Also, how will you know how much you've actually gained using this supplement if you don't cycle off. If you gain 7 and keep 5 that's great. If less, than accept the gain as a positive. As long as you don't end up losing even more than you started out with. Of course, I'm assuming that you're in a bulking cycle. As Valdez stated earlier, being hydrated is very important for being in an anabolic state. Be sure that you are drinking tons of water, on or off creatine.

As far as cutting, I believe you should get off creatine during a cutting cycle, especially if you're using an ECA stack. They work against each other. You'll end up getting dehydrated, because they both cause dehdration, and you'll either end up sweating it all out or pissing it all out.

You should probably decide which cycle you're in. If you're just starting out with BB, you may have some fat you want to lose and some weight. It is possible to lose weight and fat and gain some mass but it's difficult, not impossible. But, you won't get really big and cut at the same time.

My own experience, was to lose the body fat and excess weight, but eating properly doing a lot of cardio, and weight training together. When, I reached my bf% and weight goals, I was pretty shredded because I had been lifting all along. Then, I cut back on the cardio to two days a week, and increased my caloric intake and added one more day of resistance training to get bigger.

The question you asked about water coming out of your muscles by coming off of creatine... I'm not sure, but I think replacing it with food,i.e. MRP's and protein, and lean meats will have an anabolic effect. BTW, you don't only gain water in your muscles, you tend to gain it all over. That's why some people get kind of bloated on creatine.

Last May 1, 2000 I started trying to get cut and lost about 40 pounds by October 1. Thats 5 months. I had a lot less bodyfat but also had lost a lot of muscle too. Basically I am trying to learn from my mistakes so I can keep more of the muscle next time I cut. The reason I asked the creatine question was because I was off it for the last month and a half of my cutting cycle. I was also taking ECA at the time. That is when I lost most of my muscle, and thats where my question came in. I figure the reason I lost a lot of muscle during that period was because of the ECA use and lack of creatine during that time. The ECA probably just sucked the water out of my muscles. The one thing I didn't understand about your reply was you said creatine makes you dehydrated. I was under the impression that creatine makes your body retain water? The combo of no creatine and ECA probably is what made me lose so much muscle.

It sounds like we are in similar cycles. I'm bulking right now, so I cut my cardio down to twice weekly for 45 minutes each. Resistance training 4 times per week on non-cardio days. Also, I'm eating like crazy, and not quite so careful about fat intake, obviously still very high protein diet. Keep in touch.

You may want to try this, which is what I'm going to do. Once I reach my bulking cycle weight and weightlifting goals, which won't be for another 3 or possibly 4 months I'll start cutting. I'll increase cardio to 3 times per week for 45 minutes, but on those days in particular I will increase my carbohydrate intake after my workouts. The other 3 days will be resistance training. I'll go on an ECA stack, and probably go on some type of prohormone, since I don't juice and I'm old enough to get the benefit from them.(40) I'll continue to drink tons of water, possibly some glutamine peptides and continue with 200+ grams of daily. If I notice my bench going down, I'll cut back the cardio.

Just my opinion...email if you have any other questions.