Is creatine safe?

[brent]

I keep hearing how beneficial creatine is, but my boyfriend keeps telling me it isn't safe. Of course he offers no evidence that it isn't safe. What do you think? Should I start? Do you take it? Do you considder it necissary to your workout routine? What is best for someone on a budget?

Thank you for your replies, responces, opinions, links, and resources, Brent.

[Corwin]

I've heard that much of the results are due to water retention, but from my experience I seem to have made some nice gains while using it.

[iceman17]

I used it last year for 8 weeks it helped me put on 15 lbs of lean mass. Which I did not lose after stopping. I will use it again when I do a mass cycle.

[brent]

Originally posted by iceman17
I used it last year for 8 weeks it helped me put on 15 lbs of lean mass. Which I did not lose after stopping. I will use it again when I do a mass cycle.

Why did you stop using it? Is it only good for bulking? (which is good too' I guess)

Also, is it true you need to drink LOTS of extra water? I was talking about this to some guys in the gym last night.

Thank you for any input.

[msclbldr]

The studies I've seen show creatine to be generally safe. It is rumoured that it can put stain on the kidneys but I've seen no documented evidence of this.

Creatine is a source of fuel for muscles and is stored, in solution, within the muscle cells. It is this which gives the effect of "bulking" muscle cells. This is not the same as water retention caused by steroids.

The other beneficial action of creatine is that, because it is a fuel for the muscle cells, it permits greater endurance of the muscel cells allowing more intense workouts which will promote muscle growth.

Most of the negative press for creatine comes from the ill-informed who think that anything that promotes muscle growth must be a steroid and therefore harmful (another ill-informed prejudice)

Cheers

Msclbldr

[buffdoc]

I don't use Creatine, it is felt to be safe, and may help a bit in pushing yourself in the gym. I agree w/Corwin that most of the size increase is simply water retention--when you stop these volumizing gains quickly disappear. However, you will retain whatever lean mass it helped you accumulate. It also makes your muscle look a bit soft and puffy and I greatly favor a harder, ripped look.

[brent]

Originally posted by msclbldr
It is rumoured that it can put stain on the kidneys but I've seen no documented evidence of this.
Msclbldr

Could this be because guys in the gym might take too much at a given time? The kidneys do need to clean-out excess stuff from your system, and guys at the gym do tend to over-do things. I wonder if I could negate this by not taking too much?

Also, you get / make creatine from eating red meat apearently. I am a vegatarian, so I wonder if it would just be smart if I took a little, to replace what I don't eat? I take B12 for this same reason, and it seems safe.

Thak you, Brent.

[brent]

Originally posted by buffdoc
I don't use Creatine, it is felt to be safe, and may help a bit in pushing yourself in the gym.


I agree w/Corwin that most of the size increase is simply water retention--when you stop these volumizing gains quickly disappear. However, you will retain whatever lean mass it helped you accumulate. It also makes your muscle look a bit soft and puffy and I greatly favor a harder, ripped look.

If it helps push you in the gym, or gives you more energy, isn't that going to help you gain more lean mass (the only stuff that counts) faster? I don't really like the idea of deflating when I go off something, but I'm not that hung-up on being totally ripped all the time. I just want to get big muscles quickly, and safely.

BTW, how puffy is, "Puffy"?

Thank you, Brent.

[Corwin]

I do a lot of biking. I find that I tire less fast when I take the creatine than when I forget. I am a prototypical hard-gainer, but I did put on some mass with creatine. I didn't noticeably deflate when I stopped, but I do tire more easily.

[buffdoc]

I would say that from my experience the value legal supplements is as follows:
#1) whey protein. a minimum of 200 grams if bulking
#2) high fructose sports-drink (Gatorade, Poweraid). good for use during workouts to keep simple sugars up and to maintain stamina.
#3) creatine. i have used it before, it has some mild benefit, but really pales in comparison to the value of protein. It made my muscles look less cut and sharp which is why I stopped using it. Also as I noted before, some of the gains are simply water retention.

If you drink adequate amounts of water, I would not worry about renal toxicity from #1 or #3; your water intake is adequate if your urine is a light straw color.

Also, If you want to be big, you have to eat big. Diet is #1 reason people fail to gain. Avoid excess fats, excess simple carbs and you'll gain lean mass w/a minimum of fat.

[iceman17]

There was a question of why I stopped using it. Basically after using it I went on a month holiday to California and after it I became lazy and stopped working out. I back to the gym now but i am trying to get lean. Yes drink plenty of water when using it.

[Corwin]

Originally posted by iceman17
...trying to get lean.

I just did a cycle of one of those fat burner pills (no ephedra). It worked -- my abs are like rocks with little fat (hey, I'm 40 and still workin on it)! I'm sure biking 200+ miles a week didn't hurt either.

[msclbldr]

Bret

The amount od creatine derived from the diet of the most red blooded carnivore is largely insignificant without specific supplementation. Vegetarians are not at any real disadvantage to omnivores when it comes to creatine.

Supplement yur diet with creatine. If u r worried about safety, don't be; the evidence at present suggest it is safe. There are many more serious health dangers in what we eat than the possible effects of a bit of creatine - pesticides, antibiotics, dodgy preservatives, bad food precessing, not to mention the whole GM food debacle.

MsclBldr

[msclbldr]

Puffiness on muscles is generally caused by water retention in the flesh of the skin masking muscle definition. Water in muscle adds volume and mass, thats why BB'ers carb load immediately before a comp; it forces water into the muscle cells making them bigger and harder.

Creatine has the same effect. It does not make muscles appear puffy as it is not absorbed by the subcutaneous fat which covers muscle.

Msclbldr

[brent]

Sounds like I should get some. Does anyone know if one type is better than another? ie. I've seen Creatine, Creatine Monohydrate, and other creatine supps out there. Is there a diffrence, or should I go for the cheapest (I'm currently unemployed).

One major thing that's occurred to me lately is that creatine has been on the market for quite a while now. If it was as dangerous as my boyfriend thinks it is, then there should be lots of evidence and reports by now. Look at Ephedra, it may or may not be bad, but there is mounting evidence of possible problems, and people have found alternatives.

[brent]

In just my first 3 days, most people have noticed I'm taking something. I hope this keeps up. I like seeing my muscles swell each day!

[mikeni77]

it's perfectly safe. the rule of thumb with it is the same as with a high protein diet, drink a lot of water throughout the day to keep the kidneys clean and also flush the excess out of the body more effectively

[inm]

not only is it safe, but study after study shows it to improve health, even in non-training individuals. (whey protein, too, by the way).

[chocomus]

I used it once (for a month or so) and it helped me improving strenght and some size. I didn't lose it afterwards as they told me i would, though.