Question on Creatine Supplementation?

Diet and Nutrition
1

I am a 400 metre sprinter and I’ve used creatine in the past but not with any real consistency. When I took creatine I appeared to put on around half a stone of what I’ve read is called ‘water weight’ but my strength, endurance and short/explosive speed improved. I’ve read articles saying that you should stop taking creatine 3/4 days before competing in a race to llose a bit of weight.

For optimal use, would I cycle creatine while training and then leading up to a competition maybe come off creatine for 4/5 days before running and then take a dosage about 30-60 minutes before the actual race itself to aid my ATP/PC system in the first part of the 400 metres? Is this right? Or how would you suggest I take it for optimal gains in training and performance?

2

Take it year-round. There’s no reason to go off. Furthermore, do you have a reason to drop weight before a competition? Creatine has already shown to you that it will improve your performance, why would you forsake that? Take it right before a race isn’t going to get full muscle saturation if you haven’t been staying on it. Just stay on it, and reap the rewards, again there isn’t a reason not to unless you’re competing in a weight restricted sport.

3

Half a stone sounds like a heck of a lot, 10lb is a gallon of water.