Creatine and aesthetics, does it help or hurt, is it worth it? ...
JstTheWayIam
Posts: 6,357 Member
I think I'm going to discontinue creatine...
Benefits: I suspect that once I stop taking it, I'll lose like 10lbs of extra water, look thinner and leaner and feel better.
Drawbacks: Concerned I'll lose strength and size
Not sure its worth it to supplement anyway, if I already get enough, then it's just causing unnecessary water retention...
Your experience is appreciated...
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It depends what type of creatine you are on. Monohydrate will yes make you hold onto wate, but there are other forms out there. Right nowI'm on krealkaline by truathlete I saw strength gains and little water retention. I would also look at your preworkout it may have some creatine in there as well.2
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Why would you stop taking creatine, especially monohydrate? Pure form has only benefits, even not training at all it would still be beneficial..... just my 2 cents!2
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JstTheWayIam wrote: »I think I'm going to discontinue creatine...
Benefits: I suspect that once I stop taking it, I'll lose like 10lbs of extra water, look thinner and leaner and feel better.
Drawbacks: Concerned I'll lose strength and size
Not sure its worth it to supplement anyway, if I already get enough, then it's just causing unnecessary water retention...
Your experience is appreciated...
It wouldn't be 10 lbs of water. If anything it's 2 to 5 and it's intra-cellular water, so your muscles actually might look more flat. You shouldn't lose anything strength, but your future gains may not improve as fast. And it's pretty much impossible to get 5g of creatine in your diet alone. And to get there, it would cost a hell of a lot. But you can stop it if you want. But switching away from monohydrate to another creatine would just be inferior.7 -
There are mental gains in creatine also.....like increased focus. It is so cheap, I don't see why you would discontinue using it!0
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There really isn't as much water retention with creatine as people tbink there is. It's a great supplement, the most tested there is. You won't notice much difference when you hop off besides the minute loss in fulness and some strength loss.1
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I think number one importance for gains is real food...supplements aren't crucial when your diet is perfect. Organic beef, bison, turkey, eggs, avocados, sweet potatoes, etc. I have seen better muscle definition, size and fullness in the last year without supplements than ever. Grocery bill was crazy, but the change in my physique was worth it. Only now when I am leaning down for show am I back on a protein shake per day and bcaas since I had to cut my food calories down.2
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I wouldn't stop creatine unless your just cycling it. It does hold water, but that water is being used within the muscle, not between your skin and fat! It will make you look leaner.1
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Thanks all for the advice, I appreciate it...
The beauty is, if I cycle off and are unhappy with the results... I can always pick it back up...
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Update on my creatine experiment:
I've been off creatine for about 2 weeks now...
- I have not seen any weight-loss
- Do not appear to have lost any strength
- Don't believe that I've lost any noticeable size
- I'm pinching <6mm on a suprailiac test, down from 7mm
So while I have not lost any weight, I have potentially lost some fat, although I'm still within the margin of error really...
Trying to get more definition in my core... Only 2 ways to do this, lose fat and build your core. However if I'm already pinching less than 6mm, this puts me at <10%.
Once you get this low its supposedly nearly impossible to burn fat and build muscle... So I have to choose apparently.
Its disheartening to see how loose skin can sap your core definition... Going to keep moving forward because I simply will never quit, just wish I saw more for my efforts... I ain't going to be humble, I work my *kitten* off and eat very clean but not ready to give up the 2 or 3 glasses of wine I have on the weekends...
Thanks for all the support!2 -
I'm a bit confused on your goals. You posted this in the gaining weight/bodybuilding section, but you are actually working on losing weight? You say you work hard and eat clean, but those are sort of vague things. The skin fold measurement wasn't impacted by creatine.
I've found keeping creatine in my diet helps with muscle fullness (including abs).0 -
I'm a bit confused on your goals. You posted this in the gaining weight/bodybuilding section, but you are actually working on losing weight? You say you work hard and eat clean, but those are sort of vague things. The skin fold measurement wasn't impacted by creatine.
I've found keeping creatine in my diet helps with muscle fullness (including abs).
You're so right, truth is I'm confused on my goals too lol0 -
JstTheWayIam wrote: »I'm a bit confused on your goals. You posted this in the gaining weight/bodybuilding section, but you are actually working on losing weight? You say you work hard and eat clean, but those are sort of vague things. The skin fold measurement wasn't impacted by creatine.
I've found keeping creatine in my diet helps with muscle fullness (including abs).
You're so right, truth is I'm confused on my goals too lol
Okay, so start with the facts and determine the best place to go from there. What's your height, weight, approximate body fat, and ultimate goal?0 -
Sups are (suprisingly) controversial - people get wound up about certain ones, but, IMHO is there is one supplement which is a no-brainer it's creatine.
No significant negatives, plenty of positives and it's cheap.
If I could only have one supplement it would be creatine monohydrate.4 -
I stopped taking creatine about 4 wks ago after taking it daily for 8 months.
Have not noticed any weight gain, loss of strength or any change in muscle definition or physique.
So, at least for me, it apparently makes no difference if I take it or not.1 -
I stopped taking creatine about 4 wks ago after taking it daily for 8 months.
Have not noticed any weight gain, loss of strength or any change in muscle definition or physique.
So, at least for me, it apparently makes no difference if I take it or not.
I noticed the same. I may be a non responder but I never noticed any benefits, even when I came off it nothing dropped or changed.0 -
If I was taking part in a creatine clinical trial I would have sworn I was being given the placebo.....
No difference noted either positive or negative for me.
Worth trying as it's inexpensive but individual responses are just that, individual.0 -
Not sure if the 1mm suprailiac loss is due to the discontinuation of the creatine...
I know creatine is supposed to draw more water into just the muscle... But do we really know for sure that it won't cause you to hold extra water between Skinfolds as well?
I don't think anyone can say with a 100% certainty... Although I have pinched the same before while on creatine...
Not sure if I will go back on it or not, may wait another week then reevaluate...0 -
I'm not a big creatine guy. Does it work? Depends on person. I know guys who works great or they think it does and others who said no difference at all. I think the psychological benefit at the beginning is what makes it so popular. For me it didn't help or hurt1
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While this is purely theoretical, i suspect the reason most done notice gains from creatine is a lot of people take is while they are still relatively new to lifting... a time period in which huge cns adaptations occur. So its hard to credit the lifter or the supplement. Its one reason i dont plan on take it until my gains hault. Because of all things, this is the most proven supplement. But it mainly supports squeaking out a few more reps or even a set.1
https://youtu.be/TeMBICIitZk
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