supplements

jonboy22

does anyone on here use creatine, if so does it work for you. Thinkin of givin it a try to increase my overall endurance level and give me more energy, any opinions??? cheers

shockedsoshocked

I think there's been a study published recently about creatine having positive effects on muscle repair.

I've been looking into it with a physiologist, it's possible I'll try some after the New Year when I'll be lifting heavy twice a week and doing intervals twice a week. Potentially it might reduce recovery time from heavy weights sessions especially from maybe 3-4 days, to 1-2 days. Hopefully when i come off it and lose the bulk/water I'll maintain some of the benefits that taking the stuff gives like lifting more etc.

Hope that's of some help!

pianoman

If you go for creatine, make sure you pick a micronised version, they dissolve much better in water than the basic makes. Also, I've read somewhere that creatine is better absorbed when combined with magnesium chelate.

Alex_Simmons/RST

For use in sports with multiple short duration efforts, not suggested for endurance cycling. Will tend to promote weight gain. See here for some good info:
http://www.ausport.gov.au/ais/nutrition ... s/creatine

Headhuunter

This keeps on coming up every few months or so here. As the previous poster says, I think creatine offers most benefit in short burst muscle use such as weight lifting. I have heard that some research has shown that small amounts can help in endurance sports like cycling, but you're probably better off investing in decent sports drink ingredients like maltodextrin, electrolyte salts, choline and protein for use during hard rides and after for recovery.

jonboy22

thanks for the info fellas looked into it a bit more and the weight gain part has put me off totally need to lose weight not gain it! Using the zero tablets at ther moment for during hard rides but looking into post ride recovery shakes (low fat) does anyone know of any decent ones?

vorsprung

jonboy22 wrote:

thanks for the info fellas looked into it a bit more and the weight gain part has put me off totally need to lose weight not gain it! Using the zero tablets at ther moment for during hard rides but looking into post ride recovery shakes (low fat) does anyone know of any decent ones?

All Sports Amino Load works for me
Anything with a load of long chain polymer sugars in it would be fine though

Headhuunter

As far as I understand, creatine in itself does not lead to weight gain, either in the form of muscle or fat. Creatine is a substance in your muscles which they use for short burst efforts. It simply allows weightlifters to push heavy weights for longer, the resultant extra training means they build more muscle. Protein shakes etc are what actually builds the muscle/weight itself, creatine is just a means to and end.

If you take creatine, without doing any actual exercise, you won't get bigger, except that creatine powders are often mixed with sweeteners, flavours and sugars which have a calorific value, so you may actually get slightly fatter. However I have heard that some scientific research has shown that taking creatine over a long period can actually inhibit your bodies own ability to produce creatine by itself and you come to rely on supplements which doesn't sound good.

shockedsoshocked

Headhuunter wrote:

As far as I understand, creatine in itself does not lead to weight gain, either in the form of muscle or fat. Creatine is a substance in your muscles which they use for short burst efforts. It simply allows weightlifters to push heavy weights for longer, the resultant extra training means they build more muscle. Protein shakes etc are what actually builds the muscle/weight itself, creatine is just a means to and end.

If you take creatine, without doing any actual exercise, you won't get bigger, except that creatine powders are often mixed with sweeteners, flavours and sugars which have a calorific value, so you may actually get slightly fatter. However I have heard that some scientific research has shown that taking creatine over a long period can actually inhibit your bodies own ability to produce creatine by itself and you come to rely on supplements which doesn't sound good.

Creatine does make you retain more water, so weight gain will happen in that respect initially even if you don't train. The rest (hopefully) will be the increased muscle mass from being able to lift more/heavier.

Taking creatine in very high doses may lead to the it inhibiting your bodies natural production, because your body won't bother if it's already present in high levels, but you shouldn't be taking such a high dosage anyway.