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creatine loading

kibs12 Posts: 4 Joined: 2001/03/03	2001/04/19, 11:05 PM i was taking 5 grams of pro performance creatine a day. i never loaded. i went on vacation to fla and didnt take any for ten days. i went to gnc and got some EAS phosphagen hp. i have been taking 3 servings daily to load even though it says 4. i figuered that there was still some creatine in my body. and i only weigh about 155. does this sound like the best thing to do. i am planning on reducing the servings to one on sat.
Arnold Posts: 1,112 Joined: 2000/11/27	2001/04/19, 11:48 PM When it comes to creatine, you should only load the very first time you use it. Unless you wish to use it for the sake of retaining water.. You should load for 5 days taking around 5-6 servings throughout the day. Then maintain with 5-10 grams only after your workouts. I would suggest that you add 10 grams of glutamine as well. Good Luck! .o0 Arnold 0o.
skeld2001 Posts: 271 Joined: 2001/02/10	2001/04/20, 01:09 AM Hi kibs12. Studies done recently show that after one month of taking the maintainence dose of 5g. daily, you will have the same creatine blood levels as someone who spent time on the loading phase. So my take on it is that, if you are in a big hurry to get your levels up then you should load. You'll get there faster by a few days. But the person who doesn't load will catch up with you. Plus he'll strecth his supply out a few days longer. I no longer load when I use creatine. It's your choice. Good luck.
sunnyjack Posts: 159 Joined: 2001/03/01	2001/04/21, 02:34 PM Personally, I don't load. I'm sure there are advantages, but for me a maintenance dose of 5 - 12 grams a day, depending on my workout schedule, seems to help me achieve the results I'm after. I love using this supplement.
skylar Posts: 156 Joined: 2001/01/29	2001/04/21, 08:24 PM Studies show that 5 mg/day or if you do the math (0.03mg/kg of body weight) which is the maintenance dosage, loading is not necessary because within 28 days blood creatine levels are the same as if loaded. As pointed out this does save money by not loading. Also you should cycle cretine 4-5 weeks on then one month off according to the Creatine Newsletter. The studies state that the blood cretine levels need to return to baseline due to sensitization of cells to increased creatine levels. Also remember to increase water levels as the kidneys have a decreased output due to water being drawn into the cells(voluminizing). You'll notice less urine for a while.
skylar Posts: 156 Joined: 2001/01/29	2001/04/21, 08:25 PM Forgot to say that the studies show no increased effect(s) with an increased maintenance dose.
skeld2001 Posts: 271 Joined: 2001/02/10	2001/04/22, 01:33 AM I'm a little confused on the cycling. Help me out here. My confusion is in the case where you don't load. If it takes about a month to get your blood levels up, do you start your count down to the end of the cycle after the 28 days? Or from the time you first started taking creatine? Skylar you seem to have done your homework on this supplement. What say? Also again, I have to ask you about the 5mg as opposed to 5 grams? The instructions and everything I've read says grams. I'm I missing something?
skylar Posts: 156 Joined: 2001/01/29	2001/04/22, 09:07 PM No skeld you're right about the gram thing,I got dyslexic about the gm,mg thing. And yes I do count 4-5 weeks after the 28 days due the fact that there is some confusion as to cycle or not. I do beleive that anything reaches its efficacy and that the body has a tendency to adjust. The same reason we can't train the same all the time,we shock the muscles from different angles. Confuse and conquer,eh?
skeld2001 Posts: 271 Joined: 2001/02/10	2001/04/22, 10:16 PM OK. I'll check out Web MD for ya on the dislewhatchmcallit thing if you want? (rib) Thanks. I've been going at it for about 2 months on and 4 weeks off when I use it. Thanks for letting me know. Maybe I'll start giving it a bit longer off.
skeld2001 Posts: 271 Joined: 2001/02/10	2001/04/24, 03:39 AM Gee, now I'm getting dislexia! I mean I usually take about 2 weeks off the stuff, not 4. I just started creatine again a week ago after being sick for most of a month. I lost 10 pounds. But it's already coming back, 3lbs. in the last week. I've only been on the creatine a short time and I'm not loading but I'm getting a full feeling in my muscles already.