Creatine-cycling off?

[M4M203]

Does it matter if you take creatine for a long period of time or should you cycle on and off of it? I've been taking Trac Extreme and been getting great results, been taking it for 6 weeks..any advice on the cycling? or dont need to at all?

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

It is best to cycle it.

I do it a few times a year for about 6-8 weeks at a time and always have had great results each time

[dannyboy9]

BUMP to what biggerguns said.

With creatine mono, the usual time on and off is 8 ON/4 OFF.

Try not to stay any more than 8 weeks ON. You can take a longer time off but a good month is usually enough.

[M4M203]

Thanks for all the help. And when you do cycle of for 4 weeks do you guys notice any changes in your body or strength in a negative way or just keep the gains going?
But, what happends if you don't cycle of creatine? Like in my case, ive been on creatine for about 7 weeks and just got another case of Trac Extreme. I play football and we are told by our trainer to stop taking creatine beggining of June, because of actual football practices and football camp approaching(which is in August but do a lot of hard running before that), with more intense running n other high intensity drills. I still have not heard of anyone getting hurt while taking creatine during football season, cause we still lift during the season. Is it really needed to stop taking creatine for football? And what will happen if you dont cycle creatine?


Thanks

[M4M203]

uhhh^^^?????

[Kenton]

Originally Posted by dannyboy9

BUMP to what biggerguns said.

With creatine mono, the usual time on and off is 8 ON/4 OFF.

Try not to stay any more than 8 weeks ON. You can take a longer time off but a good month is usually enough.

Dannyboy and any other scholars, do you experience that the creatine has temporary effect? Because I found out that the body does not pump in the same way that it does while consuming it.
What to do to let it permanent?
see you.

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by Kenton

Dannyboy and any other scholars, do you experience that the creatine has temporary effect? Because I found out that the body does not pump in the same way that it does while consuming it.
What to do to let it permanent?
see you.

What? Not sure I know what you mean, but ......

The muscle you produce during your creatine cycle is permanent as long as you continue to train at the same intensity and regularity and also support your body with the proper nutrition intake.

One thing to take note of is.....Creatine monohydrate makes you retain excess water, therefore when you come off of it, you may lose a bit of the water you were holding, leading to some weight loss. I have gained anywhere from 10 to 25 lbs from a creatine cycle and when I come off it I lose anywhere from 3 lbs to 6 lbs at most.

But nothing was temporary as you described????

[Kenton]

Originally Posted by BiggerGuns=LongerDrives

What? Not sure I know what you mean, but ......

The muscle you produce during your creatine cycle is permanent as long as you continue to train at the same intensity and regularity and also support your body with the proper nutrition intake.

One thing to take note of is.....Creatine monohydrate makes you retain excess water, therefore when you come off of it, you may lose a bit of the water you were holding, leading to some weight loss. I have gained anywhere from 10 to 25 lbs from a creatine cycle and when I come off it I lose anywhere from 3 lbs to 6 lbs at most.

But nothing was temporary as you described????

Temporary effect means I am talking about the, Heaviness and fullness of the muscles, (the skin almost stretch tight) that occur while exercise during creatine consumption. And when the off period, the muscles are not feeling the same intensity of stretch.
see you.

[Macbeth417]

I do not cycle my creatine (though i do go off it once or twice a year), I use it as a constant suppliment at in the 3mg a day range. The loading and cycling to 5mg/day seems to be propetuated inaccuracy with few really understanding the reasoning behind it or know the scienctific data supporting otherwise. Personally I feel current 8/4 load/cycle to be an illinformed and strongly propertuated myth about this compound.




M4M203: here are some articles by David Barr that will answer just about everything you care to know about creatine-

David Barr is a strength coach and scientist with research specialty in supplements and muscle growth. He has done extensive work for NASA at the Johnson Space Center and David's research center. He has studied everything from the cellular basis of muscle breakdown to work on critically ill catabolic patients. He holds certifications with the NSCA as well as USA Track and Field...

Great Primer article, covers all the new super blends as well as tackles many of the myths:
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do...ydra?id=768093

Another great articles tackling how to properly use it and maximize its effects.
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459369


Please don't take offense, but these may be good articles for some of you who have been using the stuff for years. Though, it is your body and everyone must decide what they feel works best for them.

-Mac

[BiggerGuns=LongerDrives]

Originally Posted by Kenton

Temporary effect means I am talking about the, Heaviness and fullness of the muscles, (the skin almost stretch tight) that occur while exercise during creatine consumption. And when the off period, the muscles are not feeling the same intensity of stretch.
see you.

Oh ok, yes no doubt you get less of a pump than when on it.
It's from all the water surged into the muscles when you are on it

Good luck bro

[TRAZ]

Originally Posted by BiggerGuns=LongerDrives

It is best to cycle it.

I do it a few times a year for about 6-8 weeks at a time and always have had great results each time

I agree...I run CEE for 8 wks on 4 wks off. You don't really have to, but I like to keep my body's natural Creatine production system up and running and when you run Creatine your body stops producing Creatine. It takes 4 wks for your natural Creatine production to start again hence the 4 wks off...

[M4M203]

And when you do cycle of for 4 weeks do you guys notice any changes in your body or strength in a negative way or just keep the gains going?
But, what happends if you don't cycle of creatine? Like in my case, ive been on creatine for about 7 weeks and just got another case of Trac Extreme. I play football and we are told by our trainer to stop taking creatine beggining of June, because of actual football practices and football camp approaching(which is in August but do a lot of hard running before that), with more intense running n other high intensity drills. I still have not heard of anyone getting hurt while taking creatine during football season, cause we still lift during the season. Is it really needed to stop taking creatine for football? And what will happen if you dont cycle creatine?

[Macbeth417]

Did you even read the articles I posted for you?

-Mac

[Traps]

Originally Posted by TRAZ

I agree...I run CEE for 8 wks on 4 wks off. You don't really have to, but I like to keep my body's natural Creatine production system up and running and when you run Creatine your body stops producing Creatine. It takes 4 wks for your natural Creatine production to start again hence the 4 wks off...

I've been taking CEE for two weeks and it doesnt even come close to my experiences with monohydrate. Monohydrate in my opinion beats CEE hands down in performance, and pump.

With monohydrate, after taking 5+ grams my muscles are full/pumped for like 6 hours. CEE 5+ grams, not much of any response. I really dont even feel the strength increase on the cee like monohydrate.

I'm gonna flush my CEE and buy 1kg of monohydrate.
Before people get mad, yaya, everyones different...blah blah blah....

Now in regards to the topic at hand, I took mono for about 3 months at 10 grams per day. Took a month off and did started another cycle for about a month before I stopped because of very little to no effect. I think either my mono was expired(very grainy in solution) or transporters were burned.

[TRAZ]

Originally Posted by Traps

I've been taking CEE for two weeks and it doesnt even come close to my experiences with monohydrate. Monohydrate in my opinion beats CEE hands down in performance, and pump.

With monohydrate, after taking 5+ grams my muscles are full/pumped for like 6 hours. CEE 5+ grams, not much of any response. I really dont even feel the strength increase on the cee like monohydrate.

I'm gonna flush my CEE and buy 1kg of monohydrate.
Before people get mad, yaya, everyones different...blah blah blah....

Now in regards to the topic at hand, I took mono for about 3 months at 10 grams per day. Took a month off and did started another cycle for about a month before I stopped because of very little to no effect. I think either my mono was expired(very grainy in solution) or transporters were burned.

No worries bro!

Hmmm...I just never responded at all to Mono...I ran it 3 different times and never got anything out of it. I tried regular Mono (mixed in juice etc) and my own Celltech blend to no avail. I ran CE2 and noticed a difference after 4 days. I just finished my 2nd CE2 cycle and loved every minute of it!

If Mono works for you then by all means...Hell, if doing your workouts blindfolded and upside down works for you then go for it!

[meera]

Originally Posted by BiggerGuns=LongerDrives

It is best to cycle it.

I do it a few times a year for about 6-8 weeks at a time and always have had great results each time

I take it only on training days - do you think I ought to cycle it too?

[meera]

Originally Posted by TRAZ

... I ran CE2 and noticed a difference after 4 days. I just finished my 2nd CE2 cycle and loved every minute of it!
....

Agreed.

[Traps]

Originally Posted by TRAZ

No worries bro!

Hmmm...I just never responded at all to Mono...I ran it 3 different times and never got anything out of it. I tried regular Mono (mixed in juice etc) and my own Celltech blend to no avail. I ran CE2 and noticed a difference after 4 days. I just finished my 2nd CE2 cycle and loved every minute of it!

If Mono works for you then by all means...Hell, if doing your workouts blindfolded and upside down works for you then go for it!

CE2 is different than CEE? Isnt it?

Also, you should mix mono with dextrose, or grape juice. Stay away from mixing with acidic juices like orange juice

Also TRAZ!! Does the CE2 give you the water retention in muscles like mono?

[TRAZ]

Originally Posted by Traps

CE2 is different than CEE? Isnt it?

Also, you should mix mono with dextrose, or grape juice. Stay away from mixing with acidic juices like orange juice

Also TRAZ!! Does the CE2 give you the water retention in muscles like mono?

Traps: CE2 is just MRI's brand of CEE...It is a quality product and is pretty overpriced, but works really well! I think they helped develop CEE in the first place...

I don't really get "bloated" type muscles, but CE2 definitely makes my muscles fuller and harder. Not really sure if it is due to water retention or not...

Your past experiences with CEE might have been because of poor quality CEE (possibly/ I don't know you may have gotten a quality brand and just not responded)...I have heard that people taking cheaper brands didn't get great results occasionally. I tried running 6 Star CEE and got next to no effects and it is a cheaper brand...Just a thought.

Meera: I would always continue taking Creatine (whatever form) on non-training days. You want to keep your muscles saturated with Creatine and maintain it. Creatine is also supposed to aid in recovery so taking it on off days (when you are recovering) is essential.