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Creatine Load Phase BS?
I went to get a powder of creatine to get started, a friend gave me chewable tablets that I plan to use after the load phase, but I wanted a powder so I wouldn't need to take 20 tablets the first 4 days.
When I asked at 2 places (GNC, the other was Attilios a smaller chain) both people I asked thought that it was a waste to load. They sort of said that they thought it was a way for the manufacturer to get you to use up the product quicker. Bullsh*t?
From what I read you need to saturate the muscles w/ the creatine the first week, whitch makes sense. Then again, I do believe that the supp companies lie out their ass to profit and maybe it is BS.
Any help?
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Nah, you don't need to load when taking creatine, although most would recommend it.
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Why load if it is unnecessary?
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so what do you do?
Take it pre workout? take the 5-10g a day? I don't know which now.
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Listen, take 20g a day for the first 5 days in 4 5g doses. Then use a maintenance dose of 5g 2X daily. On workout days make sure to take 1 of your doses immediately after you lift weights. Creatine is cheap, real cheap, so just load, it can only help.
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Loading is not necessary, but most reliable sources I know of suggest it for optimal results. I'll bump on Manteca's post; that is, it couldn't hurt. I followed Big Cat's advice and loaded 7g x 3 /day for 5 days and now maintain using 5g x 2 /day.
Check out Big Cat's articles on creatine for more about serving sizes and loading, etc.:
[url]http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/catcrea.htm[/url]
[url]http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/catupdate.htm[/url]
Also, Joe Hagy has a good article on the subject:
[url]http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/hagy2.htm[/url]
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[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Machine [/i]
[B]Why load if it is unnecessary? [/B][/QUOTE]
Faster absorption of the creatine into the muscle, easier way to establish an overload. In simple terms, gains come quicker when you load.