Creatine?

[wonderboy87]

When i used to work out couple of years ago, i used to take creatine, and it helped me alot...

now i started diet, and i need to drop alot of weight... and i'm doin intense work out sessions (3-8 reps) but i'm so sore.... i take multivitamins... but i was wondering if i could take creatine...

and would it effect my weight loss, cuz i don't wanna take them if it's gonna slow down my weight loss.

[biogeek]

Hi Wonderboy,

Since you say you do intense workouts, creatine should help enhance your workouts by keeping your energy high and keeping ammonia within your plasma from rising during your workouts. Most folks that take creatine do so to increase muscle mass, which is also where most of our naturally produced creatine is stored.

Just remember that muscles weigh more than fat, so you should get in the habit of using a tape measure to keep track of your success instead of the scale.

You may also wish to supplement with L-carnitine as well. It is an amino acid that burns fat, which also helps in providing energy for workouts. It also removes ammonia from the bloodstream to help with endurance.

Good luck with your workouts!

[ValidRouge]

I don't know about creatine...but I have been reading about and just started using L-carnitine. The reason I wanted to use it was to help with that muscle burn during my running workouts. I have been using it two weeks now and I've noticed that it does help with muscle fatigue during my workouts. I'm doing much, much better for endurance because of it. If it helps with burning fat too...well, then, that's an added bonus.

Dr. Atkins says in his VitaNutrient Solution book that L-carnitine is his favorite supplement for fat burning but then also credits it for helping with athletic performance as well.

[meltinglady]

Creatine is found in red meat, poultry and fish.
Read this:There are side effects. http://www.answers.com/topic/creatine

[Reddude]

Dear Wonderboy,

I have used the atkins Diet twice (including now) in order to lose weight. I am neither a doctor nor a fitness expert so please regard this as simply anecdotal evidence rather than advice.....


I have experimented with many forms of creatine..both on and off the atkins diet. Types I have used include creatine monohydrate, creatine gluconate, creatine ethyl ester, and creatine serum. While results from creatine usage almost always resulted in increased strength while consuming a carbohydrate rich diet, creatine consumption on the atkins diet has produced inconsistent (personal) results at best.

That said, the one supplement I have used which does seem to mitigate bonecrushing heavy workouts without inhibiting weight loss is a low carbohydrate creatine ethyl ester mix called NO-XPLODE. However, I must say that even with this supplementation, aside from leg workouts, I still find that during the ultra low carbohydrate intake phases of the atkins diet, a shaping routine, rather than a massing routine is most effective in the gym. Massing simply isnt feasible while cutting fat on a crash low carb diet like atkins (in my experience).