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What are the overall effects of creatine; good and bad.
How often do i take it; its in pill form.

When I Goggled creatine there was 5,600,000 results, so there is a lot to read.
Many of the results are from unscientific sites that sell supplements. Of course they exaggerates the benefits of supplements. Creatine is the only supplement that I'm aware of that has stood up to scientific scrutiny. The National Institute of Health (NIH) has given it an A rating for building muscle and strength. It has lower ratings for treating other problems like heart failure, muscular dystrophy and so forth.

Here is a link to the National Institute of Health's web page discussing dosage, side effects, benefits and drug interactions. The information found here is the scientific truth and not marketing hype.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-creatine.html

Yeah thats why i came here to get more direct answers.
Thanks ill check it out later.

I would stick to pure, powdered creatine monohydrate. I don't know how effective pills are.

I also only take about two scoops a day, not that much. I also don't pre-load. From what I've read, it's kind of a waste.

Creatine is truly one of the only supplements that can stand up to scrutiny. It's been studied for many, many years.

Here's to help You out:

Go hit Forums on top, in the right of the Go button and left of Search, type in "Creatine", you'd be doing yourself a favor.

Here's something I didn't know about creatine until a bodybuilder/trainer told me. It needs to be fully dissolved into liquid (solution, not suspension) before ingesting. Don't just add water, stir, and slug it down. Let it set a minute until all the solids float down to the bottom and stir again. Keep doing this until most of the solids are fully dissolved and the solution is clear. Some powders will mix better than others depending on how finely granulated they are. If you don't do this, your body won't absorb it and you'll just piss it away.

Take it once in the morning with breakfast on non-training days, and a half hour before working out on training days. From what I hear, loading and cycling creatine is not necessary and there are no ill effects from it. Positive effects are not mind-blowing either but they are there - more endurance, better pumps, etc.

Worth reading to learn more about creatine.

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_supplements/catching_up_on_creatine?utm_source=weekly_dose&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tmuscle

In my experience, creatine was a huge waste of time and money. Yeah, it gives you size gains, but it's largely due to water retention. In some people it can cause headaches. In fact, I got a few while using it.

I know some people swear it works, but it didn't for me.

I switched to Gasparis Size On Creatine after solid results with some other powder creatines. I have found my strength, size, and muscle recovery and overall body definition has definitely got better with the switch. I would highly recommend it.

I use 1000 Mg capsules.
I take 2 along with my regular morning vitamins.
Then, I take 2 more before my workouts.

It's the only suppliment that I would endorse, and I've tried a lot of them.
It aparrently draws water into my muscles, because it gives me a better pump after each work out.

I use Purple-K (and I used Pro-K) ... they work as advertised. I'd say they are the only supplements that made a noticeable difference and worked as advertised. Jury is still out if Beta Alanine provides a similar benefit!

Some people don't react to Creatine, and some people apparently get headaches. I guess it doesn't take long to figure out if you are in either of those categories.

its save, it usually works

This is kind of an old post, but for those who actually read stuff....


I highly reccomend using Green Magnitude by Controlled Labs. Mixes fast, tastes great, and overall I feel better while working out and afterward.

As for gains? I've noticed considerable endurance gains and strength gains, as well as size and thickness. Overall, it's doing it's job and I am glad that I've finally found a Creatine that wasn't loaded with a bunch of nonsense other crap that would just give me the runs (i.e. NO-xplode, Super-Pump/Charge, etc. that include creatine alongside NO2)

stuff gives you gas if you use too much lol

captproton saidIn my experience, creatine was a huge waste of time and money. Yeah, it gives you size gains, but it's largely due to water retention. In some people it can cause headaches. In fact, I got a few while using it.

I know some people swear it works, but it didn't for me.

yes indeed. I become very agitated, and have massive headaches within a half hour. I do feel it works wonders for me, but the side effects alone on it, make it a rough time working out with it..

I don't see the point in it for me but my doctor was pretty sure when she said that it can cause liver damage and heart problems. Even if she may be wrong or whatever, I am not going to risk it on something that I really don't need

Dude, creatine puts me on EDGE. Every time I decide I am gonna try it again...a few days into it and I'm a raging dickhead. Everything pisses me off. I become so irritable that I can't even stand myself. Last time I tried it my roommate was like "what the hell is wrong with you?" Something as small as my dog barking would make me angry and flip the fuck out. Then a few days off it and I'm fine. So I dunno...maybe it's just the effect it has on me but I need to stay away from it. Just be careful...the results from it are not that amazing. It helps some, but surely not worth any health risks.

It usually works,but the long term side effects are unknown....kinda like do cellphones gives you cancer
So you can use it,but you never what could happen.When they first sold cigarettes they only knew like 20-30 years later that it was so bad for your health.
Id say try it once,to drink with grape juice,after a few weeks using the same program....i've done it once in the past,works well but had some side effects.Good Luck!

im trying a new creatine product by allmax. called cremagnavol.
its creatine chelate... the selling feature is its buffered and time released so it actually gets into ur system... i dunno im on my second cycle of it and am enjoying it so far. ill have to research a bit more... creatines been talked about for yeeeeearssss.

BILLY_1980 saidDude, creatine puts me on EDGE. Every time I decide I am gonna try it again...a few days into it and I'm a raging dickhead. Everything pisses me off.

Perhaps you're allergic to the synthetic version of creatine. Foods naturally have creatine such as red meats, fish, chicken, eggs, basically high protein sourced foods. Hopefully you're not on edge from eating these foods or that would really suck.

I would avoid creatine... its mostly "false" gains and it tends to make you retain water. Instead go with NANOX9. It's a nitrogen supplement and works awesome. Plus in improves blood flow and has some pretty cool side affects

MuchMoreThanMuscle said

BILLY_1980 saidDude, creatine puts me on EDGE. Every time I decide I am gonna try it again...a few days into it and I'm a raging dickhead. Everything pisses me off.

Perhaps you're allergic to the synthetic version of creatine. Foods naturally have creatine such as red meats, fish, chicken, eggs, basically high protein sourced foods. Hopefully you're not on edge from eating these foods or that would really suck.

It could also be a reaction to artificial sweeteners if the creatine you were taking has them in it. A lot of people have reported similar adverse reactions to different types of artificial sweeteners.