Creatine Supplements

ktfranke
ktfranke Posts: 217 Member
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I've decided to up my game and try to be more proactive able lifting heavier. I've kinda been in this comfort zone of lifting with a certain level of intensity, but I need to break out of that and push myself harder.

Do you find Creatine to be helpful in giving you that extra burst in your workouts? How often do you use it? Did it make you retain water? Did it accelerate your progress?
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Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    I stopped taking creatine as a result of horrible stomach cramps, but it won't really give you energy unless the brand has caffeine in it. It should allow you to increase volume a bit to help indirectly support muscle growth. But if you are struggling with workouts, it might be worth looking into a new program to see if that would reinvigorate things.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Did absolutely nothing at all for me, positive or negative.
    No change in weight, size, exercise performance.....

    Nutrition wouldn't be where I would look if I was in an exercise rut, I would look at the exercise routine, motivation and goals.
  • not_a_runner
    not_a_runner Posts: 1,343 Member
    Creatine just makes me poop a lot.

    Find a structured program and stick to it.
    Challenge yourself. Eat according to your goals.
    No supplement will make you push yourself to do more, to have to figure out how to do that yourself.
    I like things like AMRAP or plus sets for a good challenge.
  • deputy_randolph
    deputy_randolph Posts: 940 Member
    Creatine helps me more with recovery than actual lifting. It also causes me to have a week of initial bloating, constipation...and consistently causes about 3-4lbs weight gain. The ill effects subside in a week...water weight is gone within a week of stopping creatine.
  • Rusty740
    Rusty740 Posts: 749 Member
    I wouldn't waste your time on creatine, focus on your overall nutrition, nutrient timing, structured progressive lifting plan. Creatine is less effective than those things. Caffiene will give you a boost though. I've used instant espresso (I add in some chocolate flavoured whey powder too just because) about 1/2 hours before my workout if I think I need a kick in the pants.

    You might just try upping the weight your lifting though. Are you doing progressive overload?
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
    I like it. I've been using GNC Lab Grade Creatine in my pre-workout. I don't find that it gives me any extra energy but it does promote faster recovery... not as sore. I find my weight lifting progression is going faster than before I was taking it and it certainly helps to maintain the muscle I have while doing a clean bulk.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    edited May 2017
    cushman5279 wrote: »
    I like it. I've been using GNC Lab Grade Creatine in my pre-workout. I don't find that it gives me any extra energy but it does promote faster recovery... not as sore. I find my weight lifting progression is going faster than before I was taking it and it certainly helps to maintain the muscle I have while doing a clean bulk.

    You should be building muscle on a bulk (that is the goal), and definitely maintaining it at least. Or did you mean during a cut? I never heard of it helping during cutting unless there is something I'm missing
  • amandaeve
    amandaeve Posts: 723 Member
    It might be a placebo effect, but I clearly feel a boost lifting and am less sore. I take 5g powder with juice, as I was told sugar aids absorption.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    I take 5g every day. Haven't really noticed any tangible difference either way from it. I keep taking it just because it's cheap and there's plenty of scientific evidence to show it's beneficial.
  • sgt1372
    sgt1372 Posts: 3,997 Member
    edited May 2017
    Took 5g every day for about 6 months. No noticeable effect(s) whatsoever. Stopped taking it and threw out the small amount left.
  • Tazzie0208
    Tazzie0208 Posts: 66 Member
    I've seen patients whose kidney function have deteriorated because of the use of creatine. Be careful with that. If you can reach your goals without ingesting any supplements, go for that safe way better.
  • ktfranke
    ktfranke Posts: 217 Member
    So far it sounds like a poor investment :/ I just tried some today before my leg workout. Too early to tell... but based off of most of your input, I just flushed $18 down the drain!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited May 2017
    ktfranke wrote: »
    So far it sounds like a poor investment :/ I just tried some today before my leg workout. Too early to tell... but based off of most of your input, I just flushed $18 down the drain!

    Yep far too early to tell - give it a month.
    That's assuming you are just taking a small daily amount, takes a while to hit saturation point.

    I'm like @sgt1372 - tried it for 6 months. I just happen to be a non-responder. You might get lucky.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    Tazzie0208 wrote: »
    I've seen patients whose kidney function have deteriorated because of the use of creatine. Be careful with that. If you can reach your goals without ingesting any supplements, go for that safe way better.

    I highly doubt it unless they had kidney disease beforehand.

    How did you exactly determine the creatine was the cause?
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    ktfranke wrote: »
    So far it sounds like a poor investment :/ I just tried some today before my leg workout. Too early to tell... but based off of most of your input, I just flushed $18 down the drain!

    I agree, give it a month and see. Many people have reported good results with it. It's one of the very, very few supplements that I wouldn't discount as "junk" right off hand.

    You won't notice results *immediately* - it's not like a pre-workout or something that works acutely. The effects, if any, come after you've saturated your system with it and are maintaining the higher level of creatine. You may want to read up on it here, tons of useful information: https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/
  • CJ_Holmes
    CJ_Holmes Posts: 759 Member
    I use creatine to help with my insulin sensitivity (I'm a type I diabetic). After using it about a month I did gain a couple pounds and looked leaner, but I was training hard so who knows if it was the creatine. I buy it from my protein since labdoor said it's not full of crap.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    ktfranke wrote: »
    So far it sounds like a poor investment :/ I just tried some today before my leg workout. Too early to tell... but based off of most of your input, I just flushed $18 down the drain!

    I'd agree with others and say give it a try. Even if it just helps with recovery and potentially increasing the total volume, it could be worth it. You should just know that there is a priority of when supplementation is important (shown below).

    The-Pyramid-Of-Nutritional-importance.png


    I do plan on incorporating it again (will try a different brand to see if I can get passed the stomach issues) but I want to exhausted all noob gains.
  • atjays
    atjays Posts: 797 Member
    I've been taking creatine for about 8 months now with no negative side effects. It has helped with maybe a 5-10% boost in my lifts and I feel like I have a bit more endurance when I workout.
  • Muscle_for_Fitness
    Muscle_for_Fitness Posts: 2,198 Member
    I've tried it and actually used it for a few years but really saw no benefit at all from it.
  • stanmann571
    stanmann571 Posts: 5,727 Member
    deputy_randolph wrote: »
    Creatine helps me more with recovery than actual lifting. It also causes me to have a week of initial bloating, constipation...and consistently causes about 3-4lbs weight gain. The ill effects subside in a week...water weight is gone within a week of stopping creatine.

    This!! A little bit faster recovery, a little bit heavy lift, more consistent smoother gains in performance.

    Great part is the gains remain after you stop using it.
  • AminBahgat
    AminBahgat Posts: 5 Member
    Creatine is not useful for power, but it's important for keeping water inside muscle.
    If you are looking for power u have to try pro workout supplements, like c4
  • ruanqn
    ruanqn Posts: 2 Member
    Creatine is the best supplement, if you are using it correctly. The cell must have lots of it to have effect, so you must take every day to maintain your cells full of it. You can drink with water or simply eat it at any moment of the day, but the best absorption happens after training.
    Creatine helps the cell recovery in short term because it is able to donate energy to restore the ATP stocks. There are many scientific evidences of the benefits of supplementation with creatine and i have no doubt that is a good investment, but you must maintain your cells full of creatine so it make any effect.

    I don't know if I made myself clear (sorry for bad English :( ), but I hope I've helped.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    I've used it 18 months, can't say it does anything personally. Its cheap as chips though so no big deal but when my current batch runs out don't think i'll purchase anymore.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    edited June 2017
    Creatine may already be found in the foods you're eating.


    creatine-in-food.png

    For me, as a vegetarian, i see a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference in my performance and my recovery with creatine supplementation.

    That being said, it does cause bloating, cramping, gas, and some water retention for me. I have to drink significantly more water and avoid any foods that may increase my gas (like beans).

    Oh, P.S. I take 3g every day mixed into my BCAA mix.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,343 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    For me, as a vegetarian, i see a HUGE HUGE HUGE difference in my performance and my recovery with creatine supplementation...

    That does make a very significant difference. Vegetarians have very low dietary creatine intake and the results of supplementation are shown to be far more dramatic than in people who have high(er) levels of meat intake in their diets.

    I eat a lot of meat, which is perhaps why I don't notice much (if any) difference with creatine supplementation.
  • steve915
    steve915 Posts: 21 Member
    I've been using GNC pro performance creative monohydrate 5000, for about a month now. In my opinion and for me, I have seen noticeable affects in performance and muscle recovery. I take it immediately after my work outs and at least once on non workout days. I mix it in with my whey protein which also helps with recovery. I think it helps me personally. Depends on what your going for I guess. My goal was strength, stamina, muscle growth.. all of which I have been able to achieve with the help of my selected supplements. If you can do without supplements do it, but for me , the added supplements have improved my workout and strength dramatically...DIET,DIET, DIET is first.
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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    filbo132 wrote: »
    I am surprised at the amount of negative feedback on creatine. Although creatine is not a necessity, it's still worth the purchase, I mean it's dirt cheap and if it can help you by 1%, why not?

    For me, it was severe stomach cramping, even with 150oz + of water a day.

    But i do admit the evidence on creatine is remarkable

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