Back to School Creatine 101

Is creatine a steroid? No, it is technically a supplement. All levels of athletes are using it to gain size and strength on their bodies. Good caring informed parents should nevertheless understand what it is their children are ingesting into their system. High school football, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, and soccer players are all trying creatine. In this world of competitive sports young men and women will do and look to do anything to win, indeed, some parents will even encourage creatine usage. Read carefully the following information before you decide on whether your child should use creatine.

Recommended use Dosage/Loading Creatine monohydrate is taken in 5 gram doses (approximately 1 level teaspoon), usually with a glass of water. During the first week of use, however, it is suggested that you go through a "loading phase" to saturate the muscles with creatine. To load, take 5 grams (1 level teaspoon) of creatine four times per day for 5 days. Following the loading phase, the dosage should be reduced to 5 grams per day. Ample muscle creatine levels can be maintained for months with as little as 5 grams per day. Muscle tissue is capable of holding about 5 grams of creatine per kilo of body weight. The normal level of creatine in unsupplemented muscle is 3.5-4.0 grams per kilo of body weight.
**** NOTE Creatine is not for someone who wants to trim down or lose weight!

Creatine: how to get started. Body weight Phase 1 (loading) Phase 2 (maintenance)   days 1-4 days 5 and on 65-74kg 143-163lbs 10g per day (2x5g per day) 3g per day 75-84kg 165-185lbs 15g per day (2x7.5g per day) 4g per day 85-95kg 187-209lbs 20g per day (2x10 per day) 5g per day Magic? No, It's already in your body. As you probably know creatine (usually in the form of creatine monohydrate) is a supplement taken to enhance anaerobic performance. Creatine Monohydrate is a white, odorless crystalline powder, clear and colorless in solution. An aid to resistance training Creatine also helps with resistance training by bloating the muscle with creatine rich fluid. This allows for greater leverage and requires the muscle to move less and lift more weight. While this may seem kind of trivial, some researchers today think that one of the stimulating factors of steroid use is water retention. Anabolic steroids may actually work in part because of cellular fluid retention in the muscles. The swelling action and the related stretching of the cells may in and of itself cause a reaction which stimulates the muscle cells to grow. So in some respects creatine might be as good as steroids. TIP: Mixing the powder in a glass tends to be frustrating and slow, leaving you to drinking a chunky awful looking mush. Instead mix your powder in a cocktail mixer. The mixer will quickly get rid of all the chunks and will mix in a lot of air, making your protein shake feel and taste like a real milkshake (yes it does taste better!). The fatter milk you use, the closer to a real milk shake you will come. I recommend that you drink lots of water while on creatine. My advice DO NOT expect powder to do wonders! You have to work hard to get a good-looking body! "Remember you can't buy muscles" Lori Victoria Braun Research / Buy Info / Safety Sportsone.com Does Creatine Work? < Can Creatine Help Me Lift More Weight? CREATINE FAQ Creatine Discount ROCK BOTTOM CREATINE PRICES! Buy Creatine I encourage all visitors to suggest topics they would like to see me cover. Help me make femalemuscle.com and bodybuilding a strong community. The time is now. "TIME TO GET BIG" Write me your comments, suggestions, queries Suggest a Site or Rate a Site Previous Features FLEXFILES

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