Is creatine monohydrate safe?

Three quick questions regarding all the bull about creatine monohydrate: Does it work....help build muscle tissue and enhance recovery? Does this apply to (aerobic) cycling....maybe help on hills? Is it safe as long as you remain well hydrated?

 

it doesn't help with endurance cycling performance (e.g., RRs, TTs, MTB, etc) and there's limited evidence that it works with sprint events (e.g., 200-m match sprinting).

ric

 

yes it does assist in increasing recovery times,?
wouldn't say it helped in building muscle mass, thats down to your protein intake.

Creatine is a substance possessing a high-energy phosphate bond (CP) when CP is broken down the energy contained within the bond is transfered to Adenoseine di phosaphate (ADP) to produce ATP.

With the aid of creatine ATP can be resynthesised extremly rapidly - however this process in not indeffinate. the normal supply of CP is also lmited and only lasts some 30-60 seconds before becoming depleted. If it where the only way of providing more ATP during heavy exercise, once depleted the stores of CP can only be replenished by reforming the high energy phosphate bond.

The energy required to complete this usually comes from the oxidation of food stuff, which only occurs when the energy used exceeds the rate at which energy is used - part of the recovery period after the exercise task has been completed.

creatine + 1 phosphate>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Creatine
>>>>>>>>>>>The phosphate bond is stripped from >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>CP and added to the aden +2 phosphate>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Bonds to create Aden +3 phosphate bonds>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
ADEN +2 phosaphate bonds>>>>+CP-C >>>ADEN + 3 Phospahate

 

It's safe-ish....there is some conjecture on creatine's effect on the kidneys.

I wouldn't recommend cycles of longer than 6-8 weeks of 5g per day. Take a month off in between.

 

I find that it makes me less stiff if I do a pre and a post suplement for the work out. I can't tolerate 5 grams of the stuff like some people recommend. I find that two to three grams keep muscle at bay especially if I have not worked out for a while.

It it is not working for you then you may be taking in to much cafeene.

Already posted this in the coffee post. But anyway Creatine and caffeine are antagonists.

I was getting major head achaces until I found this out. The Creatine was getting the caffeine out of my system and I was having withdrawel headaches.

 

I swear by creatine on the days I lift weights, but it is basically useless for any form of cycling.

 

As one who used creatine for years, AND had clients who used it, I can answer this....
1) It works for building muscle tissue, but indirectly. It is not anabolic or androgenic, though, like steroids.
2) It does not really enhance recovery
3) I have seen no help for aerobic activities
4) It is safe provided you keep hydrated. For many it causes bloating and diarrhea, so again it makes little sense for cycling.

 

Good post. For endurance athletes = waste of money.

 

Thats why i like L Glutamine.

 

I can second this! L-Glutamine has really helped my muscle stiffness and recovery time. I take it (1000mg) the day I ride and a couple of days following and it helps a lot.

 

Hah! and doggone it, too.

I have recently gotten into cycling (bianch imola 2004) to lose weight (250 pounds at 5' 10"). I was planning to use creatine as I gradually got more intense about cycling because it was so beneficial back when I lifted weights.

Creatine is an incredible supplement for weight lifting. Sorry to hear it is useless and sometimes counterproductive for endurance cycling.

One word of caution I experienced with creatine is that I would appear more bloaty (according to wife) with the use of creatine. Especially during the initial phases of a weightlifting regimen. Bloatines would go away as excess waterweight was lost.

Gregg

 

Bloating? I had to quit taking it because it was making me dehydrated. Guess that just goes to show we all have individual body chemistries.

 

Me neither. After numerous creatine cycles, bloating has never been an issue. More the opposite.

 

Perhaps something else is causing the bloating.

Correlation does not mean causation.

They [EAS]wanted John Elway to endorce Creatine and he would not because it made him ill. He probably has enough of it naturally. Some of us that benifited most were just deficient or should I say below ideal intake or manufacure in our bodies.

 

It causes that bloating affect because your muscles cells are holding more water. I don't know the whole chemistry professor explanation, but creatine works by holding more water in your cells, this allowing them to recover just a touch quicker. So, for weight lifting that means you can get maybe one or two more reps with a little bit heavier weight. Creatine aids in building muscle mass because the extra couple reps at the extra couple pounds of weight pushes your muscles harder and you will gain mass. It doesn't just build muscle mass on it's own. I'm primarily a bodybuilder first, but I love cycling. I take 10g creatine a day and I ride between 100-200 miles a week (it always varies based on how I feel), but I've never had any bad affects from using creatine. I drink at least a gallon and a half of water a day and I drink a lot while I ride so I think if you are lifting weights take it and drink lots of water but if you're only a cyclist it's probably a watse of money for you.