[2frustrated]

So i've seen before and after pictures of a girl on creatine for a week! WOW! And no she wasn't advertising it! I'm trying to research the how and the why and the is it safe? And do you take it constantly or for a week at a time when you want to "poof" your muscles up??

Help!

[Mel]

I've seen great results from creatine- but it really only "poufs" up your muscles, it's a cell volumizer which enables them to hold more water, BUT I've also seen some dreadful overall bloating effects in women. You won't know until you try it. If you aren't bodybuilding or entering a photo-based official challenge, why do it?

Mel

[2frustrated]

Just heard about it and wondered what it was all about really! I read some lady's site on bodybuilding and her photos were impressive (before and after a week of creatine) and some websites site studies that claim that it improves performance and muscle repair. Just wondered if anyone had tried it and what the general feeling about it was.

[charliekay]

i actually gained lots of weight on creatine,and i started having dark dark HAIR in places girls shouldn't! i will never use this stuff again.

[2frustrated]

Hmm that's odd! I've also been reading that it's not got any hormones or anything in so it shouldn't have effects like that. The weight I can understand because of the retention thing.

[RobertW]

Originally Posted by 2frustrated

Just heard about it and wondered what it was all about really! I read some lady's site on bodybuilding and her photos were impressive (before and after a week of creatine) and some websites site studies that claim that it improves performance and muscle repair. Just wondered if anyone had tried it and what the general feeling about it was.

I know some powerlifters who thought it made them stronger, but they also complained of getting "the runs".

Like Mel said, it probably isn't worth bothering with unless you need to get all pumped up for a bodybuilding contest or photo shoot. I think our progress is not normally limited by low phosphocreatine levels and the effects of taking creatine are just the muscles swelling with water due to all that extra creatine ending up in our muscles, same as when you carbohydrate load.

[Mel]

I've never heard of hormonal effects either. I'd hazard a guess that it wasn't only creatine.

I do heartily believe in the restorative powers of L-glutamine. It helps with muscle repair and some research indicates that it is a general immune system booster. It's been shown to stave of post-marathon bronchial infections which are really common. I take l large scoop per day (5 grams?) in my protein shake.

Mel

[Su-Bee]

What about L-carnitine and L-argnine? Does anyone have experience with those, either in combination with L-glutamine or alone?

And I guess what I am REALLY asking is - the consensus here seems to be creatine, no, L-glutamine, yes - are there any other supplements that people DO recommend? And why?

Thanks!