When to take creatine & with what?

[ZXNV]

Why then does CELLMASS sugest that you take it immediately following your workout and 6-8 hours before or after your workout?

[Ross86]

From my understanding, it's just one of several options. The idea is that as long as the muscles become 'saturated', then it doesn't matter when you take it. Right after your workout, your body will absorb the creatine very well. Also...if you take it 6-8 hours before your workout, then it will ensure that your muscles are saturated with creatine by the time you work out. But who knows...it's BSN.

[EricT]

Yeah immediately post is a good time to take creatine. As for BSN they probably want you to take it post and then hours later or before because they have another product they would like you to buy for pre workout

[Ross86]

Thanks for the great info Eric...your explanation makes a lot more sense. For everything that I found while researching, there was something else that contradicted it entirely. I knew someone on the forum would be more educated and could see through the myths.

[EricT]

No, no. Your explanation made perfect sense I was just kidding around. I mean that probably is the reason in reality and if they only had that one product they probably wouldn't make as big a deal about the 6 to 8 hours part. There are no strictly right or wrong answers to this though.

[Darkhorse]

All I have to say is that whenever you take it, your muscles reach a saturation point with creatine. It doesn't matter if you take in 20 grams a day, 100 grams a day, ect. All these companies talking about taking it multiple times a day are trying to get you to finish the product quicker so you can run and restock. All these different brands of creatine have is different transport mechanisms. Di, tricreatine malate is a salt, CEE is esterfied, ect. But in the end, creatine really is creatine, and whatever method or brand you use, you'll all fill up your creatine stores at some point in time. If I take regular creatine mono and someone else takes the latest and greatest new form of creatine "whatever", in a few weeks we'll both be saturated. The difference is that your wallet will be a lot lighter than mine!

[EricT]

Yep.

[Ross86]

Oh I know, I was talking about all of the other stuff...about the grape juice, etc. I agree with you about the BSN stuff though. I just started working at a store that is a 3 letter curse word on this forum...it really opens your eyes. There are two types of people that come into the store. The people that really don't know what they're doing and want legitimate advice. And then there are the people that just want their beliefs to be reaffirmed...it's kind of the same as on the forum. I give good advice to people that are really looking for help...I recommend a good, 'cheap' creatine, a protein, and a multi vitamin... The other people are going to buy what they came in to buy regardless of my advice. I definitely don't get the most promotional money compared to other employees because of their product pimping, but I probably sleep better than they do.

[EricT]

^^^^Damn I didn't think your were actually allowed to give honest advice!

I do remember way back when being in a store (not GNC) and wanting to buy this stupid product (I won't tell!) and this middle aged woman working there, must have been at least 55, telling me it was crap and I didn't need it. And pretty much saying what you just did. LOL, better advice from her than I ever got from some jacked up dude behind a counter

[Ross86]

Yeah...they don't discourage the idea of honest advice...it's kind of a personal decision. It's really difficult listening to other people giving advice to customers that you know is not true. But that's why everyone says don't go there... Unless I'm working of course...I'll post my hours!