Creatine or No Creatine...your thoughts

[POSr]

Right now my work out includes mostly cardio. Running (10 Miles) (Slow/Fast/intervals), Swimming (2000 m) and Biking (20 miles) six days a week. In addition to this, one day a week I do a weight lifting routine that is max reps to muscle failure. Two other days I am doing a push up, pull up, sit up/ab pyramid until muscle failure.

My goal is prepare for my upcoming academy. I feel that if I started my academy tomorrow, I'd do just fine with the PT, but I want to do better.

On my lifting/pyramid days I am taking micronized creatine. Am I just wasting my time with this? I've heard that it's only really beneficial for high weight/low rep weight lifting. Is it counter productive to what I'm trying to accomplish?

Thanks for the honest feedback.

[wcudrummer]

If you're doing that much cardio, I would say don't worry about using creatine just because it's mainly used for building muscle. If you started doing more weightlifting, go for it! Personally, I use to be a really skinny guy so it was really difficult for me to build mass or gain any type of muscle, all that would happen is I would just tone up, which is not really what I wanted from my workout. I alternate between back/bi's then chest/tri's every day except Sat. and Sun. I DO use creatine for that, just because I am trying to build that mass. Also with creatine, you have to be using it on normal basis. Not one serving, Tuesday, then one Saturday, then possibly the following Thursday. I take mine everyday I workout, 3 weeks on, 1 week off.

That's just what I've been taught, of course there are millions of ways to workout, there's no ONE definite way to do it.

[SRT936]

I just read an interesting article about creatine and endurance athletes.

http://www.runningplanet.com/trainin...e-running.html

Since much of what you do would definitely be considered endurance athletics, this information might benefit you.

[Short813]

Creatine is not just for building muscles...regardless if you do lots of running or heavy lifting, creatine (mono or ee) will help repair the muscles you are working. Creatine should be ingested on a regular basis and does not need to be 'cycled'. It is naturally produced in your body already. I take about 10g's a day of mono. Some people have stomach problems w/ mono and switch over to Ethel-ester (CEE). Either way, I've had different experiences w/ both. I stick with mono as of now. No need to get fancy creatine products. try 1fast400.com or any of local vitimin shops. Stick w/ the basics and you'll be fine. Try and see if you like it. The water retention w/ mono will be minimal if you are running that much as well so dont worry about that. If you have other questions, feel free to PM me.

thanks,

[pujolsfan146]

My Doctor does not like creatine. He did some blood tests on me. Found out my levels of creatine were high. He also did blood tests for Ball State University football players so he was already keyed up on the fact that the reason it was high was because I was probably taking creatine.

He asked me to please stop and scheduled me for another blood draw. I told him I would quit and scheduled the appointment. I was very thankful that he brought this too my attention. It let me know I was not consuming enough water. I started consuming more water and when I had the appointment he came in the room all happy and told me well done on quitting the creatine. My levels were back to normal and he confided that he, initially, did not believe I would quit taking it.

[natedog89]

It all depends on what you want out of a workout. Creatine supplements when they are broken down are mainly composed of sugar and caffeine which gives you an extra boost during your workout. However, in turn it causes you to dehydrate quicker during a workout. If you do decide to use it make sure you stop using it at least 3 weeks before your academy starts in order for you body to return to normal. There have been a lot of cases where athletes have used it straight up to the start of their camp and have been hospitalized for dehydration.
In all honesty you really don't need any work out supplements for trying to put on muscle mass or just getting healthy. Working out is only half of the battle. The second and most important aspect is your diet. Increase your protein and carb intake and you'll see results.

[FormerTeacher]

Taking creatine one day a week is a waste in order to be effective int needs to be taken "regularly"-i.e. daily to be effective. As others have said make sure to consume plenty of water.

[FormerTeacher]

My Doctor does not like creatine. He did some blood tests on me. Found out my levels of creatine were high. He also did blood tests for Ball State University football players so he was already keyed up on the fact that the reason it was high was because I was probably taking creatine.

The point of taking creatine and most other supplements (see dictionary) is to enhance/ supplement/ elevate the levels of compounds naturally found in the body in order to increase the effects of said compounds so, it would make sense that your natural levels were elevated. More so than if you were taking creatine and they were not, it means what you were taking was working.

[WillBrink]

Creatine is not just for building muscles...regardless if you do lots of running or heavy lifting, creatine (mono or ee) will help repair the muscles you are working. Creatine should be ingested on a regular basis and does not need to be 'cycled'. It is naturally produced in your body already. I take about 10g's a day of mono. Some people have stomach problems w/ mono and switch over to Ethel-ester (CEE). ,

CEE is worthless. The few studies that exist, show it's inferior to CM, and converts to creatinine at high rates:

Non-enzymatic cyclization of creatine ethyl ester to creatinine

Matthew W. Giese
Department of Chemistry,
Marian University,
3200 Cold Spring Rd.,
Indianapolis, IN 46222, USA

Received 28 July 2009.
Available online 4 August 2009.

Creatine ethyl ester was incubated at 37 °C in both water and phosphate-buffered saline and the diagnostic methylene resonances in the 1H NMR spectrum were used to identify the resultant products. It was found that mild aqueous conditions result in the cyclization of creatine ethyl ester to provide inactive creatinine as the exclusive product, and this transformation becomes nearly instantaneous as the pH approaches 7.4.

This study demonstrates that mild non-enzymatic conditions are sufficient for the cyclization of creatine ethyl ester into creatinine, and together with previous results obtained under enzymatic conditions suggests that there are no physiological conditions that would result in the production of creatine.

It is concluded that creatine ethyl ester is a pronutrient for creatinine rather than creatine under all physiological conditions encountered during transit through the various tissues, thus no ergogenic effect is to be expected from supplementation.

Additional info on CEE and creatine in general:

The Creatine Grave Yard

[WillBrink]

My Doctor does not like creatine. He did some blood tests on me. Found out my levels of creatine were high. .

You mean creatinine. Creatinine can be an indicator, but is not a cause, of kidney issues. Safety data on creatine is extensive and creatine has a wide range of potential health benefits your doc is probably not aware of. You can download a copy of my free report on creatine, which covers possible health uses, side effects, etc here:

www.Creatine-Report.com.

Feel free to pass along to your doc.

[pujolsfan146]

You mean creatinine. Creatinine can be an indicator, but is not a cause, of kidney issues. Safety data on creatine is extensive and creatine has a wide range of potential health benefits your doc is probably not aware of. You can download a copy of my free report on creatine, which covers possible health uses, side effects, etc here:

www.Creatine-Report.com.

Feel free to pass along to your doc.

As usual you are absolutely correct my friend. He did not flat out call it creatine but I could not remember the name he gave it. He did tell me to quit taking the creatine because my creatinine levels were high.

I greatly appreciate your assistance in this and I will pass it on to my doctor. Good man you are.

On a side note I was on youtube checking out bodybuilding videos. A person was ranting about a chain gym that is anti bodybuilder. I watched some of their commercials and videos and can see why. It was then I came across your video about that particular chain. Very informative.

[WillBrink]

As usual you are absolutely correct my friend. He did not flat out call it creatine but I could not remember the name he gave it. He did tell me to quit taking the creatine because my creatinine levels were high.

I greatly appreciate your assistance in this and I will pass it on to my doctor. Good man you are.

On a side note I was on youtube checking out bodybuilding videos. A person was ranting about a chain gym that is anti bodybuilder. I watched some of their commercials and videos and can see why. It was then I came across your video about that particular chain. Very informative.

Carry on!!!

[POSr]

Thanks all for the advice!

[Se7en]

I've heard good and bad. Personally the majority of things we put into our body these days probably isn't good for us in the long run. I use creatine an have had good results from it.