I've heard creatine can speed recovery from workouts and improve muscle gains (which is my goal) but then I've also heard that any weight gain is caused by water retention in the muscle (and is therefore presumably not true or physiologically useful weight gain.)\n\nDoes anyone have expert knowledge either way?  Have there been any rigorous scientific studies into this?  Or are there any straight forward medical reasons why I shouldn't be using creatine?
132765
I'm sure there is great info out there, I don't have any. but remember water plays an important part in our bodies 70-80% of us is water. so bigger muscles equals more water.
181968
a lot of times we gain weight from not drinking enough water. When we aren't getting enough water as a defense, our bodies start to retain water. When you drink water or take water pills the body flushes out the water that your body retains and properly uses the water that we drink. \n\nWeights for your arms. Crunches for your tummy. Maybe you might want to invest in a trampoline or a big excercise ball those help with your thighs and your legs. \n\nYou just have to keep up on it, don't start a new routine and then stop that is a bad mistake.
65971
Diet pills do work, although not forever.  You see, diet pills are like any other drug your body builds resistance to them and their effectiveness wears off when you take them for a while.  \n\nThey do work short term but there are better ways to boost your metabolism and lose the weight.\n\nThere are several ways to boost your metabolism but lets look at the factors that drive your metabolism first.  \n\n1. Genetics - you have very little control, but you are not a prisoner of your genes.  \n\n2. Lean Muscle Mass - this one throws most people off because women think, oh no I dont want muscles and men think I guess I have to look like a body builder.  Lean muscle mass is simply your weight minus the weight of your organs, bones, fluids and fat.  You increase lean muscle mass primarily through eating properly, resistance exercise, and a lifestyle that doesnt promote catabolizing activites (smoking, heavy drinking and drug use)\n\n3. Frequency of meals - the more meals the more the metabolic processes take place in your body and the faster your metabolism.\n\n4. Water Intake - dehydration is a major drag on metabolism.\nMost people are dehydrated and they dont know it.\n\n5. Sleep - getting enough rest allows the body to function at a higher metabolic level.\n\nYou will learn more than you ever knew about metabolism from my source .   I cant type it all here, just click the link.\n\nhttp://www.jtfit.com/metabolism/
555581
OK here's the scoop on these products, they are HELL on your kidneys. They may promote bulk and fat burn but they are loaded with Creatine (something akin to creatinine phosphate which is a byproduct of protein metabolisim)  It is not the same but it produces excessive levels of creatinine phosphate when consumed... The best method to gain bulk and burn fat is increasing your caloric intake of LEAN MEATS and veggies as well as incomplete proteins such as beans and NUTS which will also increase the amount of healthy fats in your diet. You will burn fat gain muscle and add bulk.
196590
as a track and cross country runner building my legs mass wasn't something that I needed to do but as I've gotten older I got more interested in it cuz I was always skinny. I can eat anything and never gain any weight. Well, as usual when I'm in training, I eat everything and my apetite is always so much more. \nHere's my advice, when I wanted to gain mass I worked out twice a day and I lifed weights on my shoulders on a machine that allowed me to lay in an angle and I lifted more weight than what was comfortable for me. I would hold weights in my hands and stand on the edge of the stairs and work my calfs too. Sometimes I would fill a back pack up with heavy books and lift them to work my calfs.\nI would sit on the work out machine that would allow me to lift the weight that would work my quads and hamstrings.\nWhile working out I made sure that I ate steaks, vegetables at every meal and lots of bread. I ate so much food so I could put more weight on. I always had a water bottle with me and that and Gatorade was all I drank. I drank so much water that everytime I peed it was nothing but water.\nN E Way, within 2 weeks of working out twice a day and everyday making my workout harder, I became so huge in the legs. It was so cool. Of course, after I noticed the difference and everyone noticing the difference it made me work harder.\nI wouldn't try anything unnatural or the powder (which my husband used to use and it did nothing for him) but I guess it works differently with everyone. Some people I know who use the powder look like they are on steriods and they begin to look freakish. \nDo it naturally cuz the minute you stop using that stuff you will loose all mass.
651296
Three magic ingredients my friend: meat, eggs and beer. All types of meat are high in protein and beef actually has the highest level of naturally-occuring creatine. Egg whites have awesome levels of protein, and the grain in beer packs some super protein power. \n\nHere's a good routine. Drink plenty of water at night. Wake up early and have a banana before working out. Work out hard for about an hour, mostly free weights. After your workout, eat eggs for breakfast with some fruit to restore your energy. For lunch, have a tuna sandwich with peanut butter. Sounds weird, I know, but it works some magic. Do your cardio work in the late afternoon / early evening, when it's not too hot out. Eat meat, beans and veggies for dinner with a brew. Repeat that every day and you'll be a fierce mass of muscle.
326347
Protein is what your muscles feed off of.  The recommended serving per day is 1 gram of protein per 1 lb of body weight.  It gives your muscles the nutrients to grow larger and stronger.  It is a know fact that more muscle means your body will burn more fat.  So by building muscle you will lose weight, that is assuming you also have a reasonably healthy eating habits.  The best proteins I have found are high in protein content,low in fat and carbohydrates, calories I feel aren't as important.  But that is only my opinion.  \n\nTo the person above creatine does not make you lose weight.  It actually makes you gain weight.  It basically makes your body retain more water and other nutrients to help your muscles repair themselves.  Once you stop using creatine after a set cycle, you will lose the weight you gained originally.
7857
I'll share my own personal experince with you, use muscle building supplements with extreme caution if you must!! The companies that manufacture them have become unscrupulous and they are only keen on making money. They'll put anything in those supplements to make you blow up in no time without any regard to their side effects and your health. And am not talking about just steroids, supplements too!!  Right now am battling high blood pressure and high cholesterol as a result of using Nitro Tech, a leading brand name in the protein shake industry!! In my opinion training on natural food is the best way to go if you are only keen on sculpting and toning up your muscles. Eat foods high in protein but at the same time consume red meat and dairy products sparingly. The best source of healthy protein is chicken, fish (white meat) and plant proteins such as soy beans. Ensure you take in a lot fluids too especially water and home made juices! A lot of bodybuilders really go overbaord with the protein intake and from my experience that's really an overkill. A balanced diet with plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables and high quality carbs such as oats, wholewheat bread, baked potatoes and muesli will do your body a lot of good. Get yourself a health magazine e.g Muscle and Fitness provides some very good insights on a good nutritional plan but in my opinion stay away from the supplements as tempting as they seem. Some of them don't even have patents to back them yet and for that reason they should be labelled as "poison" because that's what they are. Some of the ingredients in many of those supplements are so potent and powerful, they scar and clog up your ateries in no time! This to me beats the whole purpose of body building in the first place which is to maintain good health and fitness. For me even though I am very fit, I lost out on my health. Learn from my mistake and don't misconstrue one for the other because they belong together; Fitness and Health. I hope I was of help. Good luck.
644681
I take glutamine quite often.  I can't say I have seen any huge gains as I did with creatine, but my understanding is that if you take glutamine while you are not lifting, you tend not to loose as much muscle as you would with out it.  One supplement I would absolutely swear by is Nitric Oxide (NO).  The active ingredient is L-arganine.  Wal-mart sells a product called NOS that is effective.  GNC has a product called NO2 that is also quite effective but cost more than twice as much as the wal-mart version and has the same active ingredients.  Anyway, to answer your question, I would definitely add glutamine to you diet.
213919
Theres some new protein on the market muscle milk by cytomax and max milk by eas. they both give like 600 calories plus creatine. Im not sure abuot taking creatine at that age but if yoiu can, do it. And EAT alot, but eat good foods, high in protien. I wwas there. Im like 160 now. But I was only 125 when I joined the marines. came out weighing 145. Just proves that food and exorcise will do it. You need to eat 3500 more calories than you burn to gain a pound.
149412
Go to a heath store and buy a batch or two of those protein drinks.  They're designed to make you "bulk up".  If you don't exercise regularly while taking these, you'll gain weight for sure.
358432
It depends a lot on if you eat anything after your work out.  Right after your workout, make sure to drink a protein shake (or eat something high in protein) and some food with simple sugar (banana, 1 can of regular soda).  The protein will help you build muscle and the sugar is to raise your insulin levels to help carry the protein to your muscle.  \n\nIf you're not eating right after your workout, then yes you are wasting it because your body is starved and needs nutrients to recover.
663538
There are no good diet supplements to lose wieght, it just takes eating healthfully and monitoring your caloric intake combined with a moderate amount of physical activity (running, biking, cardio gym equipment, even lifting weights burns fat).  Many dietary supplements either don't work, or affect your heart rate and are unsafe and unhealthy for your body.  \n\nIn the past I have taken Creatine to build muscle, and other similar dietary supplements, but have found that the only way to become truly fit and healthy, and stay that way is to adjust your lifestyle and exercise.\n\nGood luck!
218304
I have actually thought quite a bit about this.  I have come to believe that water is best before and after exercising as you are using it to keep yourself hydrated, and not for "energy".  I use Gatorade during the actual exercise to keep me hydrated AND keep my energy level at as close to peak as possible.  \n\nHave fun with your project.
314493
creatine just affects your muscles ability to retain water...which can then help muscle grow since nutrients/protein can be transfered to muscles more easily.\n\nyes.\n\nwater helps your body clean your body of toxins...plus, your body already makes its own supply of creatine.  so it's pretty safe for your kidneys.\n\nbtw, i mean safe as long as you don't take an excess amount of creatine.  of course you are changing the balance in your body.  some people can handle more...some not as much.  just make sure you know how your body reacts to it and how much you can take.
514993
Start taking a vitamin.  Men, just like women, can be deficit in folic acid, which will really put a damper on your ability to exercise and your energy level.  It sounds like you want to gain weight?  Perhaps you just naturally adjust your eating habits to your activity level to keep your weight the same no matter how much you work out.  Try drinking a high calorie energy drink, or meal replacers like nutri cal or ensure.
220102
glutamine PEPTIDES are ok to be taken with creatine.  L-glutamine (notice the L) such as gluFM should be taken by itself.  the glutamine and creatine do compete with each other and so one will win and the other will lose.  the peptides are more stable and more soluble (L-glutaminei s not soluble).\n\nso unless you have a product that has glutamine + creatine in it, you can take L-glutamine and creatine roughly 1-2 hours apart.