hey, i'm 19 years old, 160lb and in the process of removing some extra fat. i'm thinkning of taking creatine but not sure what exactly to take.

Also i know alot of people that stopped taking creatine because it got too watery, does it really get that bad?

Creatine is a bit more complex than the good old prot' shake.

The general rule of thumb is stick to the 'Monohydrate' type. Also, its best to stay away from the cheap brands from China (look up brands that use "Creapure", probably your best bet and have been using it myself for some time). From what i can tell, the more you spend, the better. 1kg will cost about $55-60AUD (not sure of USD conversion)

Creatine is used in two phases. I could get the following wrong so i do apologise just in case.

The first stage is the "Loading phase"
For 4-7 days take between 30g & 50g of Creatine.

After the loading phase, we step into what I believe is called the "Maintenance phase"

Everyday after the intial 4-7 days for loading (whatever you choose, I was on 6 days @ 40g) take no more than 15g for the next 5 weeks, everyday.

At the 6 week mark, Reload (Loading phase) and go all over again.

1kg will get about 200 servings.

Take about an hour before your workout if you like but i get fantastic results when i drink it whenever, im yet to see any benefit taking it before the workout as silly as that sounds......


Sometimes the prot' shakes can get a bit to much (3 times a day) and lets face, they are not the best tasting (5x whole eggs and milk with a tiny bit of sugar taste tens times better!!!) where as creatine can come in flavourless or some nice tasting flavours such as orange/grape. Be warned, it doesnt disolve so easy. I give it a quick stir just before each mouthful, it makes it slide down more easier.

Creatine can be consumed with any amount of liquid you like, i usually mix it up with 400ml of water. But i have heard fantastic results with it mixed with grape juice or any non acidic juices.

As for the watery effect, yes it does get watery. You will notice this when the diarreah sets in . Let me know if you wish to know more about it haha!

Creatine is not for everybody but its worthwhile giving it a go if you have had no prior kidney issues (this is a long story, but basically Creatine is still in the "experimental" stage, but considered safe)

Id like others to shed some light on the subject and correct any mistakes ive made.

Cheers,

Steve.

PS: Creatine has no fat content, so it wont pack on the fatty pounts like the prot' shakes do , this could be an issue during bulking (or maybe not?)

Skip the loading phase. There's no reason for it.

Does it?

thats exactly wut i wanted to hear, i'm actually very glad to hear i won't gain fat weight while taking it

can u elaborate a little more please

Okay, take 5-8 grams of creatine everyday. Thats all you need to know. Don't take 15, 20, 40, 60 grams of creatine, you're just wasting it!!!

I agree with Elite Marine 5-8 grams is plenty, anything beyond that will just pass through your system

I agree w/ evo and elite 100%

there is no need for a loading phase and a maintenance phase...stick w/ the 5-8gr daily, mixed with water. Its the best way to go.

I'll have to give 8g a day a go without maint and load phases. I have never tried it like that and id love to force another 50 servings out of the tub hehe!!

Ill let you know how it goes on my end. It now might be worthless if i have been using the load/main phase system.

Yes Dukes, it can get very watery. You will actually put on a bit of weight while using it but this is just weight contributed by water, not fat - so no need to stress. But as i said, the water effect will also reflect your actions in the toilet for a couple of weeks or less

haha, okay i'll definatly try that i just have a few questions

1) Would this water weight having anything to do my love handles getting bigger?

2) Is should i try to shed a few more pounds in fat before taking creatine or it doesn't matter?

thanks

1) No, water weight will not usually reflect on your physical appearence. Although, it may have a tiny effect of bloating, which i hardly doubt will happen.

2) Shedding the pounds is completely up to you and depends if you are bulking or cutting. Naturally, if your bulking, its not really worth trying to get rid of the excess pounds as it may even help. At the end of the day, Creatine wont put on the 'fat' so, its a decision of your own.

Others may have a bit more in-depth reply to this question, re whether or not you're bulking or cutting.

Cheers,

Steve.

When should you see some results?

What do you mean "too watery"? When you're on creatine, you should drink more water to increase efficacy and to avoid stomach cramps.. but you should be drinking a lot of water already.

You will gain weight while on creatine, though.. however, it will be water weight, not fat.

I would skip creatine until you start lifting more. It won't really be an aid to fat loss, it might just help you get a few more reps out of your weight training workouts.

I think he means 'water bloat' looking when he says watery.

I never feel bloated on the creatine.

and guys, its 3-5g a day. if you're under 200lbs and fairly lean, 3g is gonna get you saturated in 3 weeks, and keep you saturated. over 200lbs and lean, go with 5g since you have more lean mass that needs the creatine. same deal, 5g will get you saturated in 21days and keep you there.

just take it post workout. creatine isn't an 'instantly absorbed/used' supplement so taking it pre-workout doesn't offer any advantage over post workout...but post workout your creatine stores will be lower and your body will acutally need it.

Good synopsis Malkore.

not too mention, PWO is the only time you're consuming enough high GI carbs to make a difference. It's like killing two birds with one stone.