I am currently dropping body fat and am wondering about using Creatine. Any need to use it or should I wait till I get into a mass building program?
Use it. That’s what I do and found it helpful. Just use it with PWO drink like Surge to force more creatine into muscles. I could tell the differences with and without creatine. I thought I work harder with creatine even on reduced carbs like T-Dawg Diet 2.0.
Yeah, I have been using creatine while dropping some pounds and I can tell the difference without it.
I also feel better in the gym, more strength, but that might just be from the over indulgence in veggies…
Take Berardi’s advice, hammer the veggies, feel amazing and get lean. if you don’t already of course.
It won’t halt fat loss or any crap like that.
Ciao
Technically since it ends up giving you more ATP to work with, it could allow to push out a few more reps, allowing you to burn more calories. Not to mention the recovery energy needed from a increased workout capacity.
I’d definitely use it with something like Meltdown II. You will keep some water retention, (from my exerience) however, but you can adjust for that during the later stages of your workout cycles.
This comment is related to Tungsten’s comment about Surge and creatine uptake. I’m not sure the exact ingredients in Surge other than whey protein, glucose/ maltodextrin/sucralose, but I’m not sure that would cause the increase in creatine uptake into the muscles. I have had a friend tell me that insulin increases do not cause a faster creatine uptake, but a certain type of sodium actually facilitates this movement. This was an apparently overlooked factor in the original studies with Phosphagen HP when simple sugars were added to the equation. Since this salt was supposedly in there, it made it appear as if the simple sugars were causing this increase in creatine monohydrate uptake. Granted, this is just heresay, but he provided an excellent argument. If ANYONE has any information about this, please tell me so I don’t keep spewing misinformation.
thanks for the comments guys. I think I will start using it.
Do I need to cycle Creatin? One month on one month off sorta thing or just take 5 g per day everyday?
I don’t think it matters. I know Berardi doesn’t cycle creatine intake at all.
I remember reading about the salt part too. I would have to look into this. I forgot about it. Thanks for reminding me
[quote]iluminatae wrote:
thanks for the comments guys. I think I will start using it.
Do I need to cycle Creatin? One month on one month off sorta thing or just take 5 g per day everyday?
[/quote]
Hi Jack!
-
Both the sodium and carbs in Surge will help creatine uptake.
-
At last check, Berardi cycles creatine between higher and lower intakes.
Cheers
Creatine supplementation influences substrate utilization at rest.
Huso ME, Hampl JS, Johnston CS, Swan PD.
Department of Nutrition, Arizona State University, Mesa, Arizona 85212, USA.
The influence of creatine supplementation on substrate utilization during rest was investigated using a double-blind crossover design. Ten active men participated in 12 wk of weight training and were given creatine and placebo (20 g/day for 4 days, then 2 g/day for 17 days) in two trials separated by a 4-wk washout. Body composition, substrate utilization, and strength were assessed after weeks 2, 5, 9, and 12. Maximal isometric contraction [1 repetition maximum (RM)] leg press increased significantly (P < 0.05) after both treatments, but 1-RM bench press was increased (33 +/- 8 kg, P < 0.05) only after creatine. Total body mass increased (1.6 +/- 0.5 kg, P < 0.05) after creatine but not after placebo. Significant (P < 0.05) increases in fat-free mass were found after creatine and placebo supplementation (1.9 +/- 0.8 and 2.2 +/- 0.7 kg, respectively). Fat mass did not change significantly with creatine but decreased after the placebo trial (-2.4 +/- 0.8 kg, P < 0.05). Carbohydrate oxidation was increased by creatine (8.9 +/- 4.0%, P < 0.05), whereas there was a trend for increased respiratory exchange ratio after creatine supplementation (0.03 +/- 0.01, P = 0.07). Changes in substrate oxidation may influence the inhibition of fat mass loss associated with creatine after weight training.
Carbs + Creatine DOES help creatine uptake into the muscle cell!!!
Why? Because insulin is released by the pancreas to take the glucose out of the blood to either deliver it to the muscle cell for use or strorage, or into adiapose tissue (after all stores are full, liver and muscle) in the form of fat.
Anyway, insulin opens glucose receptors in the muscle cell, because the cell knows glucose is it’s #1 energy source to make ATP. If creatine in also in the blood circulating when insulin is spiked and especially post-w/o, it will be uploaded in the cell at a greater efficiency because it’s “riding the back” of the glucose. Also, creatine is taken into the muscle cell, because it knows it can make more creatine phosphate which in turn will make more ATP. CP is the #2 source of fuel for a muscle after stored ATP is used up.
(FYI, #3 fuel source is pyruvate - O2, #4 is pyruvate + O2, #5 is O2 + fatty acids).