Do you cycle Creatine? [Forum Archive]

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Do you cycle Creatine?

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Posted by: SlimShady

Just wondering how many of you cycle creatine vs taking it year round. Please give your reasons.

Posted by: Du

No need to cycle.

Posted by: P-funk

the only time i don't take it is a few weeks out from contest to drop water.

Posted by: Purdue Power

Or Option 3....I don't use creatine at all.

Posted by: brokeass122

yeah im for option 3 this is the first time ive ever used creatine and think i will be dropping it soon i can get prohormones for 10 dollars a bottle and those actually work

Posted by: Tha Don

i cycle creatine

Posted by: Hercules52

you should consider changing to the new Kre-alkalyn. You don't have to take much only 2-4 caps per day. Also you should consider cycling creatine since it is something your body produce itself, by giving it too much you might stop it's own production.
check this out.
www.allsportsupplements.com

Posted by: Cold Iron

buddy quit pimping your site every chance you get, its irritating....put it in your sig or something

Posted by: musclepump

I unintentionally cycle.

Posted by: FishOrCutBait

I cycle, since Im younger... I dunno, i figure it's a good idea. better safe than sorry, eh? I suppose it's easier to cycle with the ethyl esters, and tricreatine malates, cuz theres no need to load...

Posted by: soxmuscle

Cycling Creatine Article:

Title:
Are you cycling your creatine? Find out why you may want to.

Creatine supplementation in health and disease. Effects of chronic creatine ingestion in vivo: down-regulation of the expression of creatine transporter isoforms in skeletal muscle.

Researchers:

Guerrero-Ontiveros ML, Wallimann T.
Institute for Cell Biology, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, ETH-Honggerberg, Zurich.

Source:

Mol Cell Biochem 1998 Jul;184(1-2):427-37

Summary:

These researchers studied the in vivo effect of dietary creatine as well as 3-GPA (a creatine analog that is a competitive inhibitor of creatine entry) on the expression of the creatine transporter (creatine T). Long term feeding of rats with 3-GPA has been previously shown to decrease creatine levels in skeletal muscles without effecting creatine T expression. In this study, the expression of the creatine T was examined in rats chronically fed either 4% creatine or 2.5% GPA. Dietary creatine administered for 3-6 months, significantly lowered the expression of creatine T polypeptides. The rats fed the creatine analog GPA showed virtually no change (perhaps even a slight increase) in creatine T polypeptide expression.

Discussion:

The wide spread use of creatine among athletes and bodybuilders has raised concerns about possible negative side effects. Of course most of the nay sayers are looking to control its availability with little real concern for the well being of those who use it. This study has answered a question that has rested on the minds of many, which is, "Is there any reason to cycle creatine?" From the study above we see that the abundance and activity of the creatine transporter is negatively effected by long term creatine ingestion. The creatine transporter is down regulated with continued exposure to extracellular creatine.

Human skeletal muscle has an upper limit of creatine that can, or will, be contained within the cell. This limit is around 150-160 mmol/kg of dry muscle. As the intracellular concentration of creatine approaches this level, the synthesis of creatine transporters declines and even stops depending on the amount of creatine ingested over time. In the study above, it was shown that the creatine transporter is regulated by the content of creatine in the cell rather than by the interaction of creatine, or it’s analog 3-GPA, with the transporter.

All the arguments about creatine absorption being a limiting factor in creatine content within the cell are bogus. Creatine does not need to be "micronized" or "effervesent" to lead to an increase in creatine content within your muscles. The activity of the creatine transporter is the limiting factor. Any trick increase in creatine absorption will only hasten creatine transporter down regulation. It only requires about 5 grams per day for 30 days to increase the content of creatine within muscle tissue to the same extent as 30 grams per day for 6 days. The sooner you reach the upper limit the sooner your muscles become unable to take up creatine. It is better to maintain sufficient levels of creatine transporters in order not to cause a rapid decline in creatine content once creatine supplementation is discontinued. Clearly there appears to be good reason to cycle creatine supplementation.

The authors of this study recommend not using creatine for over 3 months at a time. To truly cycle creatine you will have to take at least 4 weeks off. Creatine levels take at least one month to return to pre-supplement levels. It may be important to take the entire month off because one speculated mechanism of creatine transporter downregulation is that when the intracellular levels (levels inside the muscle cell) are increased the creatine transporters are taken down and not replaced as long as creatine levels remain elevated. Thus it might take as long as a month for creatine transporters to return to normal after chronic creatine supplementation. Keep in mind that no one has actually shown that long-term supplementation with creatine is a bad thing.

Posted by: soxmuscle

^^^
Still no reason to cycle it?

Posted by: nunya53

Quote:

Originally Posted by soxmuscle

^^^
Still no reason to cycle it?

I haven't been, but maybe I will give my body a break here in a couple of weeks...as soon as my maximum pump is gone...

Nunya

Posted by: TheRoyalOne

Quote:

Originally Posted by musclepump

I unintentionally cycle.

Same here. Sometimes I forget to refill my supply at my office, next thing I know, I've been off for a week.

Posted by: TheRoyalOne

That ^^ study makes no reference to the activity level of the subjects tested. It's one thing for someone to take in an excessive amount of a substance and not use it versus taking in an excessive amount which the body readily utilizes. Example, if you eat too much and sit around, your metabolism slows down and your body is no longer effective at burning calories therefore you get fat. However if you eat a lot and workout, your metabolism goes up and you build lean muscle. Just studying the intake of a substance is not always evidence enough to say that substance is bad.

Posted by: jram

With the exception of vitamins I cycle any supplement 8 weeks ON and 4 weeks OFF.

Peace

Posted by: BrassBolt

I don't believe we need creatine when on a cycle just a waste of money .

Posted by: 19-chief

Quote:

Originally Posted by musclepump

I unintentionally cycle.

i do that too. but i don't think it's a bad thing. feels good when it kicks in again.

Posted by: KentDog

So most people cycle creatine 2 months ON, 1 month off? Does this include the loading period? And if you use CEE, same thing, 2 months ON, 1 month off?

Posted by: TheRoyalOne

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrassBolt

I don't believe we need creatine when on a cycle just a waste of money .

Quite the contrary. Many lifters, myself included, tend to go heavier when on cycle. We push our bodies a litter harder than usual. The additional creatine allows our bodies to produce the additional ATP needed to get through an intense workout. Lifters who compete usually cycle creatine because they don't want the excess water in their system when on stage.

Posted by: icanrace

I also do NOT cycle creatine.

Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purdue Power

Or Option 3....I don't use creatine at all.

Posted by: SuperFlex

I strongly believe in cycling...

Posted by: BigDyl

Quote:

Originally Posted by ForemanRules

You don't use creatine? Why not?

How can this be...?

Posted by: LAM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrassBolt

I don't believe we need creatine when on a cycle just a waste of money .

creatine is the cheapest and probably the most proven supplement out

Posted by: soxmuscle

So the general response is that it isn't necessary to cycle creatine but that it is recommended...

Posted by: Nachez

I use creatine when ever I lift hard n heavy.

sad my bottle of VPX CEX is all rotten, all the pills are stuck together, stuff smells horrid,
I waited 2 weeks to open it, to find that its useless and im going to have to take it back.

Posted by: randohsix

i was told that if you dont cycle creatine your body gets used to the outside source and your body begins to produce less on its own. seeing as how i havent read any posts that relate to what i just said i take it thats probably not true. when i was told this i was a junior in highschool(now a senior), so maybe the person that told me this meant that this complication might apply to developing bodies. anyone know anything on this?

Posted by: TJ Cline

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigDyl

You don't use creatine? Why not?

How can this be...?

babys use Creatine
men use steroids

Posted by: LAM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randohsix

i was told that if you dont cycle creatine your body gets used to the outside source and your body begins to produce less on its own.

not true...

Posted by: kiixp

which creatine do you guys use..?

Posted by: god hand

Quote:

Originally Posted by Purdue Power

Or Option 3....I don't use creatine at all.

Because u use pro hormones

Posted by: BigDyl

Quote:

Originally Posted by god hand

Because u use pro hormones

Posted by: noyfb

i *used* to think cycling was dumb, until the benefits tapered off. i unintentionally stopped taking creatine. it's been 2 weeks without it, and i miss it. i think i'll start it again this week

Posted by: JGough665

As a student of Exercise Physiology I have learned that it is important to cycle any supplement, even those that the body naturally produces. The reason being, if you fail to cycle the body will become accustom to the excess amounts of the supplement (i.e. creatine) that we ingest and will no longer produce. The best cycle is either 2:1 or a 1:1 cycle (i.e. 2 months on 1 month off or 1 month on 1 month off). Some disagree saying it's a waste of money to cycle creatine since it's a natural substance which is wrong. The body only has small levels of creatine that are depleted with even simple movements such as walking, where as if you supplement it keeps the levels at 100%. However, as with any supplementation any excess amounts will just be excreted as waste through urine (usually) which could tax the kidney's (even more reason to cycle). Also, research has shown that creatine is the only supplement that is proven to work and is safe if used properly (just an added tidbit). Hope this helps.

Posted by: chaman

does anyone know about dark matter?

would I need to cycle it?

Posted by: zombul

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaman

does anyone know about dark matter?

would I need to cycle it?

I would, but again people are on both sides of the fence on this debate. Dark Matter I belive also contains some bcaa's and protein aswell.

Posted by: Bonesaw

a google search sent me back here
any new changes on this topic? I've been taking creatine for about 8 months straight with a week off every 4 months. Do I need a full month off?

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Do you cycle Creatine?

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