Creatine w/carbs for competition?

[MacGyver]

I'm not competing but just wondering if anyone uses creatine in the weeks before their show? And the reasons why or why not.

 

[homonunculus]

Yep!

Creatine enhances glycogen storage (and carbs enhance creatine storage, likely b/c the Cr transporter is insulin regulated). Both with have an osmotic effect, increasing cell size.

-Randy

 

[MacGyver]

Thanks

 

[weight77`]

No, no , no....creatine will make you hold water like a baby......I asked my prep trainer if I could use just straight creatine and he said it would ruin me for the show....said it would make me hold too much water....

 

[Skip]

Yes and no.

I am not a big creatine fan but I did use it this year, all day Wednesday, after slin shots. I did NOT use it after wednesday as I am unsure whether it will cause water problems or not. I have a good handle on my water and didn't want to introduce something new to phuk it up.

I know alot of guys who use it for the last few days in very large dosages with glutamine and swear by it. I just can't say for sure as I don't like to comment on things I haven't done or used.

Skip

 

[iceman92]

Have used it to carb load but (similar to Skip) drop it at least a day or two out.

Obviously depends on your carb loading approach as to whether you do it gradually over several days or shitload a la Skip's methods.

IM92

 

[homonunculus]

Creatine can make you spill if your creatine stores are full. If so, the oral creatine is absorbed, but not take up by the muscle cells, leaving it as an osmolite that can draw water in the interstitium (e.g., under the skin).

If you use ith up the the week or several days before a show, your creatine stores will be elevated and the goal of "volumizing" the muscle cells will be accomplished. A 5g creatine dose is cleared from the blood in roughly 5 hours.

You could try to use it with a carb-up during the 24 hr before a show, but the chance of spilling is there. Typical loaing increases creatine store about 20%, meaning that around 30g is take up by the muscle. If you had not creatine (except for that in food) in your diet, you might be safe with, say, at total of 10g of creatine during a 24hr carb-up.
BUT, I think it would be better to have taken creatine during your pre-contest dieting, to hold on to muscle (possibliy), rather that to use to it enhance your carb-up.

Frankly, I use Creatine on weekend CKD carb-ups and haven't noticed any water retention...

-Randy

 

[Skip]

Creatine can make you spill if your creatine stores are full. If so, the oral creatine is absorbed, but not take up by the muscle cells, leaving it as an osmolite that can draw water in the interstitium (e.g., under the skin).

If you use ith up the the week or several days before a show, your creatine stores will be elevated and the goal of "volumizing" the muscle cells will be accomplished. A 5g creatine dose is cleared from the blood in roughly 5 hours.

You could try to use it with a carb-up during the 24 hr before a show, but the chance of spilling is there. Typical loaing increases creatine store about 20%, meaning that around 30g is take up by the muscle. If you had not creatine (except for that in food) in your diet, you might be safe with, say, at total of 10g of creatine during a 24hr carb-up.
BUT, I think it would be better to have taken creatine during your pre-contest dieting, to hold on to muscle (possibliy), rather that to use to it enhance your carb-up.

Frankly, I use Creatine on weekend CKD carb-ups and haven't noticed any water retention...

-Randy

I want to see those damned pics!!

Also, you need a TEAMSKIP sig. What do I have to pay you??

Skip