Im a football player (linemen) considering taking creatine to get a lil boost for this off season. My concern, if i take it will it result in higher weight gain?? im already big enough- 6'1, aprox 250. I dont wanna gain weight thats gunna make me look fat, but rather more muscular. Try to ignore the fact about bad diet, becuase im on a diet right now, high protein, low carbs, lots of salad. Also, if u know alot about creatine in general, could u give me some pros + cons, becuase i cant convince my mom that creatine doesnt kill you. (shes stubborn)
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Creatine
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Creatine is a natural substance that's actually found in the body naturally. By taking extra doses of creatine it simply boosts the levels in the body.From my understanding creatine helps hydrate the muscles, thus helps to "bulk" up the muscle. But from everything I read you are basically just bulking the muscle up with water which makes the muscle look bigger. When you stop taking Creatine you will most likely lose the "bulky" look.
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Allowing more water to enter the muscle cells and making them look bulkier is just a side effect of creatine (although a positive one if size is what you're looking for).There is a complex chemical reaction when using fast twitch muscles that involves creatine. I don't even fully remember it, but it basically helps in the restoration of strength and energy. That is, if you naturally bench 100kg, it won't help you to bench 120kg, but it will help you lift 100kg more times per set.As for dangers and hazards. I did an extensive amount of research into it using mainly credible sources and the only problem I could find was that it can cause liver damage in people who already suffer from liver problems. I've personally taken it for years too and never had an issue.
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I've had friends try and push me on to creatine. In my opinion, don't bother with it.But that's just me.Sure you'll see results in your bench by quite a bit, but it just puts water in your muscles. It's not real muscle, but water muscle. It helps create kidney stones, and you should also take it in cycles. 2-3 weeks on, 1 week off to get rid of the excess calcium.But IMO, stay all natural, no supplements/drugs/pills.And I play rugby by the way.
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Both those facts you just threw out are myths. Do your research.
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I've put several threads in here about creatine, however after talking to several doctors, many cardiologists I have stopped taking creatine.Myths:Stunts growthHelps you lift moreIt's okay to take because the body produces itCan't take too muchKidney stonesTruths:Increases muscle endurance as water is right at the site to help support the muscle, basically you will get a couple more reps in then you would without it. On the larger scale, if you eat a balanced diet and supplement with protein then you don't need it.Commonly its thrown out that the body produces it, what people don't think about is your body becomes dependent on it. If you take it for long periods then your body will stop producing as much as it is supposed to.The big point: There is little long term research on creatine, short term research has shown that supplementing creatine on smaller levels like 5g, isn't harmful. However the heart is also a muscle, and if you start taking creatine theres no way of knowing in the long term what it will do to your heart.Before someone uses the arguement that doctors use it in children to treat some heart problems you also have to realize that these are heart problems, not a standard heart.Everyone reacts differently to things, so there is no real way of knowing what creatine will do to you in the future.The way I see it, in twenty years do you want to be told that you are dying of heart failure because you took creatine to get a tiny little edge when in the jist of things makes no difference on the field?
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Increases muscle endurance as water is right at the site to help support the muscle
What the hell does that mean?
I'm not going to post on this subject again, I've argued with too many "internet experts" about this in the past to realize it's pretty pointless.
About two years ago I studied Nutrition and Food Technology at University, I averaged a high distinction mark. I'm not bragging, I'm just saying I know the ATP cycle inside and out, and quite simply, creatine DOES work.
Furthermore, creatine has been around for over 15 years now and is the highest selling legal strength supplement available (protein powder isn't a supplement, it's food). There has been literally billions of dollars spent on the discovering the long and short term side effects of creatine. Hundreds of Universities all over the world have conducted their own studies, and they all came to the same conclusion;
There are no negative long or short term side effects from a healthy person taking
Seriously, you ingest much more suspect compounds used in food preservation and the like everyday. Why worry about something that's been literally studied to death by the world's best nutritionists and is still readily available at any major supermarket. -
OMG! I was going to scream as I read through this. Kmrobins know what he/she is talking about.