When you do a cycle of creatine, the part of the cycle when you see the most benefits/effects is when you reach 'maximum absorption'. In other words, when you reach the point in your cycle where your body's creatine levels are at their highest, youre going to be getting the most out of it. The reason people recommend a loading phase is because it helps you reach maximum absorption in a shorter period of time, assuming your body is able to absorb all the creatine youre ingesting during loading. 20grams a day tho, for a loading phase, is overdoing it...
Heres what i would recommend doing:
For ten days, take two 3-5 grams servings.. have the first serving on a relatively empty stomach, about 2 hours before your workout, or about an hour before your pre-workout meal. Have the second serving right after your workout. if you drink a protein shake after your workout, you can just add your creatine mix to this.
After ten days of doing this, switch to one 5 gram serving, after your workout. How long you keep on this dosage is up to you, but i personally recommend cycling off after about 2 months. Then, wait at least a month, and repeat the whole process if you wish!
Theres tons of debate on whether or not you 'need' to cycle off creatine, and personally- i believe you should. I mean, if your body doesnt naturally hold that much creatine, and by taking creatine you are altering your natural levels, then to me it makes sense to only have elevated levels for a while..about 2 months IMO. Then, cycle off, let your creatine levels go back to their natural state. Keep them like this for a month or so, then cycle back on. Also, i find when i cycle off the stuff, my weights im lifting usually drop a bit. During the time im off creatine, i try to push myself hard, and get all my lifts to where they were while on creatine. and by this time, its been about a month, and i can cycle back on. By doing this you can make steady progress and see steady gains, and know that its not just the creatine, but that your lifts are actually on par with your bodys natural strength. Again tho, i think 20 grams a day is way too much, even for loading. Id say 6-10 grams a day for loading, and about 5 a day during the maintenance phase.
Caffeine it doesnt have an effect on actual creatine absorbtion. If you drink lots of water all throughout the day, the slight dehydrating effect caffeine has wont be a problem or inhibit the effects of the creatine. So one energy drink a day is fine if youre taking creatine. Just keep drinking lots of water
As for what to mix the creatine with- it really depends. Creatine is best taken with a fast acting carb, and dextrose works best. Gatorade mix is mostly all dextrose, so thats my personal favourite. However, thats assuming you are just using straight creatine. Creatine monohydrate is the most effective, safest, and cheapest form of creatine out there, and mixing a scoop of creatine mono, and a couple scoops of gatorade works great. But if you opt for the premixed creatine blends (like cellmass or celltec.. which i wouldnt recommend becasue they are overpriced crap and full of tons of potentially unsafe additives..), then theyve already got lots of dextrose and sugars, and mixing them with gatorade or juice isnt necessary. Another thing to keep in mind is that after an intense workout, your bodys glycogen energy stores are used up, and looking to be replenished and restored. The fastest, easiest, most effective way to do this is with a simple carb (again, like dextrose). Both protein and creatine should be taken after your workout, and a simple carb helps both of them with absorption. For this reason, i think the ultimate post workout shake is: Vanilla whey, a couple scoops of orange gatorade, and 5 grams of creapure monohydrate. Not only are you giving your body everything its 'begging for' after your workouts, but this mix tastes amazing.. like orange creamsicle!
All in all, creatine is no miracle. It improves your strength and apparently aids in recovery, and can help you push out those heavy reps and long sets better than if you werent taking creatine. Its also great for helping bust thru a lifting plateau. But if youre new to workout out, or dont really hit the gym too hard or often, or dont take it everyday for your cycle, then dont expect it to do much.. better yet, dont even take it. In my opinion, its most effective when you workout hard, are experienced and have a good knowledge of lifting form and how long your body takes to naturally recover after a workout, and when take it daily (for the duration of your cycle) in conjunction with a well balanced diet and plenty of rest!
hope that helps!
tgo
