Thread: creatine

Originally Posted by Momuscle

Im new on this board so sorry about the basic questions but I want some opinions. Im not new to lifting but it has been a while since Ive taked creatine and supplements so i habve questions on what I should do. In the old days(90s) I used to mix eas phosphagen creatine mono with grape juice and drink it down 1 hour before I worked out - it seemed to work fine.

Im just wondering if I really need to mix it with sugar. Is it ok to just toss a teaspoon of cm in my mouth and drink it down with water? toss and wash? I would really like to just do that if its ok. Ive also heard a lot of folks taking it after they lift but I always thought before was better? Seems like it always changes on whats best I dont get it.

The sugar will help it absorb into your system better. I wouldn't recommend just putting a teaspoon of it into your mouth and swallowing it. I'd stick with the grape juice route.

Originally Posted by vortrit

The sugar will help it absorb into your system better. I wouldn't recommend just putting a teaspoon of it into your mouth and swallowing it. I'd stick with the grape juice route.

so maybe just tossing it in my mouth my body wont absorb it very well? ok i will go to the store and buy some grape juice tonight. what about mixing it in with my 2nd muscle shake mid day? is that ok? there isnt much sugar in it tho.

I take creatine dry like that actually - 5g, knock it back with water. Works fine.

Originally Posted by Momuscle

so maybe just tossing it in my mouth my body wont absorb it very well? ok i will go to the store and buy some grape juice tonight. what about mixing it in with my 2nd muscle shake mid day? is that ok? there isnt much sugar in it tho.

I've never put it in Muscle Milk. I have put it in postworkout shakes before, and I've put in in grape juice, and that's it. I don't really know if that would be a good or bad idea.

I've never heard of anyone taking it dry, but I'm sure Built wouldn't steer you the wrong way.

Originally Posted by Built

I take creatine dry like that actually - 5g, knock it back with water. Works fine.

Thanks Built. I cal it toss and wash. Ive been doing it for the 1st 3 weeks of taking it. Hell I always have my gym bag in the cab of my truck and its just freaking easy to grab the bottle take a spoon and toss it in my mouth wask it down with chug of water. I feel like its working but then I read so much stuff on how it HAS to be taking with dextrose(sugar) etc. I think cell tech and all the new supplements are just etra stuff that I dont need. Creatine is creatine IMO. Anyways Im not saying I know for sure but thats what Im starting to think.

I take my creatine with water these days as well. Eliciting your insulin to drive creatine into your muscles "quicker" via simple carbs ingestion is alright, but its not really necessary.

Something you need to be mindful of is the action of glucose transporters. When you exercise, GLUT-4 transporters translocate to the surface of your muscle cells, allowing glucose and other nutrients to enter without the assistance of insulin.

Another thing to be mindful of is the fact that protein will also stimulate the release of insulin - and this is particularly true of milk proteins, such as whey. Blah blah blah BCAAs blah blah blah leucine... go to pubmed and have fun reading more about these topics.

Short story is that creatine will get in there better with a post workout insulin boost, but over time it'll build up even if you don't bother with this step - which is a relief to those of us who frequently eat very low carbohydrate diets.