I've heard of this product tons of times, but not sure if it's one of the "good" supplements like whey protien, or one of the "bad" ones like ephedra.

Is it safe? Is it recommended for a casual lifter? Meaning someone who just started lifting 2-3 days a week and following the new rules workout.

Creatine is a chemical that helps the muscles create energy. So, if you have adequate ceratine you may be able to do a few more reps in a set than if you did not have enough. Obviously doing more reps with the same weight may translate into more growth stimulation, given adequate nutrition and rest after your workout session. Creatine is naturally found in meat, mostly in red meat, but in very small amounts. So to get 5 grams of creatine from natural foods you would have to eat many pounds of steak a day. Unforutnately, you would also be eating a lot of saturated fat along with the creatine. So some individuals find that supplementing with creatine improves their workouts and leads to improved muscle hypertrophy, without adding a lot of saturated fat to their diet.

Its naturally produced by the body for quick bouts of energy, usually under 10 seconds.

http://www.fitness.com/forum/supplem...-faq-8140.html

I use to think creatine was harmful, but actually it is a great supplement.

Creatine is safe.

As far as used by the "casual lifter," creatine is something that you need to build up levels of in your bloodstream to benefit most. Some people will do a "loading" phase where they take several 5 gram servings a day for 3-7 days and then cut back to 1-2 per day after that. Personally, I don't think that is necessary because it is a naturally occuring product in your blood and normal diet (see next paragraph) and I think that the excess that your body does not absorb when "loading" just gets pissed down the toilet. Plus, some people experience gastric distress from higher doses.

I just read in one of the more common, and trustworthy weight lifting periodicals that you should cycle creatine "off" every 3rd or 4th month b/c your body naturally creates the byproduct that creatine breaks down to but when you take the supplement your body's natural production slows or stops. (Man that was an awful sentence )

They said to cycle off so your body will return to "normal" levels and that way the creatine supplement is not "picking up slack" but rather, adding fuel to the fire.