Posted by The Truth on March 12, 1997 at 20:36:19:
In response to the post by Sweden, I thought I'd share some Interesting info being passed around some of my buddies on Creatine usage. Hope it helps
Creatine Monohydrate seems to be the latest way to put on quality muscle - or is it?
It seems that when we load Creatine into our system that after about three days the
Strength levels skyrocket, recovery seems to happen quicker, and you have more energy.
The problem is when you go off of the stuff, you lose it. WHY? Well most of us are
taking it randomly without any rhyme or reason or, even better than that, are following
the directions on the back of the bottle. There are a few simple points that one has
to remember when taking Creatine to get the most out of it. You must first understand
how Creatine works or to phrase it even better - what is it doing? Creatine is a natural
element found in uncooked lean meat. Research seems to show that the ingestion of
Creatine expands the muscle cell allowing more nutrients and fluid to pass through it.
Well, this means that the cell can recover quicker and thus grow faster because more
than the average amount of nutrients are passing through the cell. So let�s all rush
out and eat some steak tar-tar (creatine is denatured when meat is cooked-- good try, though).
Well, for obvious health concerns, we just can�t do that. Now that you have a handle on creatine, let�s talk about insulin. Insulin is the most powerful anabolic hormone known.
It�s role in the digestion process is extremely critical. For us bodybuilders, insulin and
creatine combined correctly can produce tremendous gains. Basically, when insulin levels are high creatine is better absorbed. Also, when insulin levels are high, amino acid uptake in the cell is increased as well as the obvious glucose. All this stuff means is that you have to make sure your insulin levels are high before you ingest creatine in order to get the most out of it.
Here�s how to do it:
***Do not mix creatine with any citrus juices (i.e. orange, grapefruit, etc.).
Citrus juices destroy creatine. Use apple, grape, or cranberry - they seem to
produce the best results.
***Creatine seems to work for only about 14 days. (taking it continuously is a marketing ploy.) So cycle it on for 14 days then go off for 14 days.
LOADING PHASE: 5 days @ 5 grams 5 times per day.
MAINTENANCE PHASE: 2 days @ 10 grams (5 grams twice a day), 2 days @ 20 grams a day.
1. Take simple sugars to get blood sugar levels high.
2. Wait 20 minutes and ingest the creatine. Wait approx. 10 minutes and eat
your protein and complex carbohydrates to sustain your blood sugar levels.
If your injecting insulin you must be on a high Carb diet. after taking the insulin subcutaneously wait about 10 minutes and take the creatine with the simple sugar. The same time schedule is followed as mentioned above.
Remember, for it to work, the person MUST BE ON A HIGH CARBOHYDRATE DIET!!!
Hope this helps.