im considering using creatine...

[LastKnight]

hey guys, im new to this group... i didnt really know it existed...

anyway... ive been on a musclebuilding kick latley... im tired of being a fat pile of lard... im still working on losing that weight... as well as gaining a bit of definition and tone to my body... and i was reading a book that i have been pretty much taking all of my exercise advice from recently (a bowflex thing) and it suggests creatine for a power blitz routine im considering starting soon.

so, what is everyone's expierence with creatine? im a little skiddish about stuff i put into my body... so i wanna know about this stuff, ive been reading up on it but none of the sites seem to reach any consensus as to if it has side affects or not.

also, i hear weight gain can be associeated with this...water weight im assuming, but thats just speculation, also weight gain from all the extra calories? ive heard suggestions to up the sugar due to the insulin boost it gives... and ive heard arguments for lowering the sugar and thus calories... which is the way to go? im guessing as a teenager i get enough sugar as is... but i dont know what to think.

what say you - wise DUers?

and if you do reccommend it... any specific brand/type to look for?

(i have NO clue whats what with this stuff)

[MemphisTiger]

1. Creatine is a good supplement

but it is no substitute for a solid diet. The only side effect I found in studies was GI distress. I had this problem. Many I know have used it and seen great results. Follow the instruction carefully and don't take it with caffiene and make sure to drink a ton of water. You will gain water weight into your muscles and you won't feel the burn nearly as bad when lifting weight. Also, creatine has NO calories. Look for a brand with the CreaPure label on it, like Prolab or Optimum Nutrition. Use the creatine monohydrate. Just spoon it into your mouth and chase with water. It is tough to get used to but it only takes a couple of days to get used to it. Also, if you have no clue, do more research. There is plenty of it on the internet from reputable sources. Beware of web sites that are trying to sell something or a competing product. I've used it twice in the past. The optimum nutrition gave me great pumps and more strength and the EAS stuff gave me stomach cramps.

[flvegan]

2. Some folks see great results, some see none.

I'd stay away from creatine monohydrate (CM). CM has been associated with water bloat and retention, gastric problems, headaches, etc. There's also the creatine loading opinion with CM. If you want mass gain, CM does work, but there are tons of better options.

First, most creatines today are stacked with all kinds of delivery methods, glutamine AKG, NO, etc, so read labels carefully so you know what you're getting. I hate to say that you get what you pay for here, but for the most part, it's true. There's dicreatine malate, esterified creatine, ethyl...the list goes on and on. It seems that every couple months, a new "breakthrough" is announced, and each one seems more costly than the previous one.

As a teenager, you might want to talk to your doctor, or at least a school coach trained in teen supplementation about taking creatine first. Next, ask around (like you've done here). If you go to a gym, ask someone who's putting mass on what creatine product he/she is using.

I use and recommend creatine. I used CM for a while years ago, when it was the only option. If you were asking me for a specific recommendation, as always, I'm a big fan of BSN's products. I like No-XPlode (dicreatine malate, L-arginine AKG) for a pre-workout bump and I like Cell-Mass (Creatine Ethyl Ester Malate) for my immediate post-workout creatine intake. The Cell-Mass is pretty new for me (a month or so) but I've used the No-Xplode for a while now. No problems, great results (but not cheap). As a caveat, the body can only store so much creatine, which is naturally found in meat. I'm a vegan, and it's rumored that creatine from a bottle has a better effect when used by people that don't eat meat. My results may not be typical.

[4_Legs_Good]

4. On Flvegan's advice I've switched to NO-Xplode, and I really like it

As he said, it's not cheap, but it is probably the best tasting supplement I've ever taken - it's actually fun to drink. I am just a lanky guy trying to put on some weight, but I have a bodybuilding veteran friend who also switched to this stuff and he really likes it too.

I've tried bunches of creatine over the past couple years, and this seems to be the best combo yet. I'm a real slow gainer, 20 lbs in 2 years or so.

Hey! I'm glad to hear you're using a Bowflex. While I'm more into the gym and free weights now, using the Bowflex for a year or so really got me feeling like I could do more and get back into the gym scene again (which I had sworn off a few years ago - as I never had much success). It's a great machine for making you feel fit and give you confidence that you're making progress.

david

[LastKnight]

5. yea... bowflex... its not the ideal thing for building muscle.

more aimed at trimming fat... but my parents got it... and while im away from the college weight room for the summer it works pretty damn well for free... honestly... lol

ill probably try that no-xplode stuff, do i have to order it online or will i be able to find it at a sporting goods store?

-LK

[MemphisTiger]

6. A bowflex is better than nothing, but...

if you're serious about putting on mass, then free weights are your answer and diet. Let us know how the NO-xplode works. Definately, buy if from an online retailer if you have a credit card or paypal.

I like:

www.1fast400.com
www.dpsnutrtion.com
www.planetarynutrition.com

These are the best prices I've found on any supplements.

[LastKnight]

7. got any suggestions for free weight workouts?

or a good website to show me a few? i got a few exercises i do just as a minor workout on the days i dont use the 'flex...

just some minor things for biceps, triceps, and pecks... but nothing too serious, just cause i dont know where to look for such things.

[flvegan]

8. bodybuilding.com is pretty good

they use pictures and have decent descriptions of how to execute the exercises.

Here is the specific page you might want to check out. It breaks exercises into body parts...
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exercises.htm

[LastKnight]

9. thanks!

[flvegan]

10. You are most welcome!

Good luck. Let us all know about your progress!

[4_Legs_Good]

13. This book: "Strength Training Anatomy" is great

at least it was for me. It's very, very simple and just gives you some ideas about what a bunch of different exercises will do for you. You can then go through and put together a workout schedule. It's kinda like the bowflex book, but it's focused more on free-weights with some gym machines.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0736041850/qid=1120003583/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-3556136-5009430?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

david

[flvegan]

11. Whew! I'm so glad that it's working for you.

I hate promoting a specific product, as not everything works for everyone.

Hey...I think BSN should be cutting me a check! Kidding...the payoff is from the individual bettering himself/herself.

I knew I'd never ever get rich doing this...

[4_Legs_Good]

12. I know everything works differently for different people, buuuuut

with SO MUCH STUFF OUT THERE, it's 100,000x better to have someone like you around who can suggest stuff rather than taking the marketing advice of the people making the supplements. Of course I also poke around and do some research, but LORDY, if I had to try every product to see which one worked best I'd be dead in no time.

You give us a good starting point, so please, don't hold back on the advice. When you're full of sh*t we'll let you know.

david

[flakey_foont]

3. I personally have had

very good results with Creatine...
I use it for a few weeks, then stay off it,, cycle...have seen no adverse effects,..
but do some research,