[russ2400]

Can somebody first off explain how it works? Also does it just increase actual mass or muscle strength also? And if it's worth trying should i get the pills or the powder? Thanks.

[MedicGlock]

Russ2400,

Creatine is a chemical substance found in your red meats. Remember the old weight lifter diets of gorging on red meat? They were after the protien but mainly the creatine. Creatine builds muscle structure, lengthening the individual fibers. As the longer fibers overlap, they produce more power and the bigger muscle look. Of course, you'll need to work out regularly for to prompt your muscle to start building. As they build, they will take up the creatine you make available.

I'm not a pharamacist or nutrionalist, but here is the recommended guidelines from my brother, who holds a doctorite in Pharmacy with a minor in Nutrition. 5 grams of Creatine during your work out period. It can be taken before you start your work-out or after. I have always taken the creatine before and then a protien shake after. Cycle on the creatine for a month, stop using for a month, and then start back on it. Research sugguest your muscles max out somewhere between 2-4 wks on the creatine. By stopping it, you trick your body for when you restart the month on, month off cycle. Stopping it doesn't seem to cause muscle loss, but when you start again, you'll notice more weight gain. Just keep track of your weight. Alot of the weight you will put on will be water weight, but muscle is 80% water/blood. You should get with a nutionalist or someone else qualified to develp an enclusive nutrion plan to cover the additional protien, calories, and water intake needed for weight lifting along with suppliments like vitamins/mineral, creatine, protien, glutamine.

Hope this helps......Thomas

[russ2400]

Thanks alot for responding, lots of good info. I went and talked to the guy at gnc today also, he gave me some pointers as well. Gonna start soon after a little more research. Thanks

[testosterone]

try the new type...the creatine ethyl ester.
some info
The newest creatine coming is creatine ethyl ester, which is in my opinion, the most effective creatine source currently possible. Why?

There is a problem with all the creatine's currently on the market...they suck at "absorption". Yup, all of the creatine monohydrates, citrates, malates, and high (or low) tech delivery systems are only getting milligram amounts of creatine into your muscles, even though you are consuming GRAM amounts! And the amazing thing is, most people still get dramatic effects from all of these sub-optimal creatines.

So can you just imagine how impressive your size and strength increases would be if you absorbed nearly 100% of the creatine you swallowed? And guess what? This is now possible with the breakthrough scientific discovery of creatine ethyl esters.

All of the creatines currently on the market have a "dual charge"...one end is positive and the other is negative. In science, this is called a zwitterion. Cool word, huh? Well, it's not so cool when it comes to absorbing creatine!

You see, zwitterions are not able to penetrate lipid (fat) membranes. So, guess what...the membranes that creatine must pass through to venture from your gut to your bloodstream are made of lipids! And before creatine can go from the bloodstream to the muscle cells, it must once again face the same type of lipid membranes that it encountered in the gut.

This means that regular creatine does not readily penetrate these lipid membranes and most of it just sits there in your gut. Naturally since the dual charge creatines by nature draw water with them wherever they go, you tend to become very bloated, gassy, and often get a case of the toilet trots.

Add to this the fact that the longer that creatine sits in the harsh PH environment in the gut, the more it becomes "deactivated" and turned into the useless and potentially toxic substance, creatinine!

However, creatine ethyl esters are different! The chemical attachment of an ester to the creatine molecule makes it incredibly lipophilic, or fat penetrating, allowing it to quickly and very efficiently pass right through the lipid membranes of the gut directly into the bloodstream for direct transport to your creatine hungry muscle cells. (No sugar or other so-called transporters necessary

i know alot of guys taking this exact stuff http://www.superiornutraceuticals.com/products/Cee.htm

[feetpiece]

My 1st attempt with creatine was back in 99' and the culprit was Phosphigen HP(SP?). I ballooned up like roadkill in the sun because of the water retention and I gave up on it. FFWD -> Last week I ordered 100 grams of CEE and capped them myself. I take 2 grams pre/post work out and I have a much better pump in the gym w/o the bloat afterwords. IMO this is the only way to take the stuff because of the cost difference between capping your own and buying the brand XXX CEE caps.