Creatine should i use it????

Hi,

I would like to know is you've had any experences, good or bad, with creatine. I've heard lots of bad stuff about it, but ive hard a lot of good stuff about it to.

The reason i am askin is because im a rower and the only reason i am, up until yesterday, in the 1st VIII (top crew) is because i have a pretty good technique. However for those of you who dont know much about rowing, being large is essential. Im only 65kg and am aiming for round 70-72kg.

My friend and i were both going to take it. but my friend doesnt want to take it any more because when we looked into it there are alot of people claiming it has bad side effects however none of these have been proven to be caused by creatine and there are also alot of people claiming it works. Creatine is not a steroid and is not illegal.

Could someone please help tell me there experences.

I'd say stay away from anything like that, roids shrink your balls so its a fairly safe assumption to say that a new, untested, steroid-like drug can possibly have the same side-effects. And you dont want to grow b*tch t*ts like bob from fight club.

Just to explain a bit more what creatine is. Creatine is a naturally occurring compound found in large amounts in skeletal muscle as a result of dietary intake and endogenous synthesis from amino acids. Creatine provides a number of important functions related to fuel supply in the muscle. Creatine is NOT a steroid!!!!!

No, creatine is not a steroid. If you eat enough beef your body gets all it needs.

When I'm lifting I do take it. A big teaspoon mixed in grape juice(sugar and low acidity) right after a workout. I also try to get as much protein as possible.

Creatine doesn't make you stronger but it does allow you to push yourself a bit further without as much pain. You'll see some size gains but that's mostly from water being stored in your muscles. That's not a bad thing but the size gains aren't as much muscle as water.

It's not very expensive so why not give it a go for a couple months and then decide for yourself?

Crazy stuff Bravotwo2, you seem to wanna get ripped like Jean Claude Van Dame just as much as I do.

Anyway I think I read something about Creatine on a site named "link removed" I think is was in there anyway.

Good luck!

Oh well i guess i jumped the gun a bit, but its my understanding u can build muscle from fat and its ***en easy to get fat so go out and eat heaps of macdonalds, build some mass to transform, make it happen!!

Creatine places some serious stress on your liver. That's why you'll see mountains of foam when you urinate. The importance of your liver's health is your own decision, but as for me, I think I'll keep mine.

I used it for a few months about 8 years ago, and it helped me put on muscle, but it also was misleading because creatine made me retain water, so some of the "weight gain" was really water weight.

Really, it's probably okay to use creatine for a brief time, but I would not get into the habit if dropping a spoonful in a health shake for the rest of my life. Look at the old movies and art...athletic men were buff without this stuff. All they did is work out like crazy and eat like animals. That's a lot better than taking a modern shortcut in my opinion.

Mike-E-Mike... I don't know where you got that information re fat turning into muscle, but it is TOTALLY 100% WRONG. I would agree w/ the guy who said don't use it for a long time. Also w/ everything people are saying about water and if it over taxes your liver then please be sure to drink TONS of water while your on it. Good Luck! Beefcake! Beefcake!

Apart from protein, creatine is the second most effective supplement. its one of the few supplements that really work:

People say it just adds water weight, well yes, it does, it hydrates the muscles !!!! and that make them tire less, allowing you do do more, which gives you better gains!!

People may say it harms the liver, well there are builders that take tons of the stuff with no ill effects. you just need to increase your water intake, and spread dosages, the good thing is, more is not better, you have a limit to how much your body stores, so, first take 10-20 grams a day for 4-5 days, then only 5 grams a day after that, you can cycle if you want, 6 weeks, then take 2 weeks off, then start all over.

I have read that cycling isnt necessary. i

If you eat a lot of red meat, you will get all the creatine you need, but who eats that much beef everyday, and frankly the fats and nitrates are more harmful than any creatine problems.

So I recommend creatine, its dirt cheap and is very effective. oh and by the way. its not a hormone or drug, its in everyones body, its natural, and is lower than normal in people that restrict their meat intake.

research and studies have found that it helps even the elderly and is recommended by many doctors, so do you think that it was harmful to kidneys (no scientific proof it does) that they would be giving it to old folks?

I think the biggest problem with creatine is its name, sounds like a drug and that causes fear in some people.

I put a scoop of vanilla flavored whey/cassein protein(30 grms) and 5 grams of creatine in my breakfast cereal every morning. i am trying to gain some muscle, just a bit thin. I am 6' 2" so I have a lot of bone to cover hehe.

I want to put my 2cents in here. I was taking Creatine in grade 12 for a while. When I first started taking it I was 160 lbs and after taking it for 4 weeks on 3 weeks off for almost half a year I got to 190lbs. I had stopped taking it a few weeks before I was going to be in an amatuer Strong man Competition so when I was competing I could "load" and kick some butt. Well 4 days after loading 5 times a day I got into a argument with my girl and absolutly snapped turning to a wall and repeatedly punching it only stopping when I saw blood on the wall. Broke my hand and fractured several bones. The one thing I learned from my experience then was that "Loading" was just a little to much for me. It gives you so much energy and makes you a snap case if you can't deal with it. Other than that I've never experienced any bad side effects or unusual things. I used it again about 4 months ago with out loading and everything was fine. As everyone was saying drink alot of water, it's not a joke. The stuff is hard on your kidneys and water will help them out. Your body produces Creatine from meats and when you start to add creatine your body gets tricked into thinking that it doesn't need to produce it anymore so don't stay on it too long. Also, any excess of creatine gets peed out.

From my studies on creatine there have been no negative side effects, and none that affect the liver. Personally I never really noticed any size or strength gains while taking it, although I did seem to have more energy and a faster recovery time. If you wanna get big, start with the basics.

1. Multivitamin

2. Weight gain powder with lots of protein

3. Creatine

4. Lots of sleep

Keep a healthy diet, high protein low carbs. Avoid sugars and junk food. The most important part of any training regiment is diet and dedication to your diet. Dont read too much into the phony side effects of everything. I've taken plenty of different supplements, and even some prohormones, still have yet to see a side effect. Keep it simple and you'll be fine. There is no miracle product out there, just remember that.

Who needs all that stuff...just kick ass in the gym and you'll be fine...

I've been taking creatine for a month and yes... i have seen some improvement and I have been able to get in more reps when i work out.... If you are going to take drink lots and lots of water like the above posts... I noticed I was breaking out a little on creatine but thats nothing major.... But yes, creatine does work

To "so-confused" High testosterone levels cause that kind of aggression, you dont need to inject yourself with it either, doing heavy lifting can raise your tests level naturally. and is known to cause aggression.

Creatin is very safe, effective, and cheap. and is actually good for you. just do a few searches on it, youll see its not just for weight lifters anymore, doctors actually suggesting it to their clients.