Another Creatine Question

I'm now nearly half a stone over the 100 kg limit, and I'm attributing this mainly to loading up on creatine. If that's not the reason, it's a bit of a co-incidence. Plus my belt's not got any tighter so I don't think it's down to power belly development. I was about 15.9 before I started, now I'm 16.3. I've done the loading bit and I now take just one teaspoon of the stuff a day.

If I come off it, will this weight fall off again? Also, if I come off it will I lose some strength? If I can come off it, lose the weight and keep the strength, that would be great. But if I lose the strength I would rather stay on it and do some hard dieting, something I thought I had left behind forever when I went up from the 90s to the 100s.

Or is there a legal way to counteract the water retention? I'd like to hit 99.9 for the NW Raw bench, but at a push would lift in the 110s. But I really want to get under 100 for the British Bench in March.

When I come off I lose weight and strength. It's probably as much mental as anything, but come off at your peril!

If I were you'd I'd eat like a pig and say hello to the 110's!

I think you'd loose the weight slowly (one month?) and probably wouldn't loose any strength. At least that's my experience.

Hmmm but in all honestly 3kgs over is child play. You won't need to diet hard to lose that. I'd carry on the creatine, or just take it on workout days.

Are you taking cee or mono??

Hmmm but in all honestly 3kgs over is child play. You won't need to diet hard to lose that. I'd carry on the creatine, or just take it on workout days.

Are you taking cee or mono??

Mono

Mono

One of the properties of creatine is that it is stored in the muscles. It exerts an osmotic effect here, drawing water into the muscles. This is why one of the side effects is weight gain. Long term there is some evidence to suggest that weight gain can occur due to increased protein synthesis in the muscles.

If you come off the water weight will be lost, but so will most of the strength gains.

Since most of the extra weight is stored water, it may be the case that you can afford to dehydrate a little more prior to weigh-in, in order to make the weight. Your best bet is probably to experiment with it.

i thought creatines main benefits were in recovery aiding the PCr system, thus in single one rep max repetition lifts there should be no difference as the system involved in quick energy regeneration is not needed as the bodies current stores can meet demand. And if you do experience any strength loss, which i doubt would be an actual effect of the creatine, why not try the ethyl ester version known for not adding "water weight"

However there are plenty of studies noting the "power" increasing effects of creatine and others not showing it. I guess it depends though as in alot i have read they use 5rms in which the PCr system may come into use? im not too clued up on it really

I was a bit cynical about the loading phase thing in my youth (when this stuff was very expensive) so I tried as IP suggests. Works well enough for me, but I think the key is to experiment as Jim says. We're all different. I've never noticed massive drops in strength. Inter workout recovery may suffer, but if you reduce the creatine as you're tapering for comp all should be well. Just batter it after weigh in.

ok martin, maybe worth trying cee next time, mono is known to cause more bloat.

As jim said, you can drop the water and gain it back after weign in, you can easily be 103 again on the platform. To answer your original question, if you're weighing less than your training bodyweight, then of course, your performance will be affected.

I've never really gained any noticeable strength from creatine. I haven't used the stuff for years, but I'm thinking of giving CEE a go for 6 weeks just to see if I get anything from that.

The fact the CEE does not cause a 'bloat' is worrying.

I do not have the experience or knowledge as others here but my obsevations are that whilst taking creatine(mono) when I was benching only... due to a bad back, any weight increase was minimal/not noticed.
When Dead lifting and Squats were resumed it stimulated ...(in me)..an increase in body weight
I do not believe it was all water retention. 10lbs = 1 gallon of water...I find it hard to believe that after morning ablutions one can still be holding that much water over and above your normal hydrated state.
My conclusion was having made no significant dietry changes that it was in part extra muscle tissue.
This may be a lot of bo***cks and probably is and I would welcome any other views on this.

why is that kenderique, plus I said 'more bloat'