I usually wake up around 9:30 and head to the gym around 10:15.
I just started taking creatine, and I have heard that it is best to take it on an empty stomach with a high-GI carb, like grape juice, and to not eat until 30 minutes after taking it. How should I work this in with my training? I’m trying to bulk up (I’m 5’11", 168, 7-8%bf, 20 yrs old).
Should I consume just the creatine before my workout and no breakfast? Or have breakfast and take the creatine another time?
Forget the “grape juice only” idea… that’s outdated info. Creatine works well when taken with carbs… AND protein… together… period. So take creatine with a meal.
Ideally you’d have a P+F meal at least an hour before your workout, then your creatine with your postworkout shake, which is going to be high-GI anyway.
As Ike said take creatine postworkout. Postworkout nutrition should be High GI. Read berardi’s articles on recovery for more info. On non training days though Im not sure, a previous poster said to take it with a meal… If you are using massive eating protocols i would take it with a protein carb meal not a protein fat meal. I would try to limit the fat in the meal if you were to have it with a meal. Or to follow creatine and grape juice with a meal. Im no expert on this however.
Here’s what works best for me: I take a tablespoonful of creatine and mix it with boiling water (that’s the only way I know to dissolve creatine instantly). I then add 2 liters of cold water and 2 or 3 scoops of Biotest Surge and blend. I bring the drink to the gym and sip it during my workout (you can also drink half of it during and half after your workout). By doing this, I noticed that I can workout with greater intensity, I recuperate faster and I get a great pump.
Hope this is useful to you.
Boiling water? No concerns with heat? I have never heard or experienced creatine absorbtion difficulties with room temp water… I am curious how much added benefit you feel you get by mixing with boiling water first.
Fyi, my postworkout shake is alomst identical to yours: 2 rounded scoops of Surge and 10grams of creatine in 18-19 oz of water.
Ummm… It seems that there are two Chris’s. Pretty crazy that we posted consecutively on the same topic. Im the Chris that posted the first responce. I dont know about boiling it. Creatine readily breaks down to its waste product creatinine in solution, I thought heating it would just accelerate this. I put the creatine in my mouth and wash it down with my post workout shake as you would with a tablet.
About the boiling thing, yea it is a good way to dissolve it in the water, but as soon as it is cool enough to drink, your almost if not all the way back where you started. I like effervescent creatine over the regular monohydrate powder, its givin me better results and i dont need to add anything crazy because of what magazines have said about grape juice this or boiling that. On non-workout days i think its best to take the creatine immediatly when you wake up, then by the time breakfast is cooked, the creatines just about absorbed in you. DONT SKIP BREAKFAST EVER. Last thing, 5 grams is all you need, increasing the dosage is just gonna dehydrate you. The effervescent’s are conveniently packaged induvidually, each with 5 grams, as to avoid be ruined from the moisure in the air. Hope any of that helps. Don’t forget to cycle creatine.
Why boiling water with creatine?
1- It dissolves instantly and I’m sure that my body will absorb it.
2- Creatine won’t break down in boiling water. Several studies were done with creatine dissolved in hot tea.
3- After it’s dissolved in boiling water mixing it with cold water doesn’t precipitate the creatine solution back at the bottom. It stays dissolved.
4- If creatine is not properly dissolved, my gut has trouble absorbing it and I can experience cramps.
I agree with GlassMan. Effervescent creatine is the way to go for myself as I have never had any abdominal “discomfort” from it. I usually down it immediately after my workouts and first thing in the morning on off days.
As far as I am informed creatine should be dissolved for proper absorbtion. Micronized creatine is easier to dissolve. Simply ad it to your post workout shake and prepare this before your workout, most of the creatine will be dissolved when it is time for your post wo. shake…
If youe use more than 5grams in the beginning you will simply load your muscles faste (and waste more since all won’t be asimilated). But it is not necessary unless you are in a hurry…
So how long does it take for creatine to breakdown to creatinine? I thought that most people at this site stayed away from effervescent creatine because it is offers nothing you cant do anyway and is likely to contain the byproduct rather than actual creatine.