Questions about Creatine

ChristianTalbert

Hey I'm on the football team and I wrestle. I want to use creatine to help gain weight for wrestling. I'm planning on using creatine during the summer for football workouts.
here are my questions
1. When i get off of creatine, how much weight, mass and strength will I lose?
2. Should I cycle on and off of creatine? or just do it for the summer then stop.
3. Which is better, pills or powder? and brands please.
4. How much of a difference will it make?
5. I've heard that I need 5 grams of creatine, but BF super advanced creatine's servings are 33 grams. Is this all creatine?
Answers to these questions would be extremely appreciated!!!

joejccva71

1. You'll lose water weight and a little strength but not much.
2. You don't need to cycle it. People say you should, but there isn't enough scientific research/evidence to say it's needed.
3. Doesn't matter. Powder gets absorbed a little faster. Allmax Creatine Mono, ON Creatine Mono, and Con-Cret HCI are all good brands.
4. You'll get some more reps and strength increases while "creatine loaded". It doesn't build muscle mass though. You'll also retain a little more water.
5. The norm is 5 grams a day.

UponThisRock

1. You'll lose water weight and a little strength but not much.
2. You don't need to cycle it. People say you should, but there isn't enough scientific research/evidence to say it's needed.
3. Doesn't matter. Powder gets absorbed a little faster. Allmax Creatine Mono, ON Creatine Mono, and Con-Cret HCI are all good brands.
4. You'll get some more reps and strength increases while "creatine loaded". It doesn't build muscle mass though. You'll also retain a little more water.
5. The norm is 5 grams a day.

this

VMarkV

German grade or Creapure (or high quality creatine) won't cause water weight retention in the long run. Your kidneys will adapt to consistently getting the same amount of creatine each day (5g) and will be able to flush the extra water that follows creatine. (This is true of salt too, just be sure that you consume consistent amounts each day and you won't need to worry about water retention). Kidney compensation takes about 3-5 days from starting creatine if you are concerned about making weight.

Poorer grades of creatine (sorry China) have impurities that cause GI upset/water retention

ChristianTalbert

how long would it take to notice strength results

VMarkV

how long would it take to notice strength results

I'm not sure, just don't load creatine...give it some time to work

bazfitness

I started taking 5gr Creatine per day since last Monday - I've put on just over 1 lb in last 5 days - I know that could be just biorhytms or maybe having too many calories (though pretty sure I haven't had enough food to put on 1 pound). Just out of curiosity - is it likely that being on creatine just 5 days could have an impact on weight?

georgina1970

A note of warning - please be very careful. These kind of supplements are not recommended by health professionals. If you're wanting to build lean muscle/bulk up then you need to increase the quantity of low fat protien in your diet.

VMarkV

It is perfectly fine healthy active hydrated individuals with normal kidney function. If you are a wrestler in need to make a weight class and plan on dehydrating yourself at some point (not good) then you would want to drop it a few weeks in advance to your weigh in.

Creatine is just a degradation product of lean body mass, the more LBM you have, the more creatine that gets excreted in the urine