In university, I was fortunate enough to be involved in a Creatine study that looked at how much Creatine the muscle is able to hold, using a loading phase and a non-loading phase (basically just using 5 grams/day right from the start) and how much was excreted through our urine and if using too much was just not efficient and was actually a waste of Creatine. The findings concluded that loading did have a significant effect on muscle Creatine concentration levels. Creatine should be loaded initially to load the muscles with the maximum amount of Creatine into the muscle, then reduce the intake to 5 grams/day to maintain for a total of 6 weeks and 2 weeks of a washout period where you take no Creatine.
THE RATIONALE BEHIND THIS IS THAT THE BODY NATURALLY MAINTAINS A STATE OF HOMEOSTASIS,
The rationale behind this is that the body naturally maintains a state of homeostasis, thus when additional Creatine is added the rate at which the body takes up and stores Creatine declines over time. This is why the greatest gains are typically made at the early part of the loading phase. Using the 2 week washout period allows the body to return to a baseline state where increased gains can be made during the subsequent load and maintain phase.
Pros and Cons of Using Creatine
Trainers using Creatine can expect many things to happen. You can expect to feel more energy in your muscles for prolonged training purposes. You will also feel full, meaning your muscles will have a pumped- up feel to them even when you haven’t trained. You can expect to experience an increase in strength and also an increase in endurance. You will notice weight gain from the additional water you will be holding in your muscles, which is a good thing,and also from the muscle you will put on. Finally, you will notice your recovery times are quicker, so you can hit the muscle more often.
As far as the negatives associated with Creatine use, some have reported stomach upset, cramping and bloating but no significant findings have been documented for any short-term Creatine use and I believe any adverse reaction to using Creatine probably comes from not being properly hydrated. Keep drinking water throughout the day and I doubt you’ll notice anything that would turn you off from using this supplement.
Choosing the Right Creatine
If you do choose to use Creatine, you want to make sure you are using a product that has only the purest pharmaceutical grade Creatine in it. For that reason, you should be looking at any of the Creatine products made by ALLMAX Nutrition, specifically speaking the
Creatine Monohydrate, Creatine Krush, or
C:VOL. And, for an extra kick in your Creatine supplementation, I think it’s very worth while taking a look at QUICKMASS.
I
t contains a unique patent-pending proprietary blend of Creatine called NP5 Technology, which includes creatine ethyl ester Malate, insulinogenic agents and enzymes that allow the body to utilize calories more efficiently, triggering faster gains in lean body mass. To get big, you have to eat big, and consume as many muscle-building calories as possible. With 1010 calories per serving, glutamine and creatine, you can’t go without QUICKMASS if you are really serious about your gains.
Conclusion
Plain and simple, if you want to see noticeable gains in size, strength and performance you need Creatine. It’s safe, highly effective and has a ton of research to back up its claims. Take a look at QUICKMASS as it has everything in it you need to get huge. Train hard, use the aforementioned products and prepare yourself for gains you’ve never experienced before.
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
Sources:
- Balsom PD, Soderlund K, Ekblom B; “Creatine in Humans with special reference to creatine supplementation”; Journal of Sports Medicine; October 1994; volume 4; pgs 268-280.
- Bemben MG, Lamont HS; “Creatine supplementation and exercise performance: recent findings”; Journal of Sports Medicince; 2005; volume 35; issue 2; pgs 107-125.
- Terjung RL, Clarkson P, Eichner ER, Greenhaff PL, Hespel PJ, Israel RG, Kraemer WJ, Meyer RA, Spriet LL, Tarnopolsky MA, Wagenmakers AJ, Williams MH; “American College of Sports Medicine roundtable. The physiological and health effects of oral creatine supplementation”; Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2000 Mar;32(3):706-17.
