Creatine before or After Workout?

[YellowJacket]

Monohydrate is monohydrate. I like Optimum & Prolabs because its creapure. There's fancy creatine's out there, but mix regular monohydrate with dextrose and thats fancy enough.

[Juic'n]

After definately for me. One of the main reasons I use creatine is because of the "quicker recovery" effect. Creatine is already in ur system and made up of 3 amino acids (forgot which) and it helps you recover after you work out and build up more muscle after (or something) taking creatine in powder or pill form adds more to that/replenishes it. So if you did a heavy duty work out and take a dose or two of creatine after (10grams for me usually) then you wont be as sore or not sore at all, the more you take the more it goes into effect with the quicker recovery thing. Aslo taking it in protein shake or in a high glycemic (sp?) energy drink maximizes the effects of it.

[Juic'n]

Oh also Creatine can volumize (i.e. go into the muscle tissue/cells and fill them with water to make you appear more muscular) the places where you have worked out if you take it after to my knowledge.

[YellowJacket]

Originally posted by Juic'n
After definately for me. One of the main reasons I use creatine is because of the "quicker recovery" effect. Creatine is already in ur system and made up of 3 amino acids (forgot which) and it helps you recover after you work out and build up more muscle after (or something) taking creatine in powder or pill form adds more to that/replenishes it. So if you did a heavy duty work out and take a dose or two of creatine after (10grams for me usually) then you wont be as sore or not sore at all, the more you take the more it goes into effect with the quicker recovery thing. Aslo taking it in protein shake or in a high glycemic (sp?) energy drink maximizes the effects of it.

Creatine doesnt build muscle directly.

[rado]

Originally posted by YellowJacket
I think its in universal agreement to take it with a simple sugar to spike insulin. Given dextrose is cheap, it is often the choice. I prefer a 50/50% split of malto and dextrose (malto is cheap also).
Check your protein powder, whey has the ability to spike insuling, etc. The whole nine yards. If it contains a lot of simple sugar, dont even go for the dextrose/malto. If you use a gainer post workout (ie. N-Large 2), certainly dont add more malto. its packed with malto.

As far as dosing-

Some take 10grams post workout
Some take 5 grams post workout
Some take 5 grams pre and 5 grams post workout, etc.

I have done all 3. I have seen comparable, if not identical results with all 3 methods. Best of luck.

I agree here as well. When I do take creatine, I take 5g's before and 5g's after. I also take my shake after workout.

[Juic'n]

Creatine doesnt build muscle directly. - Yellowjacket
__________________________________________

look at the post right below it, i meant that.

[warpalien]

Originally posted by LadiesMan
Do you guys take the creatine on off days?

5 grams on off days.
10 grams during on days. 5 before, 5 after.

ribose is god with creatine.

[Iceburg]

Yep ... before and after .... why not ?

[THE JUICE]

I never liked Creatine