creatine and water weight.

I have never used creatine before. Read up on it here and decided to give it a try. Went w/ plain creatine monohydrate as recommended.
Couple questions.
How much water bloat have you guys experienced? Is my bf% a factor in the bloat? I am down around 11% or 12%.
Is the water retention somehow necessary to creatine doing its job? Would eating lots of natural diuretic foods like celery and asparagus help, and would it interfere w/ the usefulness of the creatine?
Stats:41yo/5'7"/165lbs/11.5%bf/15yrs lifting
Thanks for the help.

As for myself, I don't like creatine supplement just because of the water retention. Though I've read many guys don't have it or have very little.

Maybe you can find the answers here bro.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Myalansky

As for myself, I don't like creatine supplement just because of the water retention. Though I've read many guys don't have it or have very little.

Maybe you can find the answers here bro.

---

Where are you getting this so called water retention from creatine on your body. Where is the water building up I'd like to know? There is no such thing as water retention when taking creatine monohydrate it is simply a myth created by competing creatine companies to make their creatine sound superior to monohydrate because mono is DIRT cheap and it WORKS or by someone with lack of knowledge when dealing with creatine. When on the mono, the water is intracellular (inside muscle cell) which makes it more anabolic, this makes your cells more hydrated = a good thing! There is no so called water retention which would be classified as being subcutaneous (water going under the skin). This never happens. If someone out there thinks so link me the test results because this is news to me. Now for the "bloat" thing you were asking about the only way this could happen would result by dumping undissolved creatine into your gut. Thus causing your GI tract to draw water in too dissolve the creatine causing a bloated feeling, or it will go right through your body and into the toilet. Creatine must be fully dissolved to be absorbed which is why I buy micronized creatine monohydrate and mix it in luke warm water until I see no particles at all. Expect to gain some weight and strength when taking it which is a good thing and at least you know its working. Hope this helps and hopefully people understand a bit better what really happens when on creatine and can stop giving false statements about the water retention idea. Good luck with your CRE!

Awesome. Thats exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks.

^ bonesaw stole my thunder.

lol sorry broski

I use creatine ethyl ester, though I hear its not quite as good as mono, there is less water retention and no loading.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GunSlingR

I use creatine ethyl ester, though I hear its not quite as good as mono, there is less water retention and no loading.

---

loading is also another bullsh1t myth that was made up by sup companies in the 80's when creatine became big to make money. it refuses to die. theres is no evidence what-so-ever that u need to load. the onyl advantage of CEE is it has faster absorbtion. and less water retention is a bad thing.

Great info bonesaw!