To cycle or not to cycle creatine

07-01-2001, 07:28 AM

I am going to start using the creatine powder and I`m just waiting for my shipment to arrive. There are so many recommended ways of using it, to load or to not, 3 5 or 10 grams a day, in the morning and postworkout, once every day, just workout days, with cold water ,hotwater, juice or whatever. I suppose one could use the most recommended or could experiment to see what works best.
I have read just about every post on this board and have not been able to find anything about whether most of you cycle or not. I have read that cycling is not necessary and some say that if don`t cycle your body will eventually stop produceing it`s own creatine.
There seems to be alot of experienced lifters here so any advice would be appreciated.

**Robert** · 07-01-2001, 07:32 AM

Here is a Q & A I posted on creatine:
http://www.ironmagazine.com/ubb/Forum7/HTML/000122.html

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Just because the majority believes it, does not make it true!

07-01-2001, 08:17 AM

Prince I have read report after report and every study seems to be alittle different. I just want to know what is working best for everyone at Xtreme.

TheSupremeBeing · 07-01-2001, 11:06 AM

No need to cycle creatine, it was once thought that creatine receptors would "downregulate" which would mean less effect from creatine, but this has been proven not to be the case.

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

07-18-2001, 09:53 PM

Creatine is available in small ammount in your body naturally. So high dose of creatine is not good idea, and yes, you should cycle creatine. There's no evidence about it, meanwhile, while we waiting the scientist's research of creatine, you better cycle it.

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just open my profile

TheSupremeBeing · 07-18-2001, 09:58 PM

OK you steroid scammer...you ain't fooling anyone.

And there's been quite a few studies done on this, here is one I have at hand, which was performed on humans:

Creatine does not down-regulate creatine transporters in humans

Presented at:

Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (CSEP), 2000. This is the annual
conference of the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology and all abstracts
are published in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology.

Parise, G., A. Parshad, T. Wallimann, and M.A. Tarnopolsky. The effect of
creatine on mtCK and creaT protein expression following resistance training.
Can. J. Appl. Physiol. 25(5): 396, 2000.

* A study performed at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario by
world-renowned creatine researcher Dr. Mark Tarnopolsky.

* Untrained male subjects in an 8-week resistance training study and
consumed 10g of creatine per day.

* In a finding that surprised the researchers, the data showed that
"long-term" creatine use did not decrease the number of creatine
transporters in muscle.

* Therefore, in humans, contrary to previous data in rats, creatine has not
been shown to downregulate transporter number.

You could also see:

Guerrero-Ontiveros, M.L., and Walliman, T. 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. Mol. Cell Biochem. 184:427-437, 1998.

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

gopro · 07-19-2001, 02:23 PM

I don't wish to disagree with The Supreme Being b/c after all,he is SUPREME.Although studies say that you do not have to cycle creatine,I have found with myself and my clients that better results are achieved with cycling.Of course everyone is different,this is just my observation.I like 3 months on followed by 6 weeks off.

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symmetry over size

07-19-2001, 03:09 PM

gopro, you say that you nor any of your clients cycle with creatine. Ok now do you load when you go back on your cycle and how much do you personally and your clients take postworkout and on non workout days. I am probably not going to cycle to start off with, but it would be nice to have a plan B if plan A is not working for me.

TheSupremeBeing · 07-19-2001, 07:17 PM

The only reason I posted that was because that guy said there wasn't any science done on it.

The reason you might see better results from cycling is because you can take advantage of the loading phase again. You don't actually get better results, you just notice them better. Cycling is just a carryover of steriod use.

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

gopro · 07-20-2001, 05:46 AM

No supreme.I track mine and my client's progress carefully.Over the long term I have seen better results with cycling.Any way,yes I reload each time I go back on for about 5 days.My maintenance dose varies with each client,but in general is 5gr on off days and 10gr on training days.

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symmetry over size

Mule · 07-20-2001, 08:00 PM

I cycle mine. It seems to work better for me! But STB doesnt go by experance he goes by the book!

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Im an Iron Addict!

TheSupremeBeing · 07-20-2001, 10:24 PM

gopro: There is no need to load for more than 2 days (20g per day). All you need for maintenance is 2-3g. Just so others don't get the wrong idea...you don't need to cycle.

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

gopro · 07-21-2001, 09:49 AM

Yes another brilliant answer from the "supreme one."Perhaps we should all do only as you do and you say...then we could all be ignorant AND small.Well I already know you have a small brain,small muscles,maybe small feet...and therefore we all know what else on you must be small!Seriously dude,get a grip...you don't know everything.

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symmetry over size

Charger · 07-21-2001, 01:22 PM

I don't remember who posted it but how about instead of cycling, just reload say every 2 to 3 months?

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Can't never did nothin,(Dedicated to my father)

Maki Riddington · 07-21-2001, 04:35 PM

Creatine use like any other supplement use is very individual.

Gotopro, you don't come off very professional as a trainer insulting a 15 year old on the internet.

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Exercise, my drug of choice

<FONT COLOR="#000002" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[Edited 1 time by Maki Riddington on 07-21-2001 at 06:38 PM]</font>

gopro · 07-22-2001, 12:19 PM

First of all,I had no idea that TSB is 15.That would explain alot of things.Second,I can assure you that I am quite professional as a trainer and moderator myself.I respect everyone's opinions and expect other's to do the same of mine.However,when someone does not do this and decides that he/she knows everything they must be prepared for a verbal tongue lashing.If it is true that TSB is only 15...than I retract my venom towards him b/c at that age,ignorance is expected.

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symmetry over size

TheSupremeBeing · 07-22-2001, 01:14 PM

Bahahahaha...

PS - I wear a size 13 shoe, biatch

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

Maki Riddington · 07-22-2001, 01:42 PM

Retract your comments you say?
It seems to me you have a problem holding your tounge as I have seen you lash out again on another thread against him.

Anyways, if you see results then by all means it must work, just as what SB states will work as well. Niether method is inferior to the other.

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Exercise, my drug of choice

**Robert** · 07-22-2001, 05:21 PM

TSB does have a way of insulting people and putting them on the defensive.

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Just because the majority believes it, does not make it true!

gopro · 07-23-2001, 02:19 AM

Prince....you said it!!!Maki...just worry about yourself!!!Supreme...you are anything but!!!

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symmetry over size

TheSupremeBeing · 07-23-2001, 02:39 AM

You're quite the comedian gopro.

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Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.

gopro · 07-23-2001, 03:22 AM

Laughter is the best medicine..

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symmetry over size

BroadStreet · 07-23-2001, 05:54 AM

One question. What were the duration of the studies that stated no reason to cycle creatine. Most studies on supplements are short due to the costs involved. I'd like to see the results of tests done on an individual whose been using creatine daily, for say 2 years. I'd prefer to be safe than sorry. I dont think it's wise to take creatine long term till the real life answers are tallied.

ballast · 07-23-2001, 08:20 AM

Here's one for you BroadStreet.
Researchers from Appalachian State university and Edinburgh University,Scotland(headed by Dr. Brian Schilling), showed no adverse health affects in 26 athletes who used creatine for 0.8 to four years.The study found that supplemented athletes fell within normal ranges for a variety of health related factors.There were no differences between the creatine and control subjects in the incidence of injuries,cramps or other side effects.The study suggests that long-term use of creatine is safe.
-Med. Sci. Sports 33: 183-188, 2001

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"I figure,f*ck it.While I'm at it why not just shoot my buddy,take his job,give it to his sworn enemy,hike up gas prices,bomb a village,club a baby seal,hit the hash pipe and join the national guard....I could be elected president."