Creatine?

Confuzzled4ever

I realize this is not a scientific journal or source.. but for what it's worth..

http://www.inquisitr.com/1259772/new-creatine-research-suggests-ideal-times-to-take-the-supplement/

Yay? Nay?

My understanding is this stuff is for bulking and timing does not matter?

No_Finish_Line

if your taking magic powder, take it at the magic time!

lol, jk. i used to use it, and other then protein, i'd say its one of the only suppliments worth taking. but its advantages are rather miniscule and probably only worth it if your competing for something.

my understanding is that creatine is used as energy in the first .00001 second of muscle contration (not sure of the time but less then a second).

If it helps you bulk, its mostly because it forces your body to retain water and this will supposedly increase the volume of your muscles. that was something i did not personally experience.



but to answer your question, if someone was suggesting a better time to use it, i'd probably take it then if it didn't make things any harder on me.

No_Finish_Line

skimmed the article. if i was taking it again, id do it before a work out.

my thoughts are that it either doesn't matter or before would be best

jmt08c

Research suggest creatine taken at any time is beneficial. 5g-10g a day while bulking because it does make you retain water, however certain creatine blends will give you less water retention than a simple monohydrate. Personally I take 2.5g pre and 5g post with a simple carb + protein to help with uptake into muscle cells.

There are so many choices out there now you'll probably try a few before you find one that works best for you. My suggestion for monohydrate is creapure brand (requires loading phase) or for a blend musclepharm has a great product that does not require any loading.

Confuzzled4ever

So.. it works and it's worth it? and I'm right in thinking it's primarily used for bulking?

I'm looking to build strength not necessarily mass.

kelly_e_montana

I see an increase in my performance in CF in WODs requiring a lot of explosive power when I am on a creatine regimen vs. when I am not. I don't experience a lot of bloat. I use 5 g per day in water 30-60 min pre work out, no loading. I cycle off every 6-8 weeks or so. I love creatine (and protein is worth it, too).I just use a simple monohydrate--cheap and easy!

I don't use it for bulking, but I'm not a dude so maybe it doesn't affect me in the same way.

No_Finish_Line

the only way for you to really decide is to try it on your own.

do a certain routine for 3 weeks with it, then 3 weeks without it and see if you personally feel as though its worth it.

just don't spend too much on it.

at the end of the day, all suppliments are food. they allow you to more easily consume the amount of a given nutrient that you desire. don't expect them to do anything for you that food wont do for you on its own

Confuzzled4ever

Ok. I will do it trial and error style.

Thanks

steve0820

Creatine is probably the only other supplement (except protein), that most people can agree on it's benefits. In my opinion, timing is not an issue. Some people use it as a pre-workout, others after their workouts. I use mine with my protein shake, normally after a workout. But that's just me.

It can be used either cutting, maintenance or bulking. Doesn't really matter. That's not the reason to take creatine anyway.

Creatine monohydrate is the preferred choice, brand doesn't really matter. You can pick some up for 10-15$ at Walmart.

5g is the recommended dosage. Some people do a loading phase the first week. If you don't plan on cycling, that really doesn't matter in my opinion.

Drink Lots of water!

Water retention might or might not happen depending on the individual.

No harm in trying, and seeing how you react to it.