Creatine

Here's a quote from Bryan a while back.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">We also know that if creatine is floating around during exercise, it will be taken up much better than when you take it at rest.

We also know that insulin, because of its effects on sodium retention, also &quot;facilitates&quot; creatine entry into cells.

So, putting it all together, whether you load or not, make sure to take creatine before exercise. And, it might further help to take it with something that will icnrease insulin levels, like a preworkout MRP.
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

I have just started taking it myself (just finished loading yeaterday), and I am doing so before I train.  

Steve
 
In my opinion both BIZ and Steve are right. There seem to be support to taking creatine before as well as after training. So take 1/2 before and 1/2 after to get the best of both worlds.
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Janne @ Aug. 14 2002,08:02)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">In my opinion both BIZ and Steve are right. There seem to be support to taking creatine before as well as after training. So take 1/2 before and 1/2 after to get the best of both worlds.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
This is what i've been doing, started yesterday so too early to tell how's it working.
 
I guess the question then is:

how long do creatine levels circulate around the blood before being converted to creatinine and excreted?




d.
 
Ok I have a great site about creatine. I don't like to advertise but I think this may be an exception for this topic. It tells you almost everything you might want to know absolute-creatine.com. Although it may be a little out dated and the scientific data behind it could be questioned, but I'm not sure because I'll admit that I have not read much research (because of big words and not getting to the point
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) and I didn't check for references.

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">how long do creatine levels circulate around the blood before being converted to creatinine and excreted?[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'> The site above stated 1.5 hours so if you take it before and hour long workout it should still be in your blood to replenish your system. Great site I really hope you take a look at it (sorry for hyping it up but I'm just really happy that I found it and every question I have read here can be found on it :) ).
 
I've used creatine for years, and read every study, article, abstract, etc. that I can find. And I still haven't found a convincing argument that one should ever cycle off this stuff as long as you're taking a minimal amount daily.

Anybody have any arguments/research to suggest one should ever cycle off? I know Bryan has an article in a ThinkMuscle newsletter, but to me it only makes sense that as the muscles saturate, receptors downregulate.


d.
 
yes... i read that article too, but I'm unsure as to the ideal way to take creatine.. I know to use 5 grams per day total... but I don't know how long I should make the cycle last... one month on and then one month off?   Also, according to that article, anything done to increase the absorbtion of creatine will only speed up the transporter downregulation...  so maybe if you take your creatine with a homemade transport (dextrose/ALA) or if you use cell-tech or trans-x products, you should cycle 2 weeks on, 4 weeks off, etc....  ideas/comment?
 
As long as you are done with your loading phase I don't think there's a pressing need to ingest creatine before your workout. After your creatine stores are depleted (i.e. after workout) seems the best time for me to replenish.

Mreman

&quot;Do unto others.....then run like hell!!&quot;
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (NightOp @ Aug. 31 2002,1:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">yes... i read that article too, but I'm unsure as to the ideal way to take creatine.. I know to use 5 grams per day total... but I don't know how long I should make the cycle last... one month on and then one month off?  [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I'm in the same boat. I still don't know for sure whether it is even necessary to cycle creatine.  :confused:

I have a tendency to use it during the summer then go off in the winter. For me it's just practical. I ski in the winter and my quads tend to really cramp up when I am on creatine. Drinking tons of water doesn't work real well while skiing- I'd have to stop in the lodge everytime down the mountain.  :D

Would really like someone with a lot of knowledge that sells creatine (BRYAN??) to clear this up. Do you need to cycle creatine or could you take it 12 months per year??

Thanks
 
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Firminator @ Sep. 06 2002,12:20)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE"></span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (NightOp @ Aug. 31 2002,1:24)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">yes... i read that article too, but I'm unsure as to the ideal way to take creatine.. I know to use 5 grams per day total... but I don't know how long I should make the cycle last... one month on and then one month off?  [/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I'm in the same boat. I still don't know for sure whether it is even necessary to cycle creatine.  :confused:

I have a tendency to use it during the summer then go off in the winter. For me it's just practical. I ski in the winter and my quads tend to really cramp up when I am on creatine. Drinking tons of water doesn't work real well while skiing- I'd have to stop in the lodge everytime down the mountain.  :D

Would really like someone with a lot of knowledge that sells creatine (BRYAN??) to clear this up. Do you need to cycle creatine or could you take it 12 months per year??

Thanks[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Yep... I just can't find solid evidence anywhere as to cycle or not... I know that the transporters downregulate so surely cycling is the way to go... but like I said before ... &quot;how long&quot;. btw- skiing is awesome, i wish i got to ski more than once per year on spring break.
 
There is yet any research to clearly define the time frame for cycling creatine.

A person is still justified asking whether creatine really needs to be cycled or not. However, I stumbled across a study the other day that measured intramusclar levels of creatine afte loading. They found that levels were slightly higher for the first weeks or so after loading, but then slowly began to decline. So, if there is a particular event where you want as much creatine as possible in the muscle, you may want to go off for 30 days, and then load the week leading up to the event.

For bodybuilding...we just don't know if there is any real benefit to either rapid loading or cycling it.
 
I start taking mine just prior to w/o, but no more than half. The rest I sip between sets, so I keep myself hydrated and flood my muscles with the creatine during exercises when it can start working right away. I use a more watered down ratio in this manner.

StoneSour
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Hmm, looks like I'm going to try 1/2 before and 1/2 after, as opposed to all after.

However, my question is this: Do you take it on days off? I read in the Creatine Guide that you do not, and I was fine with that during 4 workouts per week. Now I'm switching to HST -- 3 days a week! That's less creatine -- should I take it on off days ever? Or maybe after some intense cardio/swimming?

Berto
 
You DEFINITELY want to take it on off days. In the study quoted on this site in the articles section, creatine has a profound affect on muscle growth, more than doubling muscle growth in the experimental creatine group. Considering that growth peaks at 24 hours post-workout, you definitely want creatine in your system at that point.

-Calkid
 
[b said:
Quote[/b] (Calkid @ Dec. 04 2002,10:39)]You DEFINITELY want to take it on off days. In the study quoted on this site in the articles section, creatine has a profound affect on muscle growth, more than doubling muscle growth in the experimental creatine group. Considering that growth peaks at 24 hours post-workout, you definitely want creatine in your system at that point.
-Calkid
Click to expand...
Wow, thanks Calkid. I didn't read that study, but have read other publications. I'm half-assing it! Besides, anything my body doesn't need will get converted to creatinine and be gotten rid of anyway. Any good time during the off-day to take it? I am guessing it doesn't matter much, i'll do it around 11am or so.

Berto
 
Is it right that things like caffeine can prevent absorbtion of creatine?

As I take a caffeine/ephredrine stack prior to my workout, I gave up taking creatine pre-training, because of this belief.

I now only take creatine after my workout.

I'm also cycling it with my HST cycle, i.e; 8 wks on, 2 wks off - again, is this right?

Thanks.
Brix.
 
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