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How to Take Creatine?Creatine is available in several forms on the market – phosphate, citrate and monohydrate. Among these, phosphates are not easily absorbed by the body, and thus do not yield effective results. The citrate form is gaining in popularity among users, yet industry analysts confirm that research about this product is not extensive. The most popular form of creatine is the monohydrate. Nearly all successful clinical trials have been on this form of creatine. The majority of users use the powder form. It is recommended that creatine should be taken with a non – acidic drink. This is because creatine converts to creatinine in an acidic environment. Grape juice is highly recommended as a drink to accompany creatine ingestion. It is also OK to mix creatine with other proteins. If the user mixes creatine with the drink, he or she shouldn't leave the drink standing for more than a few hours. Creatine doesn't dissolve well, so if one doesn't want to lose any un-dissolved creatine at the bottom of his or her drinking cup, then it would be ideal to take a scoop of creatine and swallow it, and wash it with one's preferred drink. Users generally start with a high dosage of creatine – called the Loading dose, which continues for a week. This is followed by the Maintenance dose for a month, during which users lower their dosage substantially. To complete the cycle, the users then stay off of creatine for a week and then start to load again. Users are advised to follow dosage specifications and schedules. Taking more creatine usually results in a waste since excess creatine is excreted by the body through urine. Users are advised not to skip servings or attempt to make up for missed servings by taking more Creatine in the next dose. Some believe that taking the creatine dosage before a workout is advantageous so that it is available in the bloodstream to immediately replace the creatine your body uses in the workout. Others believe that creatine dosage should be taken immediately after a workout because muscle cells will then be the most receptive to absorbing nutrients. Still others believe the effect of creatine doesn't differ whether taken before or after workout. Physicians recommend the following actions to minimize discomfort due to side effects.Water - Creatine is hygroscopic; it absorbs water from surrounding cells. According to physicians this is a major reason for side effects like nausea and dehydration. Thus water should be taken in large quantities. Protein - Studies have proven that ingesting creatine with a protein can positively influence your muscle's ability to absorb and retain creatine. Alcohol & Caffeine - There is some debate over the effects caffeine has on creatine's effects. Studies have yielded conflicting results regarding creatine’s effect. To prevent any untoward incident, it is probably best to limit caffeine use while taking creatine. The same can be said for alcohol. Physicians claim that both are diuretics; they might increase the effect of dehydration. Orange Juice - When taken with a drink which has an acidic base, creatine converts into creatinine which is a waste product and thus becomes useless. Grape juice is highly recommended as a drink with creatine.
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