's true . . . lol

 

[SgtSlaughter]

don't make me say it again!




KAPOW

 

[cyrex]

hmm I can never give you more karma.. grr

 

[SgtSlaughter]

"You must spread some Karma around before giving it to cyrex again."

- same here

 

[KIAN]

I hear that creatine is really bad because basically your body produces it and when you take it your body will eventually stop producing it so when you stop taking it your body can go into shock even causing liver failure also i have heard that if you stop using it you lose all the muscle you gained while on it. I have a full bottle sitting next to me and im debating on weather or not to use it so can anyone tell me if this is true and it is as bad as they say it is or am i being misinformed?

You have been misinformed.
In general, employees at GNC stores have a very limited understanding of the products which they sell.

Although creatine at very high dosage rates and for extended periods will affect renal functions, due to the degradation of creatine to creatinine and the excretion of this, liver failure is not expected. You would need to have a prediagnosed renal condition for this to be a concern when using creatine.

As to the 'losing muscle' when you cease using creatine, you have to understand how it works first. When you perform an action such as lifting a weight or sprinting, your body needs a very quick response supply of energy. This energy comes from a molecule called Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP for short) when it is transformed into ADP (Adenosine diphosphate). Your body doesn't have an endless supply of ATP and so you are only able to exert yourself for a short period of time. When Creatine is introduced into your body in the form of a supplement, it transforms the ADP back into ATP and thus provides you with an additional energy source. Creatine will also help in protein synthesis and ultimately in the development of muscle (mass). However, the last point will not occur unless creatine is used as part of a resistance training program in combination with proper nutrition.

So as long as your resistance training and nutritional programs are well structured, ceasing use of creatine will have no affect on muscle loss. The use of creatine is also not a requirement to obtaining a good physique.

no you shouldn't stay away from creatine... just certain types, like monohydrate. But if you have it already... just make sure to keep water intake high (as it's supposed to be anyway).

Creatine Monohydrate is as good as any other quality form of creatine on the market. Any associated gastrointestinal problems or bloating are the result of improper use, non-micronised forms, or poor quality products. Proper hydration is essential when using creatine but maintaining a correct electrolye balance (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus) is equally important.

when do you take it before or after your weightlifting session and how long before or after? thanks for all the help i appreciate it.

Consume creatine monohydrate 30 minutes prior to and 30 minutes after your workout. Use a 5 gram serving with a minimum of 375 ml (12 fl.oz) of water. If you are going to add dextrose to increase the absorption rate, then consume the dextrose shortly after the creatine. If you are going to use a creatine ethyl ester product then stick to the recommended usage of the respective product as this can vary between manufacturers.

Mono tastes awful.

Creatine Monohydrate is odourless and tasteless. If you are experiencing a taste then it is the result of the product being a Citrate or Tartrate form or a flavouring agent has been added.


If you need more information on creatine, have a read of the following thread:

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?t=429873


Next time you go looking to purchase a supplement (any supplement), leave your wallet at home and just take a pen and paper with you so that you can write down a few product names. Then, when you get home, do an online search for the nutritional panel and associated ingredients of that particular product. Learn everything you can about that product: What does it do? What is in it? What do the ingredients do? What are the side effects (if any)? How do I use it? ... make sure that what you learn is not based on the spin put out by the manufacturer but rather on facts. If, after all your research, you are satisfied with the answers you have, then go and make your purchase.

Just try and stay out of GNC stores. You will save a great deal of money and several brain-cells in the long run.

Since you have also posted another thread about wanting to lose weight, you would be better off putting your money towards high quality protein sources and not creatine ... unless you are restricting your carb intake significantly to the point where you wanted to use creatine to boost your energy (ATP) reserves.

 

[SgtSlaughter]

KIAN is the man.


Yes, you're right I've had very poor quality monohydrate before.