Starting Creatine

[jordant]

I've been looking into creatine for a while, and decided today to start. I just had my first bit, 5g mixed with apple juice. Tasted fine... I did it post-workout (I'm hearing mixed opinions on this).

What do you think about timing? Should I take it before or after my workout?

Also, do I need to do more than 5g a day for starting? Is a loading phase appropriate? I weight about 164lbs if that has any bearing.

Last point, should I also be taking it on my off days? A post I was just reading this post:

http://www.steroidology.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46693

and it sounds like, from Frosty, days off are pointless to do creatine.

Need advice! Thanks.

 

[jynx]

First off, you need to load. 20g per day for 1 week spread out through your day. Second, if you dont take it on off days it's possible that you won't be fully saturated. It's not a complete waste in my opinion. But it depends on how many off days you have. A person with a 5 day split wouldn't need it on off days, but a person with 3 would.

 

[Frosty]

Let me do some more research and find out how long supersaturation occurs. Like I know supersaturation of glycogen can last up to three days, but I don't know about creatine phosphate. I'll see what I can find.

 

[jordant]

Thanks for looking into it Frosty.

20g per day seems like a lot, is that healthy for someone my size? I've heard loading would be around 10-15g per day for a short while.

As for my "off days", I usually workout 5-6 times per week. My routine needs a bit of work but thats another story.

 

[DaLinkWent]

Personally I think loading is crap, especially for someone of your size. I 'd say take 5 grams 30 minutes prior to workout and 5 grams immedietly after to get your best results. Works for me but I'm sire other ways have worked for other people.

p.s. Don't buy the expensive creaine either, cell-tech crap is overpriced, stick to the basics

 

[Frosty]

I wasn't able to find the info I was looking for, but I would imagine creatine phosphate supersaturation would be similar to glycogen supersaturation (which can last up to 3 days). Since the creatine phosphate system is used for more intense activities than glycogen, I might GUESS that its supersaturation could last longer, but that's just a big fat guess on my part. I wouldn't THINK that you'd lose supersaturation in two days, but again, I could be very wrong.

I'd be interested in finding out more about taking in creatine before exercise though. Does that increase endurance?

 

[jordant]

Thanks again for the replies Frosty, although the whole supersaturation thing doesn't make much sense to me.

Right now I've been doing 5g post-workout, and thats it. Today is one of my off days so I don't think I'm going to take it, but I'm not sure if thats a good idea. I was thinking about upping it to 10g (5g pre-workout and 5g post) on the weekend, and continuing that through (like DaLinkWent said). Anyone see anything wrong with that?

I don't know if pre-workout creatine increases endurance, but I've heard it can be good (something about muscles being replenished while working out...). My knowledge is minimal though.

Is there any reason not to mix creatine and alcohol? For example, working out, taking creatine and a couple hours later going to the bar? Good idea/bad idea?

 

[Frosty]

Well, here's the deal. Taking too much isn't going to hurt anything, so long as it's a reasonable amount. So taking 10g post-workout would help assure you're supersaturated, even though a good bit is likely going to be wasted. That's ok if you don't mind the extra cost. Same thing with non-workout days. It will make sure you're totally full, but a lot will likely be wasted. But if budget is a concern, 5g post-workout should be fine.

Alcohol is a diuretic, and creatine sucks up water, so with respect to that it's not a great idea. However, drinking has more problems than just that, such as taxing the liver, killing brain cells, and lowering testosterone levels. So I wouldn't drink, anyway.

 

[mass rookie]

dont mean to interupt but frost Im gonna start creatine again too so gonna take 10grms and 8oz of apple juice after training then about 10mins later drink an 8oz glass of water . sound good? what creatine do you buy?

 

[Frosty]

dont mean to interupt but frost Im gonna start creatine again too so gonna take 10grms and 8oz of apple juice after training then about 10mins later drink an 8oz glass of water . sound good? what creatine do you buy?

Apple juice is pretty low GI. Go with grape juice or eat fruits such as dates, cantaulope, grapes, pineapple, papaya, mango, etc.

 

[mass rookie]

ok

 

[benefit]

Frosty whats GI

 

[Frosty]

Frosty whats GI

http://steroidology.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=48250

 

[benefit]

thanks frosty im reading it right now.

 

[iamcdn]

i take 5 before and 10 after. i dont think you need to supersaturate, after 3-4 weeks you are saturated as it is. i woudl take it on your days off to help with recovery, maybe just 5 or 10 grams.

as frosty said take it with a high GI juice like gatorade, or grape juice

dont over think things man, take 10-15 a day and youll be fine.

 

[Dominance]

will gatorade mix work? i'm just using plain Creatine Mohydrate and need somethin to mix it with.

 

[Dominance]

I see

 

[Bast]

I would its youre first "cycle" right?:
20grams on loadup (first 5days)
then 15gram/day on training days
and 10gram/day on off days

on training: take 5g morning, 5g pre workout mixed with dextrose and 5g post workout with dextrose and it will work fine.