Creatine

Find a brand that uses creatine monohydrate, preferably from Creapure (Creapure is the brand of the "ingredient" creatine contained in whatever brand of creatine you choose).

There are other types of creatine that claim one benefit or another (faster uptake etc.) but they are typically more expensive and the good old creatine monohydrate has a fast enough uptake that any improvement wouldn't have any real benefit.

Also, getting a version that is micronized is a plus because it dissolves better (creatine doesn't really dissolve well unless it's in something thick like a protein shake).

To narrow it down, I use Optimum Nutrition creatine because it's:
1) cheap
2) micronized creatine monohydrate (by Creapure)
3) cheap

ETA: as for dosage, recommendations do vary, with some people doing a loading phase and others not.

This is because creatine has the most benefit when you are saturated with as much as the body can hold (once you hit the threshold, any excess is excreted in your urine).
A simple loading phase may look like 4 (5 gram) servings spread throughout the day over a week so that you hit saturation more quickly. After that, drop down to one serving per day.
This is totally optional.
You will still get saturated (albeit somewhat more slowly) and see benefits if you just start with one serving per day.

robingmurphy wrote: »

Well, you gain LEAN weight, right? Not fat?

The weight will be all water.
Creatine causes you to store water in your muscle fibers which is why you'll want to make sure you stay well hydrated.

The good news is this is different than retaining water from sodium which causes water retention closer to the skin.

TylerForget wrote: »

It will most likely make you gain weight (which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you should know). Get pure powdered creatine monohydrate (if it's pure brand doesnt matter) and take a semi-heaping teaspoon (5g) every day, whenever.

Yup, this. I've not seen any evidence that a loading phase helps in any measurable sense. 5gm is usually the recommended dosage and it will cause water retention in most people. Make sure to keep well hydrated in addition.

singingflutelady wrote: »

robingmurphy wrote: »

Well, you gain LEAN weight, right? Not fat?

Water. Are you lifting? I wouldn't take creative without progressive overload lifting

Can I ask why? Studies are showing that it improves cognitive function in many individuals including those that regularly consume it dietarily and it is often being recommended for many if not all to supplement due to this discovery. I know that it's been regularly suggested that all people who don't eat meat as well as elderly people should regularly supplement creatine for bone and brain health.

http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/10731017

http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/266/5/E725.short

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1531-8249(200011)48:5<723::AID-ANA5>3.0.CO;2-W/abstract

http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/277/3/R698.short

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21394604

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/creatine/evidence/hrb-20059125

*edited to add more sources.

BecomingBane wrote: »

singingflutelady wrote: »

robingmurphy wrote: »

Well, you gain LEAN weight, right? Not fat?

Water. Are you lifting? I wouldn't take creative without progressive overload lifting

Can I ask why? Studies are showing that it improves cognitive function in many individuals including those that regularly consume it dietarily and it is often being recommended for many if not all to supplement due to this discovery. I know that it's been regularly suggested that all people who don't eat meat as well as elderly people should regularly supplement creatine for bone and brain health.

http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/10731017

http://ajpendo.physiology.org/content/266/5/E725.short

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/1531-8249(200011)48:5<723::AID-ANA5>3.0.CO;2-W/abstract

http://ajpregu.physiology.org/content/277/3/R698.short

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21394604

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/creatine/evidence/hrb-20059125

*edited to add more sources.

I've caught a couple peer-reviewed studies related to Creatine's benefit to cognitive function and it's really interesting if you think about it. That along with Vitamin D is really showing to provide some ground-breaking information as it relates to our brains. I think the research on Creatine is still a little early but it seems promising.

I'm a 41 year old 5'2 female. I take 5g creatine monohydrate by Optimum Nutrition every day. I did not do a loading phase, so it took about a month for my muscles to be saturated. I lift heavy, and my lifts are progressing each week. I did gain water weight as soon as I started, about 5 pounds on the scale. I'm back in a deficit to lose body fat and my weight is going down again.

Optimum Nutrition Creatine. Works great. Been taking it for yrs. Just 5g/day is enough.

Amazon has it for cheap.

I read this thread expecting to read about loading phases and other such Broscientificals.

But found nothing but the advice that I was going to give.

Top banana.