Creatine - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

strange · 10-30-2004, 12:05 PM

I recently started to go back to the gym and work out. I need to lose about 15 pounds and I want a semi-defined body. I used to have muscles but they've gone away.

Anyway I used to take creatine before and I did bulk up a bit, but I'm wondering if it is safe. I have not read up on it yet and I was hoping someone out there might know if it is ok to take. Thanks for the help.

MSD · 10-30-2004, 10:46 PM

It's safe, a friend of mine is taking it now. Just make sure you don't have caffiene at all until after you stop taking it.

strange · 10-31-2004, 01:20 AM

Why no caffeine? I'm addicted to Coca Cola so that might be a problem.

coash · 10-31-2004, 03:07 AM

if you're going to lose 15 pounds you better start cutting the coke before you worry about creatine

st33lr4t · 10-31-2004, 05:49 AM

changing your diet could probably kill 15lbs.

subnet_rx · 11-01-2004, 11:00 PM

I've read a lot about creatine, nothing about a relationship with caffiene. If it is true, I'd love to see some links so I'd be better informed.

tman17m · 11-02-2004, 12:58 PM

im in my 3rd week of taking creatine....its been great for me...from all of the stuff that ive read, as long as you dont take too much, and stay well hydrated its all good...
ive read that the best time to take it is right after a workout, and to not take it with fruit juice, as fruit juice sort of counter acts the creatine...i take mine with gatorade and cant taste it at all...
hope it goes well

Bossnass · 11-02-2004, 03:40 PM

My understanding is that the key to success with creatine is hydration: it helps hydrate your muscles so they both get bigger (temporary) and you can work them harder and longer.

Caffiene is a diuretic. It makes your body get rid of water.

Therefore, and I have been told this by fitness people (and other gym rats), caffiene and creatine conflict. It won't hurt you, but you won't be getting near as much benefit from it.

On a side note, creatine probably won't help you drop 15 lbs. I generally gained weight (water and muscle mass) when I used it. Approriate diet and cardio would be better.
(Back in the day, I was a semi-regular creatine using athlete)

thingstodo · 11-02-2004, 03:55 PM

To lose weight you must be able to understand some physics and do simple math. This is the formula: {fuel input} minus {energy expended} equals {mass}, where fuel input is equal to all the crap your put in your mouth, energy expended equals the amount of work you do with your body from whatever source, including breathing, sex and masturbation and mass is equal to what your body does to a scale.

Anything else is meaningless unless you juice, in which case you'll end up like Lyle Alzedo.

bill96ab · 11-03-2004, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bossnass

My understanding is that the key to success with creatine is hydration: it helps hydrate your muscles so they both get bigger (temporary) and you can work them harder and longer.

Caffiene is a diuretic. It makes your body get rid of water.

Therefore, and I have been told this by fitness people (and other gym rats), caffiene and creatine conflict. It won't hurt you, but you won't be getting near as much benefit from it.

On a side note, creatine probably won't help you drop 15 lbs. I generally gained weight (water and muscle mass) when I used it. Approriate diet and cardio would be better.
(Back in the day, I was a semi-regular creatine using athlete)

I would like to add a little bit.

Our muscles main enegy source is something calle ATP. the TP stands for Tri-phosphate. This is imortant becasue when our bodies use the adenisine triphosphate, it becomes diphosphate, or ADP. the very cool thing about creatine is that it actually in the body is in the form of phosphocreatine, and the phospho part is what is so very cool. that phosphate can be used to restore teh ADP to ATP, and thus our muscles have more energy stores imediatly ready to go work.

THis allows one to work out just a bit harder, and gain just a bit more strength with each workout.

Caffeines realationship to creatine is still not well established. I have found several sources that say dont mix the two, and other say it doesnt matter. I personally noticed a huge difference when i quit drinking caffiene. could be placebo, however. I just felt like if i was working out as hard as i was,i might as well do anything i could to help the creatine work.

Hydration: this is key, as stated above, but i want to talk about something else. Creatine is cleared by the kidneys. It also is cleared with 0 order kenitics... ( i believe).. so that means that you can only clear so much now matter how much you take in.. like EtOH. If you have ANY renal insufficiency, DO NOT take this before talking to your doctor. I worked with a nephrologist for two weeks earlier this year, and we talked about this. Just be on the safe side. Acute renal failure is not something to joke around with.

cheers

stevie667 · 11-04-2004, 09:36 AM

Caffine and creatine:

Basically, caffine and creatine use the same method to get out and in of cells respectibly, so that when your taking both at the same time they both compete for access to the cell, hindering the effects of both.
Now, as caffine will take water out of the cells, and creatine helps water stay in the cells, you'll find that nothing will particulary happen water wise (creatine is great for keeping you hydrated), diminishing further the effects of creatine.

I'll see if i can dredge up the specific study to give you a more technical view.

cbr9racr · 11-07-2004, 11:17 AM

I hadn't heard that about fruit juice being bad...I thought that creatine needed the sugar (fructose) to work properly??

strange · 11-08-2004, 12:37 AM

Thanks for all the helpful info. I really do need to cut out the coke, but it's so damn hard to stop.

mali · 11-13-2004, 06:01 PM

Can anyone post any real 'studies' on the effects of creatine? If you take it - how is it absorbed into the muscle? Why isnt it just cleared by the kidney? I know the body regulates creatine levels so I am doubtful as to whether the effects people believe they see are real.

jason87 · 11-13-2004, 08:34 PM

I never tried creatine, i stick to whey protein products.

bill96ab · 11-14-2004, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mali

Can anyone post any real 'studies' on the effects of creatine? If you take it - how is it absorbed into the muscle? Why isnt it just cleared by the kidney? I know the body regulates creatine levels so I am doubtful as to whether the effects people believe they see are real.

There are very few "real studies" because the FDA doesnt have to regulate it, and thus no one wants to spend the money.

the creatine is cleared by the kidney, but if you take it correctly, you will have enough hanging around to change the resting phosphate stores, thus more energy!

winsecure · 11-15-2004, 06:56 AM

cbr9: taking creatine with fruit juice can help transport creatine into cells faster. the high sugar content in the juice sparks an insulin response which helps with the uptake of creatine.

other people will say not to mix fruit juice with creatine because fruit juices are generally acidic. the acidic nature of the juices can cause creatine to breakdown to creatinine (ineffective byproduct of creatine).

my personal thoughts are that any breakdown effect of mixing creatine with fruit juice is very minimal. the acidity of OJ doesn't come close to your stomach acids... what's 30 seconds of sitting in OJ compared to the stomach...

10-30-2004, 12:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
strange Insane Location: So. Cal.	Creatine I recently started to go back to the gym and work out. I need to lose about 15 pounds and I want a semi-defined body. I used to have muscles but they've gone away. Anyway I used to take creatine before and I did bulk up a bit, but I'm wondering if it is safe. I have not read up on it yet and I was hoping someone out there might know if it is ok to take. Thanks for the help.

11-01-2004, 11:00 PM	#6 (permalink)
subnet_rx Upright	I've read a lot about creatine, nothing about a relationship with caffiene. If it is true, I'd love to see some links so I'd be better informed. __________________ ESiteNow Web Design

11-02-2004, 03:55 PM	#9 (permalink)
thingstodo A Storm Is Coming Location: The Great White North	To lose weight you must be able to understand some physics and do simple math. This is the formula: {fuel input} minus {energy expended} equals {mass}, where fuel input is equal to all the crap your put in your mouth, energy expended equals the amount of work you do with your body from whatever source, including breathing, sex and masturbation and mass is equal to what your body does to a scale. Anything else is meaningless unless you juice, in which case you'll end up like Lyle Alzedo. __________________ If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy.

10-30-2004, 10:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	It's safe, a friend of mine is taking it now. Just make sure you don't have caffiene at all until after you stop taking it.

10-31-2004, 01:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
strange Insane Location: So. Cal.	Why no caffeine? I'm addicted to Coca Cola so that might be a problem.

10-31-2004, 03:07 AM	#4 (permalink)
coash Banned	if you're going to lose 15 pounds you better start cutting the coke before you worry about creatine

10-31-2004, 05:49 AM	#5 (permalink)
st33lr4t Psycho Location: Dallas, Tx	changing your diet could probably kill 15lbs.

11-02-2004, 12:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
tman17m Psycho Location: my cubicle	im in my 3rd week of taking creatine....its been great for me...from all of the stuff that ive read, as long as you dont take too much, and stay well hydrated its all good... ive read that the best time to take it is right after a workout, and to not take it with fruit juice, as fruit juice sort of counter acts the creatine...i take mine with gatorade and cant taste it at all... hope it goes well

11-02-2004, 03:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
Bossnass Détente Location: AWOL in Edmonton	My understanding is that the key to success with creatine is hydration: it helps hydrate your muscles so they both get bigger (temporary) and you can work them harder and longer. Caffiene is a diuretic. It makes your body get rid of water. Therefore, and I have been told this by fitness people (and other gym rats), caffiene and creatine conflict. It won't hurt you, but you won't be getting near as much benefit from it. On a side note, creatine probably won't help you drop 15 lbs. I generally gained weight (water and muscle mass) when I used it. Approriate diet and cardio would be better. (Back in the day, I was a semi-regular creatine using athlete)

11-04-2004, 09:36 AM	#11 (permalink)
stevie667 Too Awesome for Aardvarks Location: Angloland	Caffine and creatine: Basically, caffine and creatine use the same method to get out and in of cells respectibly, so that when your taking both at the same time they both compete for access to the cell, hindering the effects of both. Now, as caffine will take water out of the cells, and creatine helps water stay in the cells, you'll find that nothing will particulary happen water wise (creatine is great for keeping you hydrated), diminishing further the effects of creatine. I'll see if i can dredge up the specific study to give you a more technical view.

11-07-2004, 11:17 AM	#12 (permalink)
cbr9racr Upright	I hadn't heard that about fruit juice being bad...I thought that creatine needed the sugar (fructose) to work properly??

11-08-2004, 12:37 AM	#13 (permalink)
strange Insane Location: So. Cal.	Thanks for all the helpful info. I really do need to cut out the coke, but it's so damn hard to stop.

11-13-2004, 06:01 PM	#14 (permalink)
mali Upright	Can anyone post any real 'studies' on the effects of creatine? If you take it - how is it absorbed into the muscle? Why isnt it just cleared by the kidney? I know the body regulates creatine levels so I am doubtful as to whether the effects people believe they see are real.

11-13-2004, 08:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
jason87 Upright	I never tried creatine, i stick to whey protein products.

11-15-2004, 06:56 AM	#17 (permalink)
winsecure Tilted	cbr9: taking creatine with fruit juice can help transport creatine into cells faster. the high sugar content in the juice sparks an insulin response which helps with the uptake of creatine. other people will say not to mix fruit juice with creatine because fruit juices are generally acidic. the acidic nature of the juices can cause creatine to breakdown to creatinine (ineffective byproduct of creatine). my personal thoughts are that any breakdown effect of mixing creatine with fruit juice is very minimal. the acidity of OJ doesn't come close to your stomach acids... what's 30 seconds of sitting in OJ compared to the stomach...