Creatine Advice

I need some advice from you veterans out there. I’ve never used creatine before, I’ve never even really looked into it so your advice here is gold to me.

I’m 5-10 and ‘apparently’ I’m up 200lbs, I’d say best guestimate of about 15% bf. I say that cautiously because I can still see my top two abs pretty well, but 4 months ago I weighed 192 on the same scale and I don’t know where any muscle would have gone.

Anyways, I lift 4 days a week but exercise 6 days a week and my goals…well I’d like to be up at about 210ish and at about 11-12%bf.

So, which creatine products are the goods? Any other tips about cycling, or mixing or anything you can think of are music to my ears.

Thanks!

Edit: I’ve searched a bit so I know a little bit. I’m just looking to what you’ve tried and what you’ve had the most success with.

Just get Biotest’s micronized creatine, and take it 5g a day.

With creatine, I just listen to Berardi, and do 5g with my workout shake and 5 g with my post workout shake. Thats it.

If you haven’t seen this Barrticle, it should help answer your questions: http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=768093

I’ve got the same questions and situation as slickid. I’ve read a bit here and can’t seem to see the forest through the trees with regards to creatine. So what does this stuff do for us?

Buy creapure.
I take creatine the way Ian King recommends. I posted several times. Do a search.

[quote]David Barr wrote:
If you haven’t seen this Barrticle, it should help answer your questions: http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=768093[/quote]

I agree, that was a very informative article.

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
David Barr wrote:
If you haven’t seen this Barrticle, it should help answer your questions: http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=768093

I agree, that was a very informative article.[/quote]

Forest, trees… The article covers when to take it, what kind to take, to cycle or not, mental health, interaction with caffeine, etc…

I’m still not seeing much on what this does or won’t do for my muscles.

[quote]shanec26 wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
David Barr wrote:
If you haven’t seen this Barrticle, it should help answer your questions: http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=768093

I agree, that was a very informative article.

Forest, trees… The article covers when to take it, what kind to take, to cycle or not, mental health, interaction with caffeine, etc…

I’m still not seeing much on what this does or won’t do for my muscles.

[/quote]

I am the king of the skeptics and am not even necessarily impressed with scientific studies which many times don’t translate into anything tangible.

However there is more consistent, voluminous evidence for the benefits of creatine than any other supp in history. It’s cheap, easy to take and to date shows no dangerous side effects. It does seem to positively effect my strength and “hardness”. It’s been long enough since I wasn’t using it that it’s admittedly tough to compare.

I’m not getting into all the science, someone else can do that or do a search at medline/pubmed or here. It’s 13 bucks in the T-Nation store for enough to last a few months. WHY NOT?

I will say if you expect drug like results from this or any other nutritional supplement you’re setting yourself up for disappointment.

[quote]David Barr wrote:
If you haven’t seen this Barrticle, it should help answer your questions: http://www.T-Nation.com/readTopic.do?id=768093
[/quote]

You’re on a tear recently. You’re almost posting more than X.

[quote]shanec26 wrote:
TI’m still not seeing much on what this does or won’t do for my muscles.[/quote]

It seems to speed recuperation for me. That’s critical to getting bigger and stronger.

It also seems to make me have better pumps (could be imagining that, or coincidence) and just seem to feel more muscular. Again, could be coincidence.

When I take creatine, my poundages in the gym do tend to go up. Also, I do get results on only 5 grams, but I got even better results on 20 grams, way back when I first used it (that’s 4x5 grams, spread out over the day). I gained about 20 pounds in a year, and I already had years of training experience (not a newbie). I used a loading dose of 30 grams a day for a week, then my maintenance level was 20 grams a day.

Now I take it only once a day (5 gram serving) with my post-workout shake, I’m not as hardcore as I used to be. But hell yeah, I think it makes a difference. It’s been around for what, like 10-15 years now? Most people do think it’s helpful. Does anybody in the field doubt it’s effective?

Oh yeah, make sure you get plenty of water, too.

[quote]PGA wrote:

You’re on a tear recently. You’re almost posting more than X.[/quote]

Shut up.

:wink:

[quote]shanec26 wrote:
Forest, trees… The article covers when to take it, what kind to take, to cycle or not, mental health, interaction with caffeine, etc…

I’m still not seeing much on what this does or won’t do for my muscles.

[/quote]

Damn, I answered every question except yours.

Basically creatine increases the amount of quick energy in our muscle. It also fills our muscle cells up with water (on the inside), which gives the appearance of having greater muscle fullness -remember that muscle (and all cells) are mostly water anyway, so this is a very positive effect.

The anabolic effect of creatine is exaggerated, but it does help us train harder, and enhances athletic performance.