Creatine

I have been looking into whether or not to try Creatinea dn wondered what other peoples feelings were asI dintknow anyone who has taken it.

Why I have been thinking about it?
-The boost strength in legs (or the ability to train harder - ergo stronger legs) - Im looking to do more longer distance events - Tour De Mont Blanc and a 100mile event this year,and an ironman next year.
- I have been injured and sidelined for a few months so need to optimize all training from now on
- Boost shoulder strength and stability (after 3 dislocations in 3 years)

What I am concerned about
- increased body mass through water retention. I want to be as light as possible but with maximum potential strength. I am not sure how extreme this retention is - 1kg, .5 kg?
- How long I have to take it it for. Is this something that you need to take continually.
- For my needs is a protein and carb recovery drink (ie Rego)going to be better.

Any thoughts?
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Comments

  • cheers will.

    have you had any experience with creatine
  • Used it for a while when i was into weight training and the such but not for endurace

    If i was to use it now i wud probably mix it with my recovery drink
  • so you take it as and when required as opposed to everyday.

    (I only use rego on harder days) - maybe I should look to using recovery drink more
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    howdi caspar!
    ive taken creatine on and off for last couple of years.....and for endurance purposes.

    First of all make sure you take the correct dosage. Its a case of taking a little often, rather than loading up in micro-cycles for guys who want to build muscle bulk (sprinting, weight-lifting etc).

    Last year I also used gabba, but I take neither now. This year I'm on the whey protein, and will see how it goes. Very difficult to judge which is better for you because of other factors such as the quality+quantity of training, illnesses+injuries and (if tested over a number of years)....age!

    I took it during the racing season 2002 and 2003 and personally felt it helped me get through a few more intense trainign sessions and/or recover a little quicker. Overall possibly greater gains from muscle endurance.

    As far as weight gain is concerned. I probably did hold a little more water than I normally would but this was off-set by the increases in training. So my stayed pretty much the same in general.....maybe a lb or two in muscle gain :O)
    I would recommend keeping off it during the week before a big event though. The reduction in training will mean you WILL gain a 1lb or 2 in water weight.

    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
  • cheers guys

    littleand often seems t be the way to go,

    I'll try it for a month I think - the moment I kick the injuries - I did wonder whether it could aid recovery from injury - but I suppose nothig is as good as a rest.

    although most of what I wanted to do in the first six months of this year is now wiped out of the calendar.

    Will, how have you found returning to training after your period of inury illness end of last year?
  • CK - Im only on my 3rd week back and cannot yet ride or swim because of an Ab problem - im only up to 5mile runs and findingt it frustrating
  • i'm in a similar position

    keep in there
  • i think glutamine is a better supplement for 'endurance' athletes... OK they did well with their 1000 metre intervals, but that's hardly a marathon is it??
  • have you tried both andy?

    what benefits does glutamine have over creatine in your opinion
  • i used creatine with some success when i was trying to lift more weights in the gym at some point

    last year i heard creatine mentioned a lot 'for endurance' and particularly 'for recovery', and i was interested but sceptical, given creatine's mode of operation

    i saw will's thing about the sprint intervals, and wasn't convinced

    re recovery, the best explanation (which i think came from will again) was that taking amino acids in the immediate post exercise 'recovery window' is better than taking protein alone since this takes time to be broken down into amino acids.... and creatine, although not an amino acid, has a similar structure

    this sounded like a pretty compelling argument to take amino acids but not creatine, so i got some from holand & barrett

    then i read about l-glutamine, so i use that, too, varies but about 5g - 20g a day depending on workload

    now i dont know if this was a coincidence, but if i do a fastish (ie marathon pace rather than lsd) 20 mile run i usually take a litre of lucozade from the powder, and i put two teaspoons of glutamine in it

    yesterday i felt pretty crap during the run, it took me 9 minutes longer than usual at the same HR - although my waking HR was fine and i'd had a day's complete rest the day before

    when i got home i realised i hadn't put the glutamine in.... maybe these facts were connected, maybe coincidence, dunno

    anyway you might find this interesting

    http://www.firstendurance.com/newsletter19.html
  • NB its £30 at H&B for a tub of pure l-glutamine which lasts me about 6 weeks, but they don't carry big stocks of it

    i think you can get it a bit cheaper on line
  • very interesting

    i suppose you have to do your own trials at the end of the day.

    i take a scoop of soya osilate protein (HB own brand) with my cereal (not everyday) which provides an 28gr of protein and about 5 grams of essential amino0 acids - not l glutamine

    do i replace this with gluatmine - or creatine of I tried that - or on top of this?

    i notice you take l-glutamine constantly - out of interest have you tried maintaining your scehdule for a couple of weeks without taking any - that could be interesting.

    or is it just at the moment as the tri season is about to kick in?
  • on top of it

    just at the moment since i ramped up my training for the season really, as that article suggests that the main benefit is helping to avoid overtraining syndrome
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    nice to see the article in 220 on taking creatine.
    maybe some people will be a bit less cynical the more they read the increasing number of pro-creatine articles.....?
    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
  • not seen 220 daz - was it as vague and woolley as all the other pro creatine for endurance/recovery articles?

    i'm not knocking it. i would like it to work. just i aint seen any evidence or credible reasoned explanation that it does, other than for sprinting and of course weights.

    and i have looked for it.

    bear in mind that 220 journos probably have a poorer source of information than we do collectively.

    look at runnersworld - they cant even find a runner to put on the front of their mag; we could find loads
  • JjJj ✭✭✭
    wot - good-lookers?

    shurely shome mishtake...
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    a lot on caffein these days too :O) plenty of good sources of info out there candy!
    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
  • caffeine clearly works though, and that's pretty clear cut and unequivocal, with reams of evidence and explanation as to why

    i still haven't seen anything like that on creatine - i reached a conclusion its half chinese whispers, half wishful thinking and half very bad maths
  • What dosage of caffeine is allowed though ?
    It certainly used to be a banned substance at higher levels in cycling.
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    its now totally legal along with pseudo-ephidrine as of Jan 1st,

    Used to be an equivelant of 10 cups of coffee+ (thats standard cups of coffee in a standard cup, heh)
    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    Ephdrine isanother one addressed by 220. have to admit i was a little shocked at that. ive read some reports on ephidrine which is in the same state of contentiousness as creatine 5+ years ago.
    A friend here at work takes it to perk himself up when he's tired at work. Same stimulant effects as caffein only it increases the speed of blood from the heart and muscles.
    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
  • Blimey. That's a big bill at Starbucks.
    Buy a Ti Frame for that !

    No idea what pseudo ephidrine is, but doesn't sound particularly appealing.
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    didnt they have a hit with 'funky town' ?
    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
  • My view (based on experience for endurance and high altitude mountaineering) for what it's worth.

    Creatine - not worth it unless you're doing power events.

    Amino Acids - good

    L Glutamine - good, especially for recovery.

    Amino Acids and Glutamine together - excellent.
  • sudafed, cougie

    firemonkey - that's my conclusion, too - and i'm doing silly mileage
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    cool, more creatine for me! :OD
    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
  • what about the reports of creatine leading to winky shrinkage??
  • DazDaz ✭✭✭
    lol, you gonna use that one then?
    Endurance Coach @ DazCarterFitness.com
    Elite Ironman, Ultra Trail Runner
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