I’d be interested to hear from anyone who has personally used Creatine in conjunction with an exercise program. Is it effective? Did you notice any side effects?
I actually felt that i had more energy when i took creatine. I was able to do more reps. but i wouldn’t recommend it though, u never know if there are any side effects. ie. shrinkage
Depends. Trying to bulk up? Creatine’s the sh*t.
Cardio? No difference. But if you like to go out drinking on the weekends, think again. When using creatine, your body needs double the amount of water that it would normally, like 3.5 - 4 litres DAILY. Your muscles are gonna be pumped full of water, giving you bulk. Drinking is a sure - fire way to minimize any improvement you’ll make in the gym, plus you’ll be damn thirsty for a while after.
I used it, and I could lift more and train harder, but the hassles of drinking water constantly and being perpetually thirsty were a drag. Maybe just use it in cycles, 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off.
No shrinkage tho, don’t worry.
Wouldn’t want any shrinkage, would we?
Not being the Incredible Hulk, just what part of the body are we afraid might shrink?
Where can I buy creatine in Taipei?
Tried GNC but they only have 1 kind that I’m too familiar with or interested in.
Thks.
There’s a shop behind California Fitness Centre near ZhongXiao East Rd & TunHua Sth Rd. Just go to California and walk down the adjacent lane (between California & Watson’s). It’s about 150m away, on the left.
Inside you’ll see lots of big, gay, guys who will be more than happy to sell you Creatine.
All the best,
The Big Babou 
Thanks.
Went in to talk to them this afternoon and one of the guys there set me up with some creatine.
I went into GNC today and the girls there have absolutely no idea what they’re talking about. It’s unbelievable - You have young girls who aren’t even into athletics selling supplements and they cannot answer any questions you have about the products they’re selling. They’re just there to sell the stuff and that’s it period.
[quote=“Back Packer”]they cannot answer any questions you have about the products they’re selling. They’re just there to sell the stuff and that’s it period.[/quote]That surprises you ?
Cretins? Oh, yah, I’ve had experience with a few.
Do people really vouch for supplements? I tried something called Gainers Fuel 1000 for about a week. All it did was make my shite runny, not to mention uncomfortable. I can be lactose intolerant above certain intake levels, not sure if this has anything to do with it. After that I just stuck to eating a lot.
I would like to improve my progress and I’m open to supplements if they really work.
Hi -
Does anyone know where I can buy meal replacement powder or any supplemts for bodybuilding in Taipei - I’ve just spent a whole day looking around for the stuff but to no avail (probably lost about 10lbs of weight in the process!) If anyone knows, I would really appreciate it.
Check the store behind california gym at the above mentioned location. That’s where I got the creatine - they have pretty much everything there. You will find it there probably.
Have a read of this - not particularly encouraging. I’d rather stick to sensible exercise and a sensible diet - something I’m finding difficult because my girlfriend buys in a lot of sugary processed junk food. Maoman, you’re quite heavily built anyway - why would you want to take creatine?
I work out 4-5 times per week and recently bought a supply of Micronized Creatine Monohydrate from the gym where I work out. I was told by the gym attendant that Creatine is quite good for putting on lean muscle mass. That’s now if I understood his Chinese correctly… :s
Anyway, I’ve been taking the Creatine in 5 g dosages twice a day for about two months now and the results are quite impressive: the old shitbag has shrunk considerably, and I’ve put on quite a bit of muscle. Sounds almost to good to be true right? So what’s my problem? This…
Since starting on the creatine I’ve developed what appears to be a rash on my lower legs. It just won’t go away no matter what I do. In addition, sometimes it feels as if my heart rate is up - I can feel it beating in my chest. Not for long, but sporadically throughout the day. Maybe I’m just imagining this, but I doubt it. So my question to all the fitness junkies out there: Is the (perceived?) elevated heartbeat a normal side effect of creatine? Has anyone out there any experience with creatine, its uses, advantages, disadvantages, side effects?
Oh yeah, don’t tell me I fuc*%ing stupid using a supplement I know buggerall about…that fact has been established a long time ago. 
Congratulations, Stan!
Glad to hear creatine has worked so well for you in just two months. :bravo:
I don’t experience rashes or other skin problems, but I do experience accelerated heart rate. It’s not all the time, though, and it doesn’t last too long either. I also experience occasional foot cramps, and only when I do leg presses for some reason. Those cramps are quite painful, but are rare, like once every month or so. I have to sit and wait it out, which lasts around half hour. It is a common side effect, from what I’ve heard.
Are you also supplementing with a protein shake afterwards?
I also know buggerall about it, and apparently nobody knows that much about it. Here’s what one sports doctor says:
[quote=“Mark A. Jenkins, MD”]There have been no long term studies done to evaluate the safety of prolonged administration. . . . Anecdotal reports have begun to emerge and have noted increased muscle cramping (especially during exercise in the heat), nausea and other gastrointestinal disturbances, elevated liver transaminases, and acute renal injury.
Creatine supplementation, in the dosages commonly used, results in urinary concentrations that are 90 times greater than normal. The long term effects of this have not been investigated, but there is possibility for a variety of nephrotoxic, i.e., kidney damaging, events. . . . . Additionally, the deaths of 3 collegiate wrestlers this past year are being investigated to determine what role creatine supplementation may have played.
. . .
The bottom line is that no one can confidently state that prolonged creatine supplementation is safe, and its use would best be avoided until more data can be compiled. Prolonged administration is, in essence, an uncontrolled toxicity study and one which might yield harmful results. Is it worth the risk? Remember, it’s your body![/quote]Source: “Creatine Supplementation in Athletes: Review,” SportsMedWeb, Rice University
Disclaimer: It looks like the article was written in 1998, so maybe there’s more info on it now. But it’s on a website that’s been updated this year. . . .
Hope this helps.
xp+10K
xp+10k and 914:
Thanks for the advice and input. Much appreciated.
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one on the shite!!
No sir! I’ve moved from protein shakes to creatine. I must have consumed thousands of litres of protein shakes in my life. Absolutely no results other than a sagging shitbag. The effectiveness and muscle building potential of protein shakes are as mythical as the kingdom of Monomotapa! 
Nowadays, I go for egg whites, creatine, steak, chicken, little rice and lotsa salad and vegetables – a sensible diet was stressed by one of the other posters-- I agree!
I used to work at a GNC in London. I know that creatine is naturally occuring and we use it for explosive lifting, but not for endurance sport like when I try to lift home a 2litre bottle of Coke with my useless girl arms, ha.
A mate of mine used to be into bodybuilding quite heavily, but he didn’t do any of that creatine ‘loading’ stuff. (It made him have to wee a lot though, his spotter called having to go so much ‘The Horse’!) So they just mixed a spoonful into water with maltodextrin carbohydrate.
They only ever had protein shakes immediately after lifting and once before bedtime. That and stan’s diet pretty much and they made great gains in muscle and lost a lot of body fat. Other than that, I guess the other thing they did is to just ‘respect the iron’ alot, haha. Hope that helps!
Maoman, just thought I’d give you a different perspective. The problem with using creatine is that you become dependent on it to keep your figure. Sure, you’ll develop lean muscle mass in a very short time but as soon as you stop using it or training, you’ll lose the muscles as quickly as you got them.
It is possible to get a lean physique without using performance enhancing drugs or supplements. Takes a lot of discipline and experimentation with your diet and fitness program, but in the long run your body will thank you for it.
ps: you can get creatine from beef.