Creatine any experience

I know the standard answer will be that if your diet/nutrition is right don’t need any supplements! But I want to try and start building at least a bit of muscle (currently very puny!)and doing some home weights/kettle bell workouts.

Inevitably in my search for tips and hints have had lots of recommendations for Creatine just to assist with performance/growth.

Anyone use it and seen benefits? Or alternatively any negative impacts (possibly just wasting money?!)

My assumption is that if you are training hard and regular then it can be of benefit (with some other supplements as well). If you just want to gradually build you don’t need it.

for reference, training 4x a week on careful diet and supplements, saw significant muscle growth over about 6 months. Stopped training, went back to it a couple of years ago, twice a week, sod the diet, no supplements and am now bigger and stronger than I ever was before

I used to take it years ago in my early 20s when I was into weights and it does help you to lift more / heavier weights but outside of that there isn’t any real benefit to taking it. You still need a quality high protein diet and all the rest that comes with it.

Downside is that it increases water retention so you get that Gym Bro puffy look although for some people maybe that’s a pro.

Was never into weights in any big way but in my 20s I used it alongside triathlon training. I got compartment syndrome (shin splints) a couple of times. It seems there is a distinct link as the water absorption in the muscle tissue can make you predisposed.

So if you are a runner as well, you might want to take heed.

I used to take it regularly and it does seem to do what it says in the research. Lifting heavier feels easier and you progress quicker. You recover better between sessions. You’ve got more energy/endurance.

And yep the downside is you put on ~2% bodyweight. But even as a cyclist you will get more than 2% benefit from taking it (and you can always cut it a fortnight before a big event).

There’s also research that it improves brain function.

So the usual caveat about consulting your physician* before taking any supplements or starting a new exercise regime aside, there really isn’t any reason not to.

Current thinking is that you should take the same consistent lower dose every day rather than the old school approach of cycling it.

*It won’t play nicely with kidney issues but there’s no evidence AFAIK that it causes them.

I’ve used it almost constantly for over 20 years. It’s one of the most researched supplements ever (2nd to caffeine I think). If you’re eating a lot of meat (a natural source), you may not notice much. There is advocacy now for creatine and brain health.

It’s so cheap, get some, take a few grams a day (you don’t need the old 20g a day for a while as a loading dose), and it’ll build up in your system over several weeks. Run it for 6 months and see.

If you’re lifting, sprinting etc it’ll help as it aids ATP formation/production. You probably won’t notice though: it’s not testosterone! Through it in your drink bottle when you ride.

If you are aging or ride with people who are, it can help with sarcopenia (the slow muscle loss that occurs as we hit 40s-50s-60s etc.).

Get creatine monohydrate, the bog standard, simple stuff. It’s tasteless.

Tons – took it for years in my 20s/30s.  The standard answer is bullshit in this case as it’s not something that can be easily consumed without supplementation unless you REALLY like steak.

It’s the most researched Sports Supplement, it’s wildly thought to be safe, it’s effective and it’s cheap.  Just buy plain old fashioned Creatine Monohydrate without any daft stuff, 5g/day, loading phase of 25g/day helps but isn’t strictly necessary.

The water retention thing is a bit of a red herring as it does make you hold water but it’s intracellular water in the muscle bellies, just keep a close eye on hydration levels (like you do normally right???)

The puffy gym-bros might be down to other *ahem* “things”.

Yup like others have said, it’s incredibly safe, thoroughly researched and very beneficial if you want to do strength training. As long as you’re getting enough protein through your diet, creatine is really the only other thing you need to help build strength/muscle, go for it!

I just get the standard creatine monohydrate from Bulk and am very happy.

Edit: I should clarify – you don’t need it, but it is super helpful and apart from a little weight gain from water retention you may get, there are no downsides.

I am 49 and have used it since i was 18 and a rugby prop forward, still weight training, but do a lot of short HIIT stuff on turbo trainer too, but also am Type 2 diabetic and there is some research to show that it helps with stabilising blood glucose levels a little, so have kept up with it.

I had my low rating heart rate looked at last year. It’s always been low, but decided that I’d get it looked at. They were happy but did say they would be more concerned if I’d used creatine or steroids combined with cardio workouts. I had not. They said combined with the low heart rate I’d be more susceptible to heart arrhythmias. I think it’s less risk if used with weights

Started using it at 5g a day recently because I’ve reached that age where I need to think about maintaining what I’ve got muscle wise. There’s also growing evidence that it helps with brain health.

In a nut shell, it’s pretty much the most researched, and understood supplement, generally considered safe and cheap to boot.

I bought a tub from home bargains and tried to form a routine where I would add 5g to a pint of water and drink it every day. Drinking an extra pint of water would be beneficial for me and the creatine maybe an added benefit.

I haven’t formed a routine yet. I might give it another try.

I have been taking it mainly for brain fog/energy reasons as I have ME/CFS, plus try to keep active as i can with weights and ebiking.

I can’t swear it’s made a noticeable difference but as others have said with bucket loads of long term research it seems a no brainer.

Also on the weight gain, you’re looking at only a few pounds and it’s intramuscular water so effectively pumps them up a bit.

49 yr old who has been lifting weights for the last couple of years to get into decent shape.  I use it from time to time for periods of say 3-4 months.  Others have highlighted how deep the research is for it but i did have my bloods taken a few months ago (for another reason) and it did actually effect some levels (of course) to the point they wanted to check me for liver/kidney function.  When i explained i was taking creatine they were happy there was no issue.

From my limited knowledge it increases water retention in the muscles so it can inflate the look of the muscle, increase your weight but also increase your ability to train harder and longer.  Its no magic pill but it can help an older man fight off fatigue.

increase your ability to train harder and longer.  Its no magic pill but it can help an older man fight off fatigue.

I mean that certainly sounds magic lol. Interesting thread. Creatine is something I’ve long been aware of but never been fussed about trying. Used to lift semi-seriously but now just try to do it somewhat regularly, to fight off the effects of ageing rather than getting stronger. Not sure I want to get into having to take something permanently though! (as I’m sure you’d miss it if you stopped)

So, if I wanted to start taking it, is it best as a powder of tablets? And where’s the best/cheapset place to get it?

Thanks all, surprisingly positive responses, think I’ll give it a try.

When I was weight training/crossfitting _a LOT_ I used it to try and both aid recovery and get assistance in building muscle. I took it with protein/BCAA supplements. I got mine from MyProtein, the batch tested version. If you don’t care about the (small) risk of failing a drugs test, the normal sort is cheaper.

Did it work? Maybe. I know that I lost a lot of weight and muscle when I moved and stopped training (and stopped needing/taking the supplements), so maybe it helped.

I’ve tried it a couple of times in the past and for me there was zero performance enhancement, I just gained 3-4 kilos of weight which was all water that went away again when I stopped taking it. It sounds like I’m in a minority here though and as many have stayed, it’s cheap and safe so give it a go and see for yourself.