Posted: 5/17/2008 5:03:43 PM EDT
| I thought that I'd give creatine a shot. I would like to buy a decent brand that I could just mix into my morning and evening protein drink. Also, I'd like to not spend a ton. Suggestions? |
| AST micronized is good, as is anything with Creapure on the label. All you want is creatine monohydrate. If money is an issue, you don't need anything with other crap added to it. Especially avoid anything from Muscletech. It's all overpriced and most of it (very few exceptions) is garbage. |
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Dude what you want is Kre-Alkalyn. FLEX just voted it best creatine supplement. I've used monohydrate before and it's great, and I didn't have too many side effects, but it was a pain in the ass. This stuff is great, two pills a day. No loading, no cycling. It's worked great for me and there are zero side effects. No de-hydration or anything. Cheap too. It's like $35 a bottle and that will last you about 2 months. |
I like 6 star from Wal-Mart. Don't get the body-fortress brand, get 6 star. It works awsome for me. I actually lost weight when I was dieting on it. I've only had like MAYBE 3# water gain when on it. I think the shits awsome. I was feeling like a bodybuilder for a couple months, now I've been off of it for a couple months and I feel weak and soft. I'm on Gaspari Size ON right now (1 week) but I think I'll switch back to 6 star as I just don't feel anything yet. I noticed as soon as I took 6 star for the first time over a year ago that my numbers went WAY up on every thing at the gym. Like I'd be lifting 90# on the leg extension machine & do 180# the next week after starting 6 star brand!!!!!!  I felt like super man or something!!!!ETA: I think it sucks water out of your fat cells and into your muscle giving you a leaner appearance and possibly a better reading on a fat% test(?). |
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creatine might make you retain a little water (not a problem for a lot of people), but it won't have any negative effects on fat loss. If anything, it will help to prevent/decrease strength loss while cutting calories. fwiw, monohydrate is the only type of creatine with legitimate (ie: published in peer-reviewed journals, not funded/conducted by supplement companies) research backing it up. Most of the new and improved versions are a waste of money imo. |
Most of it says to take it AFTER a workout. That's how 6 star is, but Gaspari Size On says to drink it during the work out. If you do a loading faise (now they say you really don't need to) I take 1 dose before and 1 after during loading. "I have heard that it is helpful if you start using it a few days before working out", if you aren't working out for a few days, go ahaed and start it, you'll just have some already in your musles when you get to the gym. You are supposed to take it 7 days a week anyways, so start it when ever you want. |
Micronized is monohydrate. Micronized just means that it's been ground finer (think consistency of regular sugar vs. powdered sugar). There are some theories about it being easier to digest, but the main things I noticed were it dissolved easier (none of it dissolves completely) and regular mono bothers my stomach while micronized doesn't. |
| So I bought some EAS regular old Creatine Sunday and started. I went ahead and did the loading thing just for kicks. Yes, I know there's some controversy over this. Anyway, I like to so far. My muscles feel ever so slightly fuller and I think it's helped my workout. It hasn't even been a week I know, but so far, so good. |
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This might sound kind of goofy, but let me know if this analogy kinda sounds accurate. My understanding is that much of the gains experienced when using creatine are lost when you stop, but... Can it be compared to something like a 401k or any tax-deferred investment vehicle. I.e., you gotta pay the may eventually when you cash out (lost gains when you stop using creatine), but in the meantime, you can use that extra tax-deferred income to make more money (even if you eventually have, overall, pay more because of the increased gains). I.e., if you can put up more weight while on creatine, you can create more microtrauma which will result in more size/strength gains and even though you might see that slip when you stop using it, the net effect still has you in front of not using. Or am I completely off base on the theory here? Understanding, of course, that everyone is different and might not react the same to its use. |
It allows you to train harder. You will make perminate gains while on it, but you will also notice a loss when you stop, but you'll still be better off than you were before. |
| Juice aside, creatine is the best strength supplement out there. Since I'm doing Atkins now I can't use the sugared up blends I used to use. Now I use Vitamin Shoppe's creatine monohydrate . Like others have said plain Creatine monohydrate works. No need for all the fancy gimmicks. |
YES! Especially since you are loading it. Water intake is grossly over looked in almost everyones workout program. Anyone who lists side effects probably didn't increase their water intake. A gallon or TWO a day really does make a difference. As far as keeping gains if you maintain your regiment and diet you will not lose muscle mass. Creatine will not build muscle mass the extra effort in the gym will. If you feel you lost muscle mass it was most likely retained water (didn't drink enough water) and or you didn't push yourself as hard as you did on the Creatine. Remember the body retains water when it feels it's not getting enough. Drink more water! |
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In my personal experience, in a 6 to 8 week cycle, I'll put on 8 to 10 lbs. All my lifts go up substantially. I have more energy in the gym, I make gains quicker, and I have a fuller, tighter feel. After cycling off the creatine, I loose about half the weight gained, but all my strength gains remain. Loosing the water makes my weight go back down a bit, but the muscle I created with the assistance of the creatine remains. That's off course with a pretty clean diet, regular water intake, well organized workout regiment, lots of sleep, etc. |