Is creatine worth it?
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Read this sticky.
http://training.fitness.com/supplements/must-read-about-creatine-21797.html
My personal opinion is that creatine is great for muscle training as it replenishes creatine phosphate level in the muslce. Creatine is an anaerobic energy source which is used during heavy weight training.
http://training.fitness.com/supplements/must-read-about-creatine-21797.html
My personal opinion is that creatine is great for muscle training as it replenishes creatine phosphate level in the muslce. Creatine is an anaerobic energy source which is used during heavy weight training.
Creatine just helps you have a more intense, better workout.
Better workouts = more muscle gain
Once you stop taking creatine, your workouts may drop in intensity a bit, but your muscle gains don't disappear. Creatine is one tool in your toolbox, part of your means to an end, it isn't a temporary boost in muscle or anything.
Better workouts = more muscle gain
Once you stop taking creatine, your workouts may drop in intensity a bit, but your muscle gains don't disappear. Creatine is one tool in your toolbox, part of your means to an end, it isn't a temporary boost in muscle or anything.
???
If you take an Asprin the effects will wear off after a couple of hours but I'd still take one if I had a headache.
Some people find they recover quicker when taking a creatine suppliment, that's all it's really used for, it's a training aid, it doesn't directly build muscle.
Soem people find they have a little added water retention when taking it which might make them look a bit bigger but it isn't muscle; just a harmless side effect.
This answers my question well. My (mis)understand was the gains were lost once you stop taking creatine because I thought the gains were just water. But, I see now that creatine helps you achieve a more intense workout and thus better gains - the water retention is simply a temporary side effect - the gains are not. Thanks.
Here it is... Creatine gives you workout boost and in mono-hydrate form, it causes muslce to retain more water so you get what "pumped" look / feeling. For some, once you get off creatine, their workout intensity drop because creatine is not readily available in the bloodstream to replace the ones that is used by weight lifting.
Personally, I take my creatine estyl post-workout to replenish my muslce's creatine storage and usually avoid taking it before the workout to avoid the "dependency" on it to get a good intense workout. It's more of a muslce building / recovery aid for me than an added boost.
Yes some gains are lost, once you stop taking creatine because the water retain is not there as much and the size of the arms / pec will not look or feel as big. But in the overall scheme of thing, it helps.
Personally, I take my creatine estyl post-workout to replenish my muslce's creatine storage and usually avoid taking it before the workout to avoid the "dependency" on it to get a good intense workout. It's more of a muslce building / recovery aid for me than an added boost.
Yes some gains are lost, once you stop taking creatine because the water retain is not there as much and the size of the arms / pec will not look or feel as big. But in the overall scheme of thing, it helps.
What are your personal fitness goals?
A supplement is just as the name specifies.
A supplement to something you are doing. And that something is an already "dialed in" diet (one continually and personally worked on to become "master"--for your personal success).
Its my opinion, before one takes supplements like, Creatine Mono, (which can cause personal confusion to "misinformed/uninformed"), one should first elect to learn how to deal with personal eating habits that fall within the known rules of fat reduction. This should be first priority, because this is the cornerstone of tissue loss, and the area "most" battle personally.
Why? Because, Creatine Mono, will cause water weight gain (which is not a bad thing, and necessary process), and a lot of persons (wanting to lose fat tissue), tend to be "hooked up on the scale", and Creatine (Mono), will screw with your head--in this regard.
For example: One is calorie deficient to induce fat loss, and has lost tissue the passed few weeks. Lets say, hypothetically, they lost 6 pounds.
Then they decide to supplement with Creatine Mono. Suddenly their weight increased 7 pounds in a matter of a few days. This can be a real downer for someone not in the KNOW and misinformed/uninformed, and generally (in my opinion), with a new person wanting to just lose some fat tissue, it is best not to muddy up the water and make things as easy as possible.
I am not saying not to take it. I am saying--for some persons--its best not to add any potential personal complications, especially if the person doesn't realistically know what to expect or be able to separate the differences.
With this said, let me add this:
When we deficit diet, we are short on energy since we aren't eating as much. This "usually" leads to an eventual reduction in performance--over time (understanding variable exceptions).
However, with Creatine supplementation, it "can" provide an increase in performance while calorie deficient, because it works on replenishing your energy stores that are utilized during training--like ADP and AMP. Likewise, supplementing with Creatine (theoretically), will allow you to recover more quickly, and just "may" cause you to push out an extra rep or two, that (say hypothetically), you may not have without its supplementation.
To "assist" Creatine in getting into the muscle area, water is needed, and is one reason one gains water weight when supplementing with Creatine Mono. Therefore, it is not necessarily a bad idea to supplement with Creatine while calorie deficient to lose fat tissue, with one in the know. Quality studies are not in short supply, showing Creatine supplementation benefits, but.......you must know how it is going to effect you, and how it "can" effect your personal goals.
In addition to the water retention (all over), the muscle cells will swell as well (muscles are about 80% water), and can give one not in the know a misconception of muscle "growth", when it is just water being maintained in the muscle.
Once you stop Creatine Mono, water retention will decrease in most cases (its is close kin on turning on [increasing] and off [lowering/stopping] carbohydrates, because the amount of Carbohydrates one consumes, also effects water retention). Personally, when I came off a extremely low carb diet (looking flat and dry), and entered a higher carb diet, and added in Creatine Mono, I gained 8 pounds in a matter of a few days, and really looked sharp. I say this, because manipulating diet, is KING, and can effect how one looks. I am in LOVE with the mighty Carbohydrate.
. It can sometimes get a bad name, it doesn't deserve. =========================================================
There is no shortage of info on Creatine MONO, if one takes the time to read up.
CEE (which has a different) chemical arrangement "tends" to eliminate some of the side effects of MONO (including water retention), while giving near the same "claimed" benefits.
If I were to choose MONO or CEE, I would choose CEE over MONO.
=======================================================
Various Info on Creatine Mono and CCE, and Creatine Articles:
=======================================================
Some "relative" info on Mono:
Some "relative" info on Creatine Ethyl Ester (CEE):
An "opinion" on which is better:
Additional Info on Creatine: Does it assist training, etc:
(some good info, but seems a bit "commercialized")
Interesting Link:
Best wishes,
Chillen
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Another excellent post by Chillen....and I'll summarize it for the 'non readers' among us:
Creatine works by allowing you to get more muscle contractions per workout. All other things being equal and 'proper', that should allow you go exert more workload, and thus make better strength/size gains.
When you go off the creatine, you may lose a few reps per set late in your routine, but that doesn't mean you lose size.
its not like steroids where you can lose everything you gained.
and its not like NO2 products that give you a fake pump.
the goal of creatine isn't to inflate muscles with excess water. that's just a side effect, and creatine ethyl ester is less likely to do that vs. monohydrate.
Creatine works by allowing you to get more muscle contractions per workout. All other things being equal and 'proper', that should allow you go exert more workload, and thus make better strength/size gains.
When you go off the creatine, you may lose a few reps per set late in your routine, but that doesn't mean you lose size.
its not like steroids where you can lose everything you gained.
and its not like NO2 products that give you a fake pump.
the goal of creatine isn't to inflate muscles with excess water. that's just a side effect, and creatine ethyl ester is less likely to do that vs. monohydrate.
heck no Chillen.
I love reading all your post in detail, man. But then I enjoy feeding the brain and understanding mechanism behind how things work. Sometimes, reading a long post, I forgot what the main reason behind it. I was just summarizing, that's all. That and I am trying to get my post # to 1,000's range to join you guys; without doing 1 word post. Figure, summarize post is easier.
Personally, I've read and re-read some of your old posts. They are soo informational. You and a few handful here are folks that I high respect about health/lifting/diet/excercise information.
On a side note, how is the libido when you drop below 8% bodyfat man??? Would love to see your detailed reply. To link it with the OP's question, does creatine help libido while excercsing?
Btw, you convinced me to use some CEE once in awhile to recover. Used to use Mono-hydrate but you showed me the light of using CEE.
Chillen = Yoda
me = just a padawan....
I love reading all your post in detail, man. But then I enjoy feeding the brain and understanding mechanism behind how things work. Sometimes, reading a long post, I forgot what the main reason behind it. I was just summarizing, that's all. That and I am trying to get my post # to 1,000's range to join you guys; without doing 1 word post. Figure, summarize post is easier.
Personally, I've read and re-read some of your old posts. They are soo informational. You and a few handful here are folks that I high respect about health/lifting/diet/excercise information.
On a side note, how is the libido when you drop below 8% bodyfat man??? Would love to see your detailed reply. To link it with the OP's question, does creatine help libido while excercsing?
Btw, you convinced me to use some CEE once in awhile to recover. Used to use Mono-hydrate but you showed me the light of using CEE.
Chillen = Yoda
me = just a padawan....
I was just messen'.
In school they tell ya to keep speeches short, sweet, and to the point.
Well, I must of passed out and went into a coma in that part of the class......:speechless:
Hope your day was well, Tic. And you notched another day toward your fitness goals, my friend.
Chillen
yeah.....well....since everyone else has answered the first part of your question, let me answer the second.....it's one sick little smiley that they got on here........
lol
:speechless:
Uh........speak for yourself, lovely lady.
LOL.
he, he and all of that.
best wishes
Chillen
hey Chillen! :action11:
:speechless: what can I say???
I'm a prude....:costumed2:
Did anyone believe that?
hey Chillen! :action11:
:speechless: what can I say???
I'm a prude....:costumed2:
Did anyone believe that?
Nope. I do not believe it.
You are a lady with "balls".
Once in a while duty "calls"
And, you voice your opinion like Niagara "Falls"
For this, you are too cool of a woman.:action11:
Best regards,
Chillen
LOL, yeah, you're right, who am I kidding...I couldn't pull that off if it tried
you making fun of my baoding iron balls??? :sad2:
I do tend to be a bit splashy....lol...I'll try harder....lol
thanks sweetie!
Best regards,
Chillen[/QUOTE]
I have taken creatine mono off and on in the past. I can definitely tell the difference because I tend to tire/fatigue quicker than most. I just got off mono and started ethyl ester pills. I'm not sure if there is a difference between pills and powder, but I can still tell I get that extra boost as the reps and sets get up in number.
I just started a nice deficit to start my "summer body" routine. The creatine helped me through my workout since I have less calories. Although I did crash 'n' burn during cardio after.
In summary, it works for me. I am lifting more in almost every routine.
I just started a nice deficit to start my "summer body" routine. The creatine helped me through my workout since I have less calories. Although I did crash 'n' burn during cardio after.
In summary, it works for me. I am lifting more in almost every routine.