Createen

[exol]

Well, I've been finding out that all the linemen on my football team and most of the offense is using createen (Spelling? ). Here's what they tell me:

You take a little bit before a workout and then after.
It increases energy and muscle mass
No side effects
your body makes it naturally, so it is healthy

I still don't want to take it though but everyone is getting big and not working hard to do it.

My other friend (opposed to it) says it's just basic protein, and if we eat meat we'll be fine. I've been siding with him but I am just curious about the stuff...

 

[Hoss]

It's an amino acid, not really a protein. But it is however found in red meat, so your friend was semi-correct. Some people experience sideeffects, others nothing. At the same time some people notice large gains, while others very little. This mostly depends on your diet, and how much creatine you natrually consume. Even if creatine works great for a certain person, you still must work at getting big and strong. Creatine will only help. How old are you??

 

[patesguy]

creatine.... ahhh yes... things you must first know about it...

it helps you retain water... meaning your muscles look bigger... you will get stronger and your muscles will repair quicker... yes you can get it naturally in red meats... should you take it? no...

there have be direct links to dehydration, liver failure and even near death experences with the supplement... i used it didnt like it... i know people who have passed out from dehydration from it... i know people who got big with it... but do you want to drink 2 gallons of water a day just so you dont pass out? do you want muscles that are really only retained water??

its your call, thats my 2 cents...

 

[freddy1]

there have be direct links to dehydration, liver failure and even near death experences with the supplement

links? references? dont get me wrong...i mean no disrespect. and if you can provide references to verify this claims, i stand corrected...but i have a hard time believing it.

i know people who have passed out from dehydration from it...

do you know that this was a result of the creatine?

i know people who got big with it... but do you want to drink 2 gallons of water a day just so you dont pass out? do you want muscles that are really only retained water??

its your call, thats my 2 cents...

in most people, creatine does actually improve size and strength. it also cuases some water retention as you said.

i am not trying to put creatine on a pedestal here (i dont use it myself), but, while i agree that creatine has some side effects (and in the long term, while hypothesized as safe, the effectes arent really known), i think you are overstaing the risks.

also, to the original poster, if you are under 18, i would not recommend it. the studies that show the side effects have been on subjects over 18.

 

[patesguy]

When my fellow football players passed out and were sent to the hospital it was directly linked to their creatine use... as per the doctors diagnosis...

this is what i found right quick... i could find more with time... like i said i put my 2 cents in... you do what you want... im just not a big fan...



Creatine Side Effects and Cautions
Nausea, stomach upset, dizziness or weakness, loose stools, diarrhea, and weight gain are the most common, and generally occur with creatine dosages greater than 5 grams a day. Muscle cramping is also reported. Strains and sprains can occur (perhaps even muscle tears?) when individuals over enthusiastically and rapidly increase their workout regimen before their tendons and ligaments have adapted to the increase in muscle size and power.
Long-term consequences of daily creatine ingestion, especially in high dosages, are currently not known. There is a possibility that excess creatine can put stress on the kidneys and liver. Creatine converts into creatinine which, in high dosages, could act as a toxin. Whether there is a potential for increasing the risk of cancer with regular high dose use is currently not known. I discourage the regular, high dose use of creatine. Individuals with kidney disease should not use creatine.

 

[Fil]

::groan::

Doctor's know so little about nutrition that it bothers me when they make value judgements, good or bad, about any supplement.

Creatine is used safely by many extremely healthy people over long periods of time. If you follow the recommended dosages you'll be fine.

It does, as mreik said, affect different people in different ways.

It does occur naturally in the muscle. The main difference between creatine kinase in the muscle and supplemental creatine is that muscle creatine doesn't have to go through the gastrointestinal tract before it reaches the muscle. Supplemental creatine gets broken down in large quantities into creatinine, which is an inert by-product of creatine ingestion. This chemical by-product is generally blamed for stomach discomfort, intestinal discomfort, dehydration, etc.

There may be a solution, depending on what research you believe about creatine absorption, in the form of buffered creatines. The most popular one right now is Kre-Alkalyn which is a buffered creatine, meaning that it is surrounded by other elements which protect it from being turned into creatinine in the stomach and in water.

Other solutions include creatines delivered with carbohydrate bindings, improving the absorption somehwat.

Creatinine is inert, meaning it doesn't directly affect your body, but because it serves no purpose in the body, your liver must filter it out. If you have an overabundance of creatinine (through taking unusually high doses over long periods of time) then this can put undue strains on your liver. The easiest and most effective solution? Cycle it - meaning take one month on, take one month off (for example).

Creatine has been a popular and successful supplement for over 12 years now, and it hasn't been conclusively linked to serious side effects when taken as directed. There is a decidedly limited (relatively speaking) amount of research regarding creatine, partially because it seems to work, and it doesn't seem to really cause serious problems. If people were getting hurt as much as some people like to claim, they wouldn't be allowed to take it.

Example: the ephedra ban was placed on a supplement which killed fewer people, by a LONGSHOT, than aspirin. Ephedra has been available to the world for thousands of years, and to the U.S. for as long as it's existed. In total, there have been roughly 155 deaths total linked to ephedra - though most of them not caused directly by the ephedra intake. (A side note: Prescription drugs result in over 100,000 deaths per year - but you don't see the FDA making a fuss about that).

So 155 deaths, total, related to ephedra and it gets banned. Currently, there are no deaths conclusively linked to creatine. There was a wrestler death a few years back that the media tried to pin on creatine usage, but the FDA actually came out and said that the death was conclusively NOT caused by creatine.

In any case - creatine works well for some people, not so well for others. There are side effects, but they are generally minor, and you have ample time to stop use if you notice any. As long as you stick to the recommended dosages, and cycle if you wish (Though if you read that Sahelian article patesguy posted you'll notice he mentions that when taken continuously for 21 months, blood creatinine levels did not increase - suggesting that the body can handle continuous creatine usage - when taken at the suggested dosage).

Always better to err on the side of safety though. Proceed slowly if you're anxious, but don't let that stop you from taking something that may make a big positive difference in your health.

 

[freddy1]

When my fellow football players passed out and were sent to the hospital it was directly linked to their creatine use... as per the doctors diagnosis...

i will concede it may have played a factor. but i would doubt that it was the sole cause. if it was related to dehydration, creatine wont help things, but i would be very skeptical of the claim that it was the cause. what was the actual diagnosis?

Creatine Side Effects and Cautions
Nausea, stomach upset, dizziness or weakness, loose stools, diarrhea, and weight gain are the most common, and generally occur with creatine dosages greater than 5 grams a day. Muscle cramping is also reported. Strains and sprains can occur (perhaps even muscle tears?) when individuals over enthusiastically and rapidly increase their workout regimen before their tendons and ligaments have adapted to the increase in muscle size and power.

yeah, it causes upset stomach sometimes...but thats very different than causing conclusive, documented cases of liver failure or near death experiences.

Long-term consequences of daily creatine ingestion, especially in high dosages, are currently not known. There is a possibility that excess creatine can put stress on the kidneys and liver. Creatine converts into creatinine which, in high dosages, could act as a toxin. Whether there is a potential for increasing the risk of cancer with regular high dose use is currently not known. I discourage the regular, high dose use of creatine. Individuals with kidney disease should not use creatine.

of course long term effects arent documented yet. there is a possibility (and i would say probability) that excess creatine can put stess on the kidneys and liver, but then again, so do excess doses of protein, salt, and many other things consumed daily.

besides, many of these claims are for unquantified "high" doses. anything taken improperly can be dangerous.

 

[exol]

age: 14
height: 5'5''
weight: 121lbs
waist: 27 inches
max curl(single arm): 40
max bench: 135
max clean: 115
max deadlift: 205
max squat: 225
max push press: 105

I have to be able to take down guys who are 5'9'' 160lbs who run full speed at me and im only shuffling

note: maxs are 3 reps

 

[R W Elphinstone]

I have to be able to take down guys who are 5'9'' 160lbs who run full speed at me and im only shuffling

Here are my concerns:

Firstly, what position do you play that you have to take on someone who is 40+ lbs bigger than you?

Secondly, are there positions that are better suited to your size and skill level?

Finally, if a the equivalent of a Mack Truck is running at your Austin Mini, exactly why are we "shuffling"?

I'm not trying to hijack your thread, so I will also put in my two cents when it comes to Creatine. Specifically, to the water comment of "Who wants to drink 2 gallons of water a day just so you don't pass out?" This is a truly uninformed opinion on two counts.

One, if you're not drinking 4 litres of water a day when exercising, chances are you are already dehydrated. So, Creatine or not, if you're dehydrated, you have a better chance of passing out.

Two, when you take Creatine, you do not have "muscles made of retained water". True, your muscles do grow and retain water, but they're not just giant balloons. In fact, bodybuilders will try to shed as much water before competition to get that cut look.

I take the recommended dosage of Creatine daily, and it has helped my muscles grow, as well as helped reduce my recuperation time while working out. I also drink huge amounts of water, exercise to the best of my ability, and have not had a single side effect mentioned.

 

[exol]

defensive back (corner back) and i have to shuffle away from the receiver and sometimes hit the running back (each of ours is 40+lbs bigger than me) but it's not on a regular basis that I have to tackle them, just I don't want to me the wuss that lets them break outside and lose the game

 

[wordword]

Man your wrong

ok man im on the stuff there is know way i drink 2 gallons of water a day and all that has ever happend to me is ihad the ****s the 1st day i did it thats all not im just getten huge

 

[Mr.Ninjaface]

Bill Phillips is the man who brought creatine to the new world. He has funded more resarch on the subject than anyone else and funds more research on supplements than all other supplement companies combined!

He tells me that creatine is free of side effects.
It will not work with everyone because it is made naturally in the body. If your body already produces the maximum amount of creatine than adding in more will not help. I have been taking it for years. My only word of caution is to go with a reputable (real) company and not some generic no name company that puts "who knows what" in the product so they can make a quick buck before they go bankrupt and chnge their name to do it again.

For more information check out Body4life.com. Bill Phillips owns them. He also used to own EAS and MetRx but now he just works with his Body for Life company. You could also check out any edition of the Bill Phillips supplement reveiw. The stuff is safe but you probably want to be done with puberty first as supplementing nonessential nutrients will affect how the body produces it and in those who have not finished puberty the hindraces can occasionally be long term.

 

[abear]

actually, bill phillips was the head of the supplement company that the creators went to second. they first went to twinlab and they turned it down.

wordword, how much are you taking?

 

[wordword]

actually, bill phillips was the head of the supplement company that the creators went to second. they first went to twinlab and they turned it down.

wordword, how much are you taking?

hey man uum when i first started usen like 2months ago i did 30g for a week, to loud my body in it now i just take 10g a day to keep my body loud whit it and it worken sick more energy work out hard and longer getten alot bigger 2weeks 10pounds of mucle

 

[abear]

that amount will cause digestive issues and is not needed. 3-5 grams a day is more than enough to do what its meant to do which is donating a phosphate to recreate ATP.

 

[wordword]

yeah man i know that that wat i do 3-5 a day
but for the 1st 4-7days ur on it u have to do 15-30g a day to struate ur mucle

 

[abear]

yea, thats one way. another way is to use 3-5 grams for a peroid of roughly 28 days to saturate the muscles.

if one loads or doesnt load, at 28 days they're at the same point.

 

[fuelsofar]

what is rong with drinking 2 gallons of water every day?
i got 3 muscle cramps in on monday.. it hasnt happen again.. that was teh 1st time.. (really bad ones in my legs)

 

[wordword]

alright alright ... yhour right i just read this new info and my load is only 17.7 ...goitta do it on 4 dif things a dsay then 1.5 a day for a few months
and thats fine nigger

 

[misswhitney]

Creatine isn't meant for teenagers. It's commonly known as the "safe" supplement, but that isn't necessarily true. I wouldn't recommend using it. Depending on how old you are, it might be okay, but that's a big maybe.

"Once the use of creatine became more widespread, doctors and trainers began seeing side effects. The most common reason young athletes stop using the product is severe diarrhea and gastric distress. Many athletes became predisposed to cramping and dehydration (even those promoting creatine supplements encourage hydration). More scientific studies were done that showed positive effects in the exercise laboratory, but no positive effects with athletes in competition. Respected members of the sports medicine community have reported muscle tears in athletes on creatine. Furthermore, taking more than five grams per day of creatine was associated with kidney and liver inflammation."

-http://www.teengrowth.com/index.cfm?action=info_article&ID_article=1287&category=health&catdesc=Health&subdesc=Sports

I'd recommend just eating foods that are naturally high in protein, or using whey protein powder. There are much less known side effects, and it's very high in protein. They are high quality, and much more safe than creatine.