Can a 17-year old take creatine?

[OneUp+]

Hey, I'm 17 years old, 6'0", 162 lbs. I have been lifting since early October 2003 and since then have gained 22 lbs. (I started at 140 lbs.) I have researched creatine and I think it would be a great assest to my intense training plan. I plan to take creatine monohydrate along with a steady intake of whey protein and carbs (Some research show creatine combined with whey protein and carbohydrates increases overall strength and size of muscle fibers).

But the bottom line is: As a healthy and active 17 year old, is creatine okay to take? I will never take more than the suggested servings and I will make sure to hydrate myself constantly by drinking plenty of water. Although there has never been any serious long-term side effects related to taking creatine monohydrate, is it okay for me to take? Thanks.

[Z3R0-CooL]

creatine is not a steroid no matter what ur mom or dad says or what the media say...

creatine is safe .. period..

u can take 5grams with ur postWO shake....

[twista]

creatine is fine for a 17 year old in good health, but don't forget about the importance of food and recovery in your program. creatine isn't a magic powder, but a supplement.

[zackmurphy]

Creatine is pretty harmless and fine for you at your age, but you're very smart to ask that question. Most 17yo on this forum are busy asking which steroids they should stack.

Go for it.

[Rolling Rock]

Creatine is safe but dont expect huge things to happen.

[OneUp+]

Thanks for all the input. I recently purchased EAS Phos****en HP. The first five days I will be taking 4 servings (5.25 g per serving) daily, then during the maintenence phase 1 serving daily.

After how many weeks should I discontinue use? How long of a break should I take before resuming the cycle? Thanks.

[Poretti (buff)]

3 months on 1 month off, should be your maximum time using it, after that it gets useless, almost as useless as creatine is in the first place.

[OneUp+]

Originally posted by Poretti (buff)
almost as useless as creatine is in the first place.

What is that supposed to mean? Hey, maybe it didn't work for you, but it has shown great gains in tons of other people. You must have been part of the small percentile of "non-responders".

[Poretti (buff)]

No I dont mean that, i acheived gains but, i think the hype of creatine way overshoots its delivery. Its placebo effect is also very good for first time users

[Veritas]

after that it gets useless

No, after that you get used to the extra ATP. You forget it's boosted beyond the norm, or as said before you may not be a responder. Who knows, it may have been placebo for you in the first place.

[OneUp+]

Poretti (buff),

You are right about the hype. But the reason there is so much hype concerning this supplement is because most people outside the bodybuilding world are misinformed. They see that many professional athletes take it and make great gains. But what they don't know is that those athletes work incredibly hard and use creatine simply as an aid. It does present a small advantage for many athletes (football, sprinters, weight lifters).

I think it is the best selling supplement on the market today because of one reason: it gives users instant gratification. Proper diet alone is a long process that gives results in much smaller amounts spaced farther apart. Creatine, however, works within the first couple days allowing someone to lift heavier weights for more reps without getting tired as easily. Plus, the water it draws volumizes your cells and makes your muscles appear larger.

Bottom line: If taken correctly, creatine monohydrate can give its users great results (Some can gain up to 10 lbs. in as little as two weeks). Also, when taken with whey protein and carbohydrates (weight gainer) the results can be greater.

[Poretti (buff)]

creatine can only show results with a protein powder, stack it with glutamine and you are soo guud

[OneUp+]

Originally posted by Poretti (buff)
creatine can only show results with a protein powder

Research has shown that whey protein + carbs + creatine = best results.

If you don't believe me then look at any one of Big Cat's articles on creatine...

[CoachHeisinger]

Taking creatine as a supplement is a lot safer then trying to eat a lot of red meat to get creatine. You may have some water retention, and even cramp up on occasion, but creatine is 100 percent safe.

I recomend it my athletes all the time.

[OneUp+]

Coach,

What sport are you involved with? I'm gonna guess football. Troy Aikman is a proponent of creatine use and many baseball players are as well (most notably Mark McGwire).

[Dedicated1]

Originally posted by CoachHeisinger
Taking creatine as a supplement is a lot safer then trying to eat a lot of red meat to get creatine. You may have some water retention, and even cramp up on occasion, but creatine is 100 percent safe.

I recomend it my athletes all the time.

This is so typical. Of course creatine will make you retain water, in your muscle tissue. Its a cell volumizer. Please learn a little bit about it, before handing out advice. Thanks.

[Veritas]

make you retain water, in your muscle tissue

Lol bump. Not to mention, you wont have cramping problems if your properly hydrated.

[Dedicated1]

Originally posted by Veritas
Lol bump. Not to mention, you wont have cramping problems if your properly hydrated.

I know. Too funny.

[Makaveli390]

Originally posted by Poretti (buff)
creatine can only show results with a protein powder, stack it with glutamine and you are soo guud

o really?

[G.W. Hayduke]

Ed Byrd, the supposed creator of creatine, suggests that amino acids will compete with creatine for uptake. I have also read that creatine and glutamine taken together will minimize creatine's effectiveness. So, is mixing creatine with protein powder really the way to do it?

[1wkvirgin]

Originally posted by Poretti (buff)
3 months on 1 month off, should be your maximum time using it, after that it gets useless, almost as useless as creatine is in the first place.

i think what he means by this guys is how your muscles take in creatine well, but after a while creatine becomes less effective because of the reduced ability of muscle to store creatine.

it does this by reducing the amount of receptors in the cell, or stopping the body's own creatine manufacture.

creatine works well, really, well... dont let anyone tell you otherwise.

(unless youre a non-responder of course)

[Makaveli390]

Originally posted by Aeternitatis
Ed Byrd, the supposed creator of creatine, suggests that amino acids will compete with creatine for uptake.

Key word there is SUGGESTS. When was that statement made, it may be outdated?

Originally posted by Aeternitatis
I have also read that creatine and glutamine taken together will minimize creatine's effectiveness.

That has been disproven. If you're still worried about it don't take the glutamine. It's a placebo anyway.

Originally posted by Aeternitatis
So, is mixing creatine with protein powder really the way to do it?

Throw some dextrose in there post workout and you've got yourself a winner.

[G.W. Hayduke]

Yeah, in the pseudo-book entitled "NO2 The 21-Day Transformation", Ed Byrd says to take creatine with 50 grams of medium glycemic carbs and nothing else.

And no, I didn't pay retail for such a nearly useless book. It was on sale for one dollar at GNC... heh, I wonder why.

PS. Ever heard of the Ring of Power (a testicle electrocution unit of some sort)?

[Makaveli390]

Originally posted by Aeternitatis
PS. Ever heard of the Ring of Power (a testicle electrocution unit of some sort)?

lol. don't even start that **** buddy

[conpen]

[QUOTE=OneUp+;2630486]Research has shown that whey protein + carbs + creatine = best results.

is it just as effective if u stack it with muscle milk instead of whey?

[JolietKev]

There is no reason to "cycle" creatine.

[TheLazyllama873]

Any thoughts on my other two questions?