creatine gains.. will i keep some?

[macyn]

If i am gaining strength with the creatine will i keep some after i go off of it? And how much percentage wise on average can i expect to gain/loose? thanks also after i go through my cut cycle (12-16 weeks) im going to maintain long term creatine use, ive read alot about it and it shows no harm to liver or kidneys. I love the pumps ive been getting, and just after a week have made some noticable gains in bench. thanks

 

[Power Rabbit]

mostly you just lose alittle water weight when you come off...

 

[Power Rabbit]

never had a noticable impact on strength when coming off

 

[macyn]

Sweet thats what i like to hear! also if i want to remain on creatine while cutting up is it going to dampen my ability to loose FAT? i know ill be a little bloated but as long as im still ablel to loose fat why go off it?

 

[NeedMuscleMass]

how long before you see results from creatine?

 

[macyn]

Im not sure how long, but i know i started feeling the pump the first night i took it, the pumps just seem to come faster, and feel so much better, so i think for me anyways it started working right a way, by the 3 rd day i felt like i could lift alot more, and i did, im also eating right, and eating lots of protien so that helps too, but id say you will feel it pretty much right off the bat. and it may just be physcological or somthing but it seems my muscles feel tighter as well already.. been taking it for one week now

 

[pood]

from, what I've been reading, if you do the loading phase, you can see changes in the first week

 

[Randy]

I've heard the loading phase is a waste.
The reason is that your muscles can only absorb so much creatine at one time. Apparantly more than say 5 grams at one time will not be efficiently absorbed into your muscles. It does seem contradictory to the instructions you see on most creatine though. But after I heard that, I have always skipped the loading phase.

Anyone know the truth on this topic?


It is important to cycle though. I follow a 3 week on and 1 week off program myself.

 

[Monolith]

It takes more than a week to flush the creatine completely out of your system after you stop taking it. IIRC, around 4 weeks. So i dont really see the point in a 3 on 1 off cycle.

 

[plouffe]

During my off season ( basically when i don't have football ) I use creatine. Even if I loose some water weight, creatine allows me to have a more explosive workout with more muscular energy ; resulting in good workouts.

 

[macyn]

Well all i know is i started the loading phrase last monday, and this week i added 20 pounds to my bench, and more reps! id say it worked, if i wasted some or not that first week, who cares, the stuff is fairly cheap, next time ill try not loading and see to compare but for the extra dollar i spent im not too worried really. but im sold on it, i love it, and im sure it has alot to do with my eating habbits and work ethic, but i definatly feel and see a large improvement.