Creatine a must?

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olsentyler
olsentyler Posts: 1 Member
edited January 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
I know for the diet "Body for life" you consume a lot of creatine. Is this critical when sculpting or loosing body fat or does this just help build muscle? Does it boost the metabolism? I am currently lifting 40 min 5 days a week and running 2-3 miles a day. I see results but wonder if there is something extra I could be doing. Thanks!!

Replies

  • Nickers5405
    Nickers5405 Posts: 32 Member
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    I think you mean protein? It doesn't recommend that you go out and buy a creatine supplement? It'll help increase muscle strength and size but some people retain a lot of water when they're on creatine leading to a puffy look.
  • feisty_bucket
    feisty_bucket Posts: 1,047 Member
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    There's a good thread on here with studies linked from a few days ago.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    Rather than type a long reply, here's a reputable review site which discusses creatine much more thoroughly than anybody could here: https://examine.com/supplements/creatine/
  • Trump2016
    Trump2016 Posts: 80 Member
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    Nah, it's far from a must.

    Just read this:

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/layne13.htm
    creatine-fact-and-fiction_02.jpg
  • cbelc2
    cbelc2 Posts: 762 Member
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    There was a study published in the British Journal of Cancer linking muscle building supplements containing creatine or androstenedione to testicular cancer. The study was done at Yale and the results came out last year.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
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    cbelc2 wrote: »
    There was a study published in the British Journal of Cancer linking muscle building supplements containing creatine or androstenedione to testicular cancer. The study was done at Yale and the results came out last year.

    Androstenedione and creatine are two completely different substances. That would be like saying there was a study that "linked watermelon or red meat to cancer". One has absolutely zero to do with the other.

    Examine.com has a FAQ about creatine as a subsection of their (quite extensive) analysis of it, which is complete with links to a multitude of peer-reviewed studies. One of the questions in the FAQ (linked above) is "Can creatine cause cancer?". The response:
    No, there are no scientific studies that link Creatine as a causative factor in any form of cancer, any claims that link Creatine to cancer are currently not validated by any evidence.

    Creatine has even been shown in at least one human study (and several laboratory studies) to protect DNA from oxidative damage from various sources, such as exercise.[1][2][3]
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,952 Member
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    feisty_bucket wrote: »
    There's a good thread on here with studies linked from a few days ago.

    This thread? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10323274/creatine
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
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    olsentyler wrote: »
    I know for the diet "Body for life" you consume a lot of creatine. 1) Is this critical when sculpting or loosing body fat or 2) does this just help build muscle? 3) Does it boost the metabolism? I am currently lifting 40 min 5 days a week and running 2-3 miles a day. I see results but wonder if there is something extra I could be doing. Thanks!!

    1) no
    2) no
    3) no

    Creatine does none of these things directly. What it does do is help with workouts, helping to get an extra rep or two. Thus you get a more intense workout (and your benefits come from there).
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
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    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    olsentyler wrote: »
    I know for the diet "Body for life" you consume a lot of creatine. 1) Is this critical when sculpting or loosing body fat or 2) does this just help build muscle? 3) Does it boost the metabolism? I am currently lifting 40 min 5 days a week and running 2-3 miles a day. I see results but wonder if there is something extra I could be doing. Thanks!!

    1) no
    2) no
    3) no

    Creatine does none of these things directly. What it does do is help with workouts, helping to get an extra rep or two. Thus you get a more intense workout (and your benefits come from there).

    that.

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