Max time to take creatine?

[ImmmtheIceman]

I know most of the labels say to take creatine for eight weeks or so. Has anyone taken creatine for an extended period of time and noticed any sides, or know what will happen if you do?

[abstrack]

I have always taken 5 grams in post but sometimes I come off for a few days. But i have gone way over the 8 week mark with no sides. I know people can get kidney stones from taking in to much creatine and their body not being able to process the excess amounts, but 5 g daily should cause an issue if you're a consistent gym rat.

[bigordie]

two summers ago i took creatine for almost 13 weeks, no sides at all...just drank alot of water while i did.

[nickrizz]

i dont think its bad to take for 10 weeks if you are drinking a lot of water

[PrairieDawg]

I dont think there would be any sides really. It'll just be hard on your liver.

But then again some people run juice for up to 15 weeks and thats alot worse on your liver than creatine.

[ImmmtheIceman]

I take a few days off here and there but since ive been off cycle i have been taking it.

[sinista63]

I dont think there would be any sides really. It'll just be hard on your liver.

But then again some people run juice for up to 15 weeks and thats alot worse on your liver than creatine.

liver? you mean kidneys, right?

[PrairieDawg]

liver? you mean kidneys, right?

yea. it was a late night for me anyways..

[nsa]

IMO there is no real harm in running it that long, as long as you drink at least a gallon of water ED. Only thing i can think of is that after a while the effectiveness of creatine will decrease.

[abstrack]

maybe if you want? You can PM one of the Medical Advisors on the board and get a doctors point of view. I use to train a ER doctor and she told me of som stories of guys going to the hospital because of too much creatine in their system.

Me personaly have never had a problem, but then again I dont abuse it and take excessive amounts at any time. Also, I have only ran into one guy who had issues with takin creatine and he had kidney stones because of it. I dont know how much he was taking or what amounts, but I do know he had to go the hospital. He was a old schooler, so he was taking creatine when it first came out and he probably abused it in the wrong way, but I never got into it with him because he always just told me to stay away from it.

[sinista63]

yea. it was a late night for me anyways..

ah thats alright... i just wanted to make sure

we've all had those nights

[DBarcelo]

There is no maximum amount of time to suppliment creatine. As long as you stick to 5 grams per day you will have no problem with it.

There is no such thing as developing a tolerance to creatine. I have no idea where that idea came from.

If you take too much creatine, say 20 grams per day, you can increase your serum and plasma creatine levels, and that's what people end up in the hospital for. If you have sustained high serum creatine levels, you can end up with kidney stones because of it.

Besides the blockage that can occur with sustained high doses of creatine, the kidneys aren't worked at all when it comes to creatine, so there is no strain on the kidneys. The only slight strain is the increase in creatinine your kidneys have to filter out, but it's really no different than the amount of creatinine your body has to filter out after you workout or do cardio. So, once again, I don't know where that idea came from.

[Nickster#1]

IMO there is no real harm in running it that long, as long as you drink at least a gallon of water ED. Only thing i can think of is that after a while the effectiveness of creatine will decrease.

Ditto. Your body will just get use to the creatine, build a tolerance, after about 4 to 5 weeks. It's good to take a coule weeks off so your body can adjust to its own natural levels again, and then you can frontload again at about 20 to 30 grams a day for 5 or 6 days and maintenance of 10 grams a day for a month. But do take breaks just because it loses its effectiveness. No sides though.

[DBarcelo]

I don't know why people insist that the body can get used to or build a tolerance to creatine. Can anyone attempt to provide a semi-logical reason for this idea? Though I know it's not true, I'd like to understand where this misunderstanding is comming from.

[nsa]

You don't build a tolerance. The effects of creatine are just less visible after using it for a long time. When you stop for a while, then use creatine again, you notice the gains more than you would if you had continued to use creatine.

[DBarcelo]

You don't build a tolerance. The effects of creatine are just less visible after using it for a long time. When you stop for a while, then use creatine again, you notice the gains more than you would if you had continued to use creatine.

But people keep saying that you build some sort of tolerance to it.

[abstrack]

Ditto. Your body will just get use to the creatine, build a tolerance, after about 4 to 5 weeks. It's good to take a coule weeks off so your body can adjust to its own natural levels again, and then you can frontload again at about 20 to 30 grams a day for 5 or 6 days and maintenance of 10 grams a day for a month. But do take breaks just because it loses its effectiveness. No sides though.

there is no science or proven studies that front loading creatine is any more effective than just using a daily dose. If there is than please show the studies that back up your statement. Front loading is just a marketing gimmick that makes you use more creatine and thus go through your tub faster. The body only utilizes so much an can only use so much on a daily basis.

[IronReload04]

Here is proof that their is no tolerance to creatine and it is safe to take without taking breaks. Some people especially weightlifters eat a pound of meat a day.

[abstrack]

Here is proof that their is no tolerance to creatine and it is safe to take without taking breaks. Some people especially weightlifters eat a pound of meat a day.

I'm sorry for asking this, but where is your proof? Did you forget to post the link or attach the case study or case studies from different sources? I am not doubting you but you said "here is proof"
i understand that meat contains creatine , but you also have to consider the processing of meats and how much creatine is actually in a given lb of meat? As food is processed and manufactured we loose teh nutrient value of our foods, this is why we supplement our diets with creatine, multi-vitamins, calcium, etc....

I agree with not building up a tolerance, but also I believe that moderation is the key. Your body can only use and consume so much of any given nutrient at one time or in a 24 hr period

[IronReload04]

its common sense man. why would your body become tolerant to an amino acid??? you have it or you dont. non-responders i am willing to bet are meat eaters. or when some guys i know come off for over 2 months, they dont loose anything or dont loose any water. they are big meat eaters.

[IronReload04]

i also forgot to add--i asked my doctor about creatine. He said it was perfectly safe and their is no need to cycle off.

[abstrack]

its common sense man. why would your body become tolerant to an amino acid??? you have it or you dont. non-responders i am willing to bet are meat eaters. or when some guys i know come off for over 2 months, they dont loose anything or dont loose any water. they are big meat eaters.

i never disagreed with coming off. i asked for proof to your statement in case study form which you didnt give. if you read above i said I take it ed at 5mg with no sides or probelms. The only time I believe in sides occuring is when people use it in excess amounts. The body can only utilize so much at a given period and in a 24 hr period. That is with all aminos and nutrients.

[ImmmtheIceman]

its common sense man. why would your body become tolerant to an amino acid??? you have it or you dont. non-responders i am willing to bet are meat eaters. or when some guys i know come off for over 2 months, they dont loose anything or dont loose any water. they are big meat eaters.

Did you call creatine an amino acid?

[IronReload04]

Did you call creatine an amino acid?

oh i am sorry. methyl guanidine-acetic acid=creatine