AceD Posted August 31, 2006 Posted August 31, 2006 Hey, Im 16 and currently playing football and lifting. I have been doing lifting since january and stopped about 2 monthsa go because of the intense football workouts. I cant lift because my muscles have been drained from 6 hr practices a day. We are not going to be coditioning as much since the season is starting in about a aweek. So my muscles are getting a nice relief. Im wondering If I should take creatine. I made a promise to myself I was going to work my ass off lifting when the season ends (ThanksGiving Day) I dont know whether to take creatine or muscle milk. Im trying to burn some fat also. Will I lose body fat if I use creatine and lift? im 5'11 and about 220lbs. Iv come so far with lifting and burning fat i just dont want to see it all go away. Iv gotten rid of the dreaded man boobs and dont have a big gut anymore. I cant lift as much as I used to because I havent been lifting alot. And it scares me because it seems like all my hardwork is going away in a blink of an eye , and I cant stand it. My question is should I take creatine or should i stick to soemthing less intense like muscle milk
superconductor Posted September 1, 2006 Posted September 1, 2006 Be very, very careful with any sort of performance-enhancing substance, especially the ones sold by people/businesses that have a vested interest in the sales of their product. It has been known to cause muscle cramping, chronic fatigue and potentially dangerous side-effects. Also, because it's sold as a food supplement and not as a medicinal aid, it doesn't have to undergo testing by the FDA or Health Canada for safety and effectiveness. Do a google search on "Creatine Supplements During Training" and check out the info from the University of Florida. And, of course, check with your doctor.
Blackfrost Posted September 1, 2006 Posted September 1, 2006 I dont know whether to take creatine or muscle milk. Im trying to burn some fat also. Will I lose body fat if I use creatine and lift? Creatine does not in any way lend itself to burning fat. What it does, is retains water molecules in muscle tissue - let me mention that it retains in all muscle tissue - including your heart. Creatine will give you a pumped look after lifting for about 3-5 hours, then the pump wears down. It does not actually build muscle, so understand when you cycle off of it, that muscular pump you have, will go away until you start using it again. I experimented with it for a while, and found it to be interesting but not worth continued use, as it doesn't really add much to strength gains. One note on the use, you better be consuming AT LEAST 128oz (one gallon) of pure water per day when you are on it, or you will destroy your kidneys and liver forever - as creatine has a very strong dehydrating effect on the body, especially in the kidneys. Also, watch for signs of creatine reactions - i.e bad bloating and muscle tension that won't go away. If you encounter those effects, stop using it. You're only 16, keep lifting hard, you'll grow. Creatine will not get you there, hard workouts and proper diet will. Good luck
littlepiggy1 Posted September 1, 2006 Posted September 1, 2006 I've used it in the past, too. If it did help with strength gains, I didn't really notice much difference. And the effects will wear off after you stop using it. Personally, I wouldn't bother. I don't use it anymore.
monkey00 Posted September 1, 2006 Posted September 1, 2006 careful with supplements. I quit the gym a year ago but before that i've heard of creatine and its uses. i was skeptical about its benefits and never used it because supplements can be known to cause harm. as superconductor mentioned those are the benefits. one major downfall of creatine is if used incorrectly or overdosed it may cause damage to the kidneys.
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