how does creatine work?
99561
It helps the muscles retain water, which puts them in a greater muscle building state. Higher endurance and strength can also follow this.Creatine is not a steroid, hormone, vitamin, or a mineral. Creatine is a combination of three non-essential amino-acids, which are arginine, glycine, and methionine. The chemical name for creatine is methyl guanidine-acetic acid\n\nAn understanding of ATP is crucial to a full understanding of how creatine works. ATP is known as the energy compound in the body. When your muscles use ATP for energy, it breaks the ATP down into ADP and inorganic phosphate. Your muscles have only enough ATP to last about 10-15 seconds at maximum exertion. This is where creatine comes into play. Creatine helps muscles replenish ATP, causing you to train longer, more frequently, and at a higher intensity. Creatine has another effect on the body's muscles. Creatine helps draw water into the muscles, keeping them super-saturated with water, or volumizing the muscle. When muscles are super-hydrated like they are when one uses creatine, the muscles not only stay in an anti-catabolic (muscle building) state, but they help someone train longer and harder, leading to an increase in lean muscle mass\n\ni hope this helps, i wouldnt recommend anyone taking it because it's effect are temporary and will go away quite quickly if you dont maintain regular dosage daily
1004460
no \n\ncpk is due to muscle breakdown and is an enzyme \n\ncreatine supplements if not taken up by the muscle or other tissue are excreted as creatine
690440
Yes, women can take creatine too.  I use to take it when I workout, but I don't anymore.  I didn't want to get bulky, so I stopped.  It's totally safe for women to take.  Read the dosage on the back of the bottle or ask a Rep. in a Vitamin are GNC store.
115799
do you mean creatine? if so yes it is great for muscle building.\nCreatine is a naturally occuring substance in the foods the we eat and even in our bodies. We can synthesize creatine in the liver, pancreas, and kidneys from the amino acids Arginine, Glycine and Methionine. It can also be found in meat type foods such steak, fish, pork, tuna, etc.\n\nHowever, the amount of creatine we get from foods is minimal compared to the amount needed to get the maximum beneficial effect. To get roughly 20 grams of creatine (the general dosage amount for the loading phase), one would have to consume roughly 16-18 steaks. Because of this, it is much more convenient to simply consume creatine as a supplement, otherwise one would have to eat alot of meat products. \nThe energy released from the reduction reaction of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) to ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) fuels everything your muscles, as well as almost anything else in your body, do. Creatine is stored in the form of Creatine Phosphate in the body. When ATP looses one of it's phosphates in the reaction to create energy, creatine donates its phosphate to regenerate ATP so that it can break apart again to provide the muscles with energy.\nThe creatine phosphate system is anarobic, meaning that it does not require oxygen to run and is the first system called upon when ATP needs to be regenerated. Therefore, supplementing extra creatine into the diet will allow the muscles to use this system longer.
1096305
Patience, there is no quick miracle.  Long term health is what your looking for.  Creatin is safe but educate yourself on it.  But patience is key, fitness is a life time of work.
462044
That is a very broad questian and i do not even want to begin to explain it here so go to the link below and read away. Note be sure to see the differances between Creatine Monohydrate and Creatine Ethyl Ester
995230
When taking supplements, you should always follow the manufacturer's directions.  The only time this isn't true is if you are under instructions from a physician to use the product differently.  \n\nHowever, it might help you to know all creatine monohydrate does is cause your body to store extra water in your muscles, it doesn't actually increase muscle mass (so you're paying for an illusory effect when you take it).
362234
http://www.absolute-creatine.com/creatine.htm
375310
Creatine does not build muscle mass, it simply adds water to the muscle.  It does enhance some strength parameters but it is not anabolic.  It has also been associated with bloating and cramping of the muscles.  Creatine is most likely useful only for high-intensity interval anaerobic sports that don't depend on body mass (like volleyball).\n\nFor working out, first, weight gain will depend on your age.  If you haven't hit puberty yet, you are missing some of the essential hormones needed to bulk up (androgens).  Working out will still make you stronger because the nerves learn how to stimulate the muscles better.\n\nTo bulk, you want 8-10 reps 3-4 sets for each exercise with 2-3 exercises per body part.  Work your core (stomach/back/butt) to improve your lifts.  You can use a 2/0/3 tempo, which means 2 seconds pushing the weight up, no pause on top and 3 seconds lowering the weight.  The weight should be heavy enough so you tire out between 8 to 10 reps (if you can go to 11 the weight is too light).  Make sure you have a spotter, especially if you are just beginning (someone to watch the weights and prevent you from dropping them on yourself).  Make sure to only rest 1 minute between sets.\n\nFor diet, eat 1.2-1.5g/kg body weight of protein.  Don't waste your money on supplements.  Just add it to your diet (meat products, soy, whole grains, some vegetables, milk, other dairy, nuts).  Watch out for too much fat though, because a lot of protein sources also have fat.  Choose leaner meats and fish so you don't up your fat intake stays at a healthy level.  It's good to eat something with some protein in it right after a workout (like yogurt or something else that is easily digested).\n\nAnd please, for the love of all things good, work your legs and your back.  You want a balanced, healthy and strong body, and don't want to walk around looking like an ape. Balance chest exercises with those for your upper back (rowing exercises and pulldowns/chin-ups).  Please work your legs, you use them every day and when you work the legs, you work the butt and ladies like a nice butt!\n\nHave fun and good luck!
1157265
Creatine monohydrate is legal and probably safe.
647866
creatin...rite aid carries it
351020
Hey dude, i use creatine, and its fine. get them from GNC.\n\nYou should get the liquid one, because it doesnt have any side effects.
505076
Creatine is natural in skeletal muscle and is not harmful. The "good and bad" creatines have alot to do with how much is absorb by your body as useful creatine. Check out Muscular Development, they have a website.
782980
C4H9N3O2\n\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine
34376
Hard work.  Since this is a precursor (I think) to testosterone, it effects the hormones in the body.  However, something such as creatine has much evidence to enhance strength and edurance as well as give a pumped apperarance (usually due to water retention.  The adro can have nasty side effects such as "bacne" (pimples on shoulders and back) and gynocomasteia (bit** t*ts).
706077
Creatine and Protein work when used properly.  \n\nMuscle Milk was originally developed as a dog food, and NO xplode is an arginine supplement.  So they aren't the best.\n\nI recommend AST's products \nhttp://www.ast-ss.com/\nand they offer some very good advice on how to work out on their website.\n\nAlso look for advice here:\nhttp://www.abcbodybuilding.com/
905675
I have tried creatine and the only effect it had on me was to reduce my bank balance.  It is also worth pointing out that it is not considered a doping drug (i.e. athletes can take it).  This suggests that it doesn't have a big effect on performance.  Whey protein is about the only worthwhile supplement, everything else is really for the professionals who want to gain a tiny advantage.  I have tried most supplements and have come to the conclusion that they are just money making fads.  \n\nLifting heavier and heavier weights is the only way to pack on extra muscle.  Obviously this becomes more difficult as the weights get heavier as you need spotters.  On the spotter point, I train on my own, yet I never have a problem getting a spotter on my heavier sets.  Just ask another gym member, normally they are only too willing to help out.\n\nAlso, are you eating enough?  The quickest way to put on muscle is to have periods of bulking and ripping.  Personally I bulk up twice a year and then aim to get ripped at Christmas time and then again in the summer.  In the bulking periods I eat and eat and normally put on an extra 15 or so pounds.  My strength goes rapidly up during these periods as my body has everything it needs to repair and pack on muscle (i.e. extra calories and plenty of vitamins).  I do this for about 6-8 weeks then I cut my calorie intake down to BMR - 500.  In about 6 weeks I am then back to my normal weight + a pound or two of extra muscle.\n\nHope this help.