Creatine

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erinnelle
erinnelle Posts: 8
in Health and Weight Loss
I've was wondering about anyone's thoughts on taking creatine. I usually take it after working out so that I'm not as sore the next day. I just went to the doctor, and she told me that it might be hindering my fat loss. I know it my increase my water weight, but I never knew it could affect my fat loss.

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  • Whart0603
    Whart0603 Posts: 92 Member
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    Your muscles will retain water while taking creatine. Creatine is for aiding in muscle developement from lifting. So while you will still burn fat, you will also be gaining muscle assuming your lifting. If you're not lifting, then you don't need to be taking the creatine.
  • MTBrob
    MTBrob Posts: 513 Member
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    Your muscles will retain water while taking creatine. Creatine is for aiding in muscle developement from lifting. So while you will still burn fat, you will also be gaining muscle assuming your lifting. If you're not lifting, then you don't need to be taking the creatine.

    ^^^^pretty much it.. Instead of Creatine .. why not do whey protein after a work out?
  • erinnelle
    erinnelle Posts: 8
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    I take both. I'm a pretty heavy lifter.
  • Whart0603
    Whart0603 Posts: 92 Member
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    How many calories are you eating a day? If you're wanting to gain muscle (taking creatine), you need to eat above what your body burns in a day. Basically, you want to gain weight. To lose weight, you need to eat below what you expend in a day which would hinder muscle developement. If I were you, and someone please correct me if I'm wrong, stop taking the creatine, eat less than your daily expenditure, but continue lifting. Continuing to lift will ensure your body keeps the muscle over fat. Good luck!
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
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    I've was wondering about anyone's thoughts on taking creatine. I usually take it after working out so that I'm not as sore the next day. I just went to the doctor, and she told me that it might be hindering my fat loss. I know it my increase my water weight, but I never knew it could affect my fat loss.

    Your doctor is misinformed. I really doubt that World class athletes, fitness competitors and body builders would take creatine if it hindered fat loss.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
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    If you're eating in a calorie deficit, creatine is basically a waste of money. Creatine helps muscle gain. In order to gain muscle, you need to be in a calorie surplus. If you're worried about muscle soreness, you should be taking glutamine, not creatine.
  • xxpipsxx
    xxpipsxx Posts: 30 Member
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    I've was wondering about anyone's thoughts on taking creatine. I usually take it after working out so that I'm not as sore the next day. I just went to the doctor, and she told me that it might be hindering my fat loss. I know it my increase my water weight, but I never knew it could affect my fat loss.

    Your doctor is misinformed. I really doubt that World class athletes, fitness competitors and body builders would take creatine if it hindered fat loss.

    ^ this is not true, your doctor is infact not misinformed, they know a lot about the human body. Creatine is taken as it is supposed (thought not directly proven) to increase the level of Creatine phosphate in the body. Creatine phosphate is the bodies first way of easily generating ATP from ADP when heavily exercising, which then provides the input energy to drive respiration getting the energy for your workout. When exercising for a longer period of time then your body will go into anaerobic respiration to generate ATP instead, which uses more glucose producing less ATP. In other words you will burn more of your fat because the reaction is less effective. World class athletics as it is put do in fact take Creatine but only as it helps their endurance stopping them from going into anaerobic respiration so quickly but to the little guys like you and me, a little bit of anaerobic isn't necessary a bad thing as it will help fat loss, for us the goal isn't being the fastest etc, it's to lose the most weight/fat percentage
  • jstandfield
    jstandfield Posts: 150 Member
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    I cycle on and off creatine when I want strength gains as you should too. You have to give you muscles a chance to "deflate" to see what gains you have actually made. When taking creatine you need to drink more water than normal, I would say well over a gallon a day. Also it is VERY important to get plenty of potassium in your diet or else you will get muscle cramps. As far as weight goes since creatine increases the water in your muscle dont expect the scale to move in a positive direction. I alsways drop 5 or more pounds when I stop taking it. As a poster said early, it doesn't help with recovery, you are best taking a "post workout" mix if you have a problem with soreness. Creatine is best taken at night before bed, thats when its does it's best work. Hope this helps.

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