Creatine?

[imported_juggernaut28]

How many people are taking this and does it really work? I thought about letting my son take this and just wondered what if anyone has had any bad experiences taking this. I know several kids that are taking this and it seems to be helping them. I just wonder down the road if any bad side effects will occur. I have read up on this and I am just not sure yet.

[DawgFan3]

I take it and have seen pretty good results over the past few years, but I take it with other supplements, but started on only creatine and it increased my over all strenth. The other sided effect I saw was more cramps, due to excess water being sent to my muscels and it wasn't mixing right with my potassium levels so I went to my doctor and he told me all about the stuff. He told me to drink water to help rid my kidneys of excess creatine, usually 64oz a day and with the cramps...take potassium pills and it solved my problem.

[imported_elp6n]

It doesn't really work llike folks think. The 'bulking up' is often just water weight, where water is pulled from cells leaving the muscles vulnerable.

It may cause high blood pressure in some.
The American College of Sports Medicine has recommended that people 18 and younger should not use creatine.

[DawgFan3]

Ive used it since I was 14..my pediatrician told me as long as I drank enough water and only took the reccomended dosage, it would be fine to take.

It just keeps you from being sore, your body produces it naturally. Cycle 6 weeks on and 2-4 off that along with some good ole whey protein and you will see about 10-20 lbs on his frame by the time football season begins, results will mainly depend on how hard he works in the gym. It like all supplements are supplements, they arent something you should take on a regular basis. Id suggest a weight program in the morning and evening for your son, that with a good double dose of protein shakes a day, with his work ethic, he will definatley see some results, the creatine is optional really.

[imported_elp6n]

The body produces 2 grams daily.
Some people using it go over 20 grams daily.

Like I said, its a supplement, just like HGH, DHEA, Tribulus, Andro, Amino Acids, HMB or any other stack really. All which I have taken at one point or another with the exception of HGH. It will increase strength along with water retention etc. I know I have taken it at various times since I was 18. Its meant for cycling and that along with protein and the use of amino acids I would feel is the best "stack" a young person could or should take, all of which are naturally produced by the body.

[imported_elp6n]

It's actually not proven to increase strength.
Some think it's actually a placebo effect; the person using the supplement works harder when they think creatine is working, and as a result see better results

Here's one of many articles on studies done on creatine. I'm not saying it's bad, I'm saying there's a lot unknown about it long-term, and about how/if it works:

A popular sports supplement really can boost athletic power for the length of a hard-fought game, Australian researchers report. The question is whether anyone other than top athletes would notice the difference.

The supplement is creatine, a nutrient found in red meat and dairy products. Creatine is stored in muscle tissue where it is needed to produce quick bursts of energy. It is not a steroid, and is widely used by professional and college athletes. Despite this widespread use, researchers have long debated whether pumping the body full of creatine can really make a difference.

David Preen, PhD, and co-workers at the University of Western Australia gave 14 young men either 20 grams of creatine each day for five days or an identical-looking, harmless substitute. The men then performed a series of sprints on a computerized track cycle over 80 minutes -- an exercise designed to simulate playing a professional soccer match.

The men who loaded up on creatine were able to generate more power during the first few seconds of each sprint than the men who got the inactive substitute. Overall, the creatine loaders were able to do 6% more work.

"Such improvements in peak power ... would be advantageous to many types of athletes who rely on speed or strength during competition," Preen and co-workers suggest.
William J. Kraemer, PhD, is the new head of the sports medicine division at the University of Connecticut. He says that while some people's muscles are naturally full of creatine, most people's muscles hold creatine like a leaky cup.

"The muscle is about two-thirds full of creatine with a slow leak of about 1 or 2 grams a day," Kraemer tells WebMD. "You can fill the cup up rapidly by taking a lot of creatine all at once, or you can do it in a slower manner by taking 5 grams a day for a couple of months. Essentially it is nothing more than helping the energy system. When you have a rundown from pretty high-level activities, your ability to make [more energy] becomes a limiting factor. So by having creatine more available, by adding to the pool you have more ability [to make energy]."

Kraemer notes that it's a very bad idea to take a huge dose of creatine all at once, as the body can only absorb so much -- and getting rid of the rest puts strain on the kidneys. Even the 20 g/d doses used for experimental purposes are too high, he says. Since the body uses about 2 g/d, loading with 5 grams a day over a period of months makes a lot more sense.

But would a weekend warrior notice any difference?

"For the weekend athlete, the question is how much is this small gain worth," Kraemer says. "Some people say it is important, others say 'I am just playing on the weekend, what difference does it make?'

"Typically the benefit is in power capability, sprint capability, speed power and strength. You would be able to push out a few more reps, you would be able to jump a little bit higher, especially with repetitive jumps, you would be able to sprint a little bit faster -- about 5-15% more, but only if you are one of those people whose cup starts out two-thirds full."

Kraemer says that he has not seen any harmful effects with proper creatine use. But he notes that most athletic organizations recommend against using creatine because its long-term safety is unproven. High-level athletes, however, tend to seek any advantage that they can.

"It is not on the banned substance list to my knowledge," Kraemer says. "And I can guarantee that at the Olympics, any power or speed athlete is loaded."

Its proven, I have used it. It doesnt have the same effect that most think, soreness oftens limits a person, it with best explanation rehydrates your muscles. Andro, or 1-AD is the only thing I have ever taken that shows immediate results. any pro-hormone will give you a big boost, but thats where you get into uncharted territory. The prolonged effects havent been seen cause they havent been around long enough to see really. I remember around 98 or so when the EAS explosion happened, their products were the first I ever took phosphogen, creatine and protein products. I was in college before I ever went to stacks etc.

I would be willing to say it increases strength, not in a sense that some think but I know it allows a person to make more gains or in the pro hormone sense. EAS have does alot of studies of their products, the gains of supplemented lifters and those who are full natural, Bill Simmons and EAS have alot of literature on their products.

[imported_MoonlightGraham]

I disagree, I seen moderate results when I took it. Especially after I "peaked". It really helped me get over the hump that anyone who has ever lifted seriously can tell you about. i.e. you get stuck at a certain weight and can't move up for weeks or months.


However, to the person asking if they should let their son take it, I would advise against it. Like NOLA said your body produces a small amount anyway, and Creatine basically keeps you from getting sore.

However in my own personal experience I have found that it does increase the likely hood of injury and if you are injuried it slows your recovery time down.

But this is jus my opinion you can take it with a grain of salt.