Creatine Monohydrate
Does anyone use Creatine regularly? I have been using it on and off (mostly off) for years now, and I think it definitely helps with training intensity, but what about the long term gains? I have noticed for example after stopping, that I get a noticeably decrease in post workout "pump" and that my intensity decreases a bit. I realize that creatine is really not all that complicated of a supplement (it's just like adding a bit of extra energy to your muscles) and that the volumization it causes is mostly water based, but it is still an interesting supplement, and people sure debate it a lot.
And then you have guys like Ryan Reynolds go from weak to muscle freak in no time flat and claim that creatine helped with their gains. (Here's a picture of him from Blade 3):
It's not like he was massively huge or anything, but he definitely gained some mass for that role.
Anyhow, I guess I am not really for or against it, it seems to have some good short term benefits, but I am not really convinced of any long-term benefits.
Any thoughts on that?
Creatine and kidney problems?
I'm fairly new to all this but I've heard a couple of times that people with kidney problems shouldn't use creatine.
Well, I had to have a kidney removed shortly after birth but as far as I know the other one is twice the size and works fine. Would this qualify as a kidney problem?
Also, as it occurs naturally in the body, what exactly is it about supplemented creatine that is bad for the kidneys?
The stuff itself or just the sheer volume that you could pack into your body?
So far I've just been avoiding it so it's not a big deal but I'm interested to hear what you guys know about it.
Thanks
BUT IF YOU ARE A VEGETARIAN
BUT IF YOU ARE A VEGETARIAN YOU WILL BENEFIT A LITTLE MORE FROM IT .
Vegetarians - 1
Carnivores - 0
hahahahahaha
Creatine ohhhh Boy
Guys let me tell you a story about creatine , I was one of the first guys to use it in 1993 when i was living in london england before it did even hit the market . We use to get it through this pharmaceutical company in france ,it was called ATP Gellule . it was in a tablet form . The stuff use to give use a lot of energy to go through the workout . ATP(adenosinetriphosphate ) . Now as the powder form came out , the first guy that got really rich through it was Bill Philips and his EAS product , all companies started to tell people to load up (which I find really crazy , you will mess up your kidneys) then stop then start again . Creatine is such an integral part of skeletal muscle that its name is derived from the Greek word for flesh, or kreas, from where it was originally isolated nearly one hundred and seventy years ago (1835). The man credited with this discovery was the French scientist and philosopher, Michel-Eugène Chevreul. Shortly afterwards (1847) the German scientist, Justus von Liebig, helped promote a commercially available extract of meat that he claimed would help the body perform extra work. And yes, the secret ingredient in Liebig's "Fleisch Extrakt" was creatine. Nearly all (~95%) of our total body creatine reserve is stored within our muscles. Here, creatine fuels the molecular machinery that generates force. And, as a significant portion of our daily creatine requirement is obtained by eating meats and fish (sources of skeletal muscle), dietary supplementation with synthetic creatine salts increases our physical performance. Expectedly, vegetarians typically possess lower than normal muscular creatine levels and consequently, respond quite robustly to creatine supplementation.The product make you retain a lot of water inside the muscle cell . The water retention get you a good pump and strenght (you have to know how to train , to get big as you know pushing and pulling just to work your joint ain't productive ). So to Summarise this for you , Creatine doesn't do much for you apart from give a little strenght when you train BUT IF YOU ARE A VEGETARIAN YOU WILL BENEFIT A LITTLE MORE FROM IT . If you think you getting big using creatine , well I'm sorry You are not You are just holding a lot of water . I got the same results using 50 or 5 grams a day . What makes you big is the consistency of training and knowing how to use it and what to use with it for Pre and Post workout drinks. I HAVE A SECRET THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND and make u really Big if you combine a little Creatine and hmmmmmmmmm.... I won't tell Yet , you have to beg me guys lol lol lol ...Peace Jamo
so what's the secret can you
so what's the secret can you please tell me
Creatine and hmmmm
hey jamo I am beggin here lol whats the secret combo brother... please inform me!!!
Bobby
i would say....creatine with
i would say....creatine with honey mixed with lukewarm water...would be a good mix...am i wrong Jamo? haha
***You're never lost, only misplaced***
OK I am begging,begging
OK I am begging,begging ,begging tell me the secrets my fitness sensei!!!
Awesome
Hey Jamo, that was an awesome post on creatine. Great stuff.
BUT IF YOU ARE A VEGETARIAN
BUT IF YOU ARE A VEGETARIAN YOU WILL BENEFIT A LITTLE MORE FROM IT .
Vegetarians - 1
Carnivores - 0
Hahahahaha
I use Cell-Tech from
I use Cell-Tech from MuscleTech and I notice a huge difference when I am using it and when I am not using it. The muscle size strength and recovery are all very apparent. Like you say it is a relatively simple supplement but I get alot out of using it. I believe it has really huge benefits short term and any strength gains will certainly help long term.
i'm not a big fan of
i'm not a big fan of creatine monohydrate... i feel nothing at all on it... but creatine mix's such as cell- tech and similar products work on me... But if you eat right your needs for creatine will be completed
Unfair
Why do someone have to use creatine? So i cannot get a good well trained big body and arms without using proteins or creatines? all the guys at the gym uses it and they do get big, but its like a balloon nothing but water. But there is a secret i still dont know, i allways go over to big guys tell em what to recommend and they all give me different answers.
Every website i go to have big nice tittles that answers your problems but when you read they are full of nothing, and wants to get only money. Im really confused, sorry
-Millad
Hey Brother dont get
Hey Brother dont get discouraged. There is no big secret other than eat right and train your ass off. This stuff doesnt happen over night its a lifestyle and you must be dedicated and consistent. You could not be in a better place with a more knowledgeable and helpful group of people. Supplements dont make your physique they may help but make sure your training and diet are on first. Hang in there brother its just about time.
Yeah i know a lot of people
Yeah i know a lot of people who take supplements work out a little and expect major results, eating right firstly and exercising regularly is key. Supplements help you balance out anything your missing and in most cases add a lot more minerals/supplements to your body to give it a boost. Buying supplements and discount vitamins online is cheaper then in stores and places like this are good because you can get real feedback about what your getting and what you need.
The secret
The secret man is that THERE IS NO SECRET. No matter what you do or what you take, there is no supplement that will train for you or eat for you. And that is the bottom line. It's all about time, effort, diet and recovery. I bet if you went back and asked every one of those guys how long and how hard they have been training they would all give you the same answer.
Why do bodybuilders eat protein supplement? Because it is an easier, cheaper and healthier way to get protein. Guys like Jamo when they used to compete would eat 6000-8000 calories a day! It would be very, very expensive to eat that much chicken breast every day, and it would be unhealthy to eat that much beef or pork every day. Heck it would be unhealthy IMO to eat that much of any meat.
Here are a couple of recent posts I think you might be interested in:
http://www.myfittribe.com/blogs/tripletdad/20070517/reps.html
http://www.myfittribe.com/blogs/tripletdad/20070516/now-chest.html
I know you have heard this a million times before, but remember that everyone is different. To grow big you need to train at least 3-5 times per week, get lots of rest all the time, and eat lots of protein. You also CANNOT have too many stressful factors in your life and train hard at the same time.
But if you spend some time on this site and read the articles, and ask us lots of questions we can help you with advice on your goals.
some stuff explained
You don't NEED to take protein shakes and things like that. You can get protein from eating chicken, turkey, eggs, nuts, etc.
You also dont NEED to take creatine, it occurs naturally in your body.
Even thoguh your don't need these, some people want more so they take these as supplements.
Here's a very basic understanding of protein:
When you workout, your muscles get "ripped" and protein in your body goes to repair those muscles. When the muscle is repaired, it is bigger and stronger than before.
You can get protein from the foods I listed before or you can get protein from Bacon, Pork, and Beef, but these are high in fats (nuts are too, but they are better for you).
There are also structural proteins that give your muscles energy.
Basic Understanding of creatine:
Creatine naturally occurs in your body and supplies energy to your muscles. Some people take creatine as a supplement so thet their muscles have more energy so that while working out they can lift a little more weight or for a little longer amount of time, so they get a better workout.
If you have any questions, just ask.
protein helps your muscles
protein helps your muscles recover after workin out...you need 2grams of protein for each kilo...at least
you dont need creatine...but you can take it if you want to...
everyone got thier own opinions and unfortunately most people gives you advice that they believe are true, instead of looking up what has been proved to be true...so if you want a real answer...then i suggest you do researches on all your questions...and learn it for yourself...many bodybuilders are reading magazines and believe anything and everything they hear and read...most of it is not true...
it takes lots of experiences with many different products to find out what works for you...
we're all different and the product that works fine for your neighbor might not work for you...
so...research...study...learn....listen....believe in proven facts...
there are 1000s of different products...its a supplement jungle...you easily get lost...but stick to proven facts...then you wont get totally lost and confused...
but if i should recommend a creatine...it'd be Creatine Fuel from twinlab
i cant recommend a protein, cause im using a danish produced protein, and im sure its not over there but its by Bodylab