Supplement Safety/Information Guide For Parents, Kids, and Potential Users

[crunchfit]

What should of creatine should I buy?
Creatine monohydrate. Plain and simple. No need for any fancy designer creatines. It is proven to work. It is cheap. The typical 200 serving tub will last for will last for at least 3 months.

What exactly does creatine do?
*Provides extra energy for your muscles
*Causes volumization of muscles (just increases the size)
*Reduces lactic acid build up
*Increases protein synthesis

What are the side effects of taking creatine?
There is a possibility of bloating. This, however is temporary and you don't need to worry about it. There have also been anecdotal stories of muscle cramping and dehydration. If you are worried about this, drink an extra litre of water or so, on top of the 4 litres + you should be drinking.

Will I lose my gains when I stop taking creatine?
Creatine generally leads to two types of gains. You can build more muscle due to the added strength creatine can provide and you can retain more water in the muscles. The muscle which you gain as a result of increased strength is the same as all other muscle. It is as permanent as muscle you gain when you don't use creatine. This will not be lost when you stop taking creatine. However, the water retained in the muscle is temporary. This will most likely be lost when you stop taking creatine.

How much creatine should I take each day?
3g - 5g.

What is loading / the loading phase?
Loading is the period of time where you increase your daily dose of creatine to increase the level of creatine in your muscles so that it is available for use. It usually lasts for one week.

How much creatine should I take during the loading phase?
20g - 25g a day, 1 week - 10 days. This amount should be divided into 4 daily servings.

Do I need to load?
No. Loading is probably not needed. However, creatine is cheap. If you want to load to gain any possible benefits of loading then it is fine to do so. Make sure to increase your water intake if you are concerned about dehydration etc.What is the maintenance phase?

What is the maintenance phase?
This is the rest of the time you spend using creatine. Once you have completed a loading phase, you must keep maintain the levels of creatine in your muscles. This is usually done by taking 3g - 5g a day.

Should I cycle creatine?
It is not known whether it is beneficial or not to cycle long term. Once again I would do so if you are concerned. I'd advise for every month you use creatine, take 2 weeks off, minimum.

What time of the day should I take creatine?
Any time of the day will do. You don't need to take it pre-workout, post-workout, pre-bed or any other important time. All that matters with creatine is that you take it regularly over a long period of time (4 - 12 weeks approx.).

Some people like to take their creatine with their post-workout meal as many people include sugars in this meal which may aid absorption and distribution of creatine.

Will it cause testicle shrinkage?
No.

I am considering using CEE (creatine ethyl ester) or krealkalyn. Do they work?
Read this: http://www.bodybuildingforyou.com/fo...037-post1.html

Useful link: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=100831

Can protein supplements be taken with creatine supplements?
Yes. The two supplements are unrelated. Just be aware that some protein supplements contain creatine already (such as Nitrotech and some weight gainers) and extra creatine may not be required.

Quick note:
In my experience, I have never experienced any side effects from creatine supplementation. None of the people who use it who I know have either.

Only consider using creatine when you have a proper diet. You must eat enough calories, protein, carbs and fat a day to gain muscle. If you don't, your body will have nothing to build muscle with. Supplements aid the process but if the process is not happening, they aid nothing and are wasted. GET A DIET.

[Ironlife]

NIce man, should be stickied so the same questions dont get asked all the time, reppd.

[PumpinPaddy]

youve pretty much everything covered

theres good info in this thread too, maybe you could link it

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=100831

[Mourning Tide]

5g of creatine not necessary to take everyday to maintain optimum creatine saturation in muscles

[crunchfit]

NIce man, should be stickied so the same questions dont get asked all the time, reppd.

Thnks I'll PM a mod when there's one online.

[Infusco]

Yah good post. Reps'd.

[Teledin]

Good stuff.

[BaGeL23]

Great post. Repped.

[GetBigyo]

sizeon works pretty well if u gotz the money

[samsuperjew5]

wtf is this ****


i wanna write a sticky


but nice job man

[samsuperjew5]

edit: add something in about kre-analyne

[crunchfit]

edit: add something in about kre-analyne

There's a link to a study showing its futility at the bottom. Got it all thought out brah, I hope.

[samsuperjew5]

i just want my name to be in the sticky

[Wintermule]

GJDM. I remember me and some other guy had an idea for this a while ago but we were too lazy to do it. I think Majestyc.

[crunchfit]

GJDM. I remember me and some other guy had an idea for this a while ago but we were too lazy to do it. I think Majestyc.

[baddog671]

Add something about the proper time to take it, as I've heard contradicting times. I've heard pre-workout, like 30 minutes prior, but I've used a product before that stated to take it in the morning and post workout for loading, post workout for training days, and morning for non-training days...

[the1satanfears]

In to be in.


Also, you might include a link about the CEEM from BSN?


Repped.

[Wintermule]

I was going to do it sometime in the next two years. You're too fast for me breh.

I'm on spread.

[crunchfit]

Add something about the proper time to take it, as I've heard contradicting times. I've heard pre-workout, like 30 minutes prior, but I've used a product before that stated to take it in the morning and post workout for loading, post workout for training days, and morning for non-training days...

I was thinking about it but there are contradicting opinions on timing.

In to be in.

Also, you might include a link about the CEEM from BSN?

Repped.

Ryan doesn't like stickies that might negatively effect sales (I wasn't allowed to reference Celltech or NoX in my other sticky).

[samsuperjew5]

than you might wanna delete that post^^

[crunchfit]

than you might wanna delete that post^^

Mods can see deleted posts

[samsuperjew5]

but we cant

[Vermonta]

How do you bold stuff?

[samsuperjew5]

can you just add a note at the bottom like:


P.S.: hai samsuperjew?

[BEhave]

Thinking of finally trying creatine once I get some extra cash.

[crunchfit]

can you just add a note at the bottom like:


P.S.: hai samsuperjew?

Can't change it. You know I would

[samsuperjew5]

^^^

Copy thread

delete thread

remake with my addition

?????????

profit

[Mayhem Monkey]

loading not necessary and 20 grams a week is all that is necessary to stay saturated.

[=D]

Nice thread man

[SolR]

Great thread, hopefully this'll clear up the thousands of creatine questions on the boards.