creatine
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canadianlbs
Posts: 5,199 Member
someone was asking about it, but it was far enough back that i can't find the thread now. i bought a bottle of pills a bit more than a month ago, so i thought i'd report. i've been pretty conservative with it, i.e. only one 3g pill per day.
i think i like it. i'm not sure if it really is giving me more endurance - now and then i kind of get that feeling in an 'i think? maybe?' type way. but i haven't really been going gangbusters at my lifts anyway so i'm probably not a good measure of that.
what i really like is actually the 'water retention' factor. i've got stringy ropy muscles that one massage therapist told me were 'dry' and that's probably been the most noticeable effect that it's having for me. my muscles are definitely plumper and more 'slippery'. just generally they feel a lot healthier and seem to be functioning more smoothly . as far as aesthetics, the difference isn't big enough that i've noticed it. i'm eating at deficit and trying to lose weight at the same time, and it's true that i think i picked a few pounds back up at first. but a) it's been worth it to me, and b) once that effect stabilized the trend in my weight has gone back to moving downwards again.
as far as stomach irritation? i am being kind of manic about drinking lots of water with every dose, and it hasn't been an issue for me.
oh, and i just bought a new supply, in pure-creatine powder form this time. i may get used to it, but honestly i think i'll always hesitate between the two forms. the powder is not barf-your-lungs-up awful, but i am finding that getting it down is a bit of a chore. it's not AS bad as 'eat a live toad every morning and then nothing worse can happen to you for the rest of the day', but it's definitely more in that ballpark than the 'no problem at all' one.
i think i like it. i'm not sure if it really is giving me more endurance - now and then i kind of get that feeling in an 'i think? maybe?' type way. but i haven't really been going gangbusters at my lifts anyway so i'm probably not a good measure of that.
what i really like is actually the 'water retention' factor. i've got stringy ropy muscles that one massage therapist told me were 'dry' and that's probably been the most noticeable effect that it's having for me. my muscles are definitely plumper and more 'slippery'. just generally they feel a lot healthier and seem to be functioning more smoothly . as far as aesthetics, the difference isn't big enough that i've noticed it. i'm eating at deficit and trying to lose weight at the same time, and it's true that i think i picked a few pounds back up at first. but a) it's been worth it to me, and b) once that effect stabilized the trend in my weight has gone back to moving downwards again.
as far as stomach irritation? i am being kind of manic about drinking lots of water with every dose, and it hasn't been an issue for me.
oh, and i just bought a new supply, in pure-creatine powder form this time. i may get used to it, but honestly i think i'll always hesitate between the two forms. the powder is not barf-your-lungs-up awful, but i am finding that getting it down is a bit of a chore. it's not AS bad as 'eat a live toad every morning and then nothing worse can happen to you for the rest of the day', but it's definitely more in that ballpark than the 'no problem at all' one.
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Haha, the powder is like 3 times cheaper than capsules, so to me that's the determining factor. It does make a certain difference, I think. I drink mine mixed in with protein powder or greens, so it doesn't really taste anything at all (just might make the drink a slight bit chalkier, really). I'm pretty sure you can get it down in a small glass of ice tea, juice, or any flavoring agents of your choosing if anything.
The water retention when I got back on it early this year was so bad I couldn't wear my wedding ring for a few weeks, so that had me thinking I'd get through the tub and never do it again, but it's actually settled down and I rarely have a day I can't squeeze the ring on now (except when I sodium-load with crap food xD) so I may keep doing it, just because it's relatively cheap and if anything, the placebo effect on its own can be worth it, haha
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I drink mine mixed in with protein powder or greens, so it doesn't really taste anything at all (just might make the drink a slight bit chalkier, really).
i'm kind of afraid to do that. you're a dedicated water drinker, but for myself i don't 100% trust myself. so i drink the water WITH the creatine, because if i were letting myself take on a water debt first thing in the morning i'd be really afraid that i just wouldn't get around to paying it off through the rest of the day.
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