Get Big and Ripped

Continually in the news people see the questions about creatine and a teenager. Especially in high school sports where in some cases the supplement has been banned. But if you have read the creatine article entitled “Creatine: What is it?” you will certainly know it’s not banned because it’s an illegal or dangerous supplement.

In fact, the best general article to read when it comes to creatine side effects is The Truth About Creatine Side Effects. You’ll certainly understand when you read that creatine article that in general, the side effects of this supplement are minor and usually related to stomach discomfort. This rule applies to “individuals” in general. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Creatine is not a steroid. Creatine is a naturally occurring substance is generally safe for men, women and teenagers.

Before the teenagers (under 18 crowd) start cheering I’m actually going to state the opposite even though in my own non-medical opinion I feel there’s no peer research to show any negative side effects.

Creatine and teenagers just don’t mix.

Before I get booed off the stage, please bear in mind that in general (men, women, teens) nutrition and training are 97% of the puzzle and supplements are around 3%. With this in mind, taking or not taking creatine as a teenager is literally going to make very little different in the scheme of things. Ask yourself a question if you are under 18 before you roll your eyes.

Can you answer the following questions? (True or False)

*You know how many calories you need a day to reach your goals?

*You know exactly how much protein you need a day?

*You always have a plan when you workout?

*Your workouts are never boring.

*You’ve never hit a plateau?

*You don’t miss a meal?

*You have short, medium and long term goals?

Because 99.99999% of teenagers will answer false to at least one of those questions. Mostly questions 1 and 2.

My point is…

While there’s not any scientific research to conclusively prove that creatine and teenager is harmful whatsoever, it’s my belief that while you are under 18 and still growing, there’s no reason to take any sports supplements unless you can answer true to all of the above questions and are responsible enough to follow directions per the supplement and be mature enough to quit if you experience any creatine side effects that you feel are negative.

There’s not a whole lot of good reason to take creatine as a teenager. You’ll get far more benefits as an adult when you’ve had more training experience under your belt and a few more years of solid nutritional fundamentals. The 3% that supplements will make does not outweigh any ‘potential’ creatine side effects you may experience at such a young age.

And while it’s true that science does not prove taking creatine is in any way negative, it’s just a common good practice that individuals who are still growing just focus on a solid nutritional diet and not worry about additional ways to gain a small advantage.



By: Marc David

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Build Strength

Liquid creatine is rumoured to provide the body with benefits that take place immediately after taking the supplement. The professionals marketing liquid creatine also claim that the consumer can feel the difference that liquid creatine makes as early as the first day. Many of these claims are scientifically unsubstantiated and there is no evidence to support them. This supplement does have many great benefits and in an attempt to separate the falsehoods from the truth, this article will provide the straight dope on liquid creatine.

Creatine monohydrate is the powder counterpart of liquid creatine. The recognizable difference separating the two is the fact that one is liquid; one is powder. There are no other outrageous benefits to one than the other. The claims that liquid creatine is the best supplement because it reaches the muscles and enables them to absorb the creatine instantly are unfounded. There is no evidence to indicate that liquid creatine doesn’t work in this manner either. The fact is that there is not enough scientific research available to make a sound conclusion. Most bodybuilders who have chosen to try liquid creatine have reported the same results as with the creatine powder. These testimonials from bodybuilders and weight trainers that have tried liquid creatine help deduce that in all likelihood, the only benefit of this form of supplement is that it is already in liquid form. No mixing required!

Scientific research has dictated for years that creatine supplements need time to be properly absorbed into the body. Therefore, the claims that liquid can be immediately available to the muscles is completely untrue. In fact, there are actually some drawbacks to choosing liquid creatine over powder form. Creatine that is in liquid is highly unstable. The unstable environment of creatine being in liquid basically means that it can spontaneously downgrade into a product called creatinine. This substance is completely useless for the body and is considered a dead food meaning it has no nutritional substance at all.

The other downfall to choosing liquid form is that it has been a subject of tests in recent years and the researchers found much lower content levels of creatine in the liquid than what is stated on the label. This is in all likelihood due to the instability of the creatine in the liquid and has begun to deteriorate into creatinine. As a result, the powders are much more reliable than liquids. There is also virtually no risk with creatine powders that it doesn’t contain the health properties that are required for strength and weight training.

There are a few minor benefits to taking liquid creatine but they are small compared to the benefits that are consistently provided through powders. Be the master of your own domain and discover which works best for you powder or liquid creatine.



By: Troy Degarnham

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Build Strength

build muscle is just as important as your weight lifting program or other bodybuilding routines.

Lifting weights in the gym forced your muscles to work, but guess what? Working your muscles uses considerable energy, and energy is supplied by your food. Correct nutrition also helps heal muscle injury that often occurs while you are working out. You may not even know you have caused injury to your muscles, but your body knows, and your body needs fuel from food that helps build muscle in order to repair that muscle.

Food that helps build muscle ? what it is? Well, to begin with, protein. Protein is probably the most important nutritional component in a muscle building program. You probably thought the most important component was cutting out fat, in order to reduce your body fat, didn\’t you? Well, it is not. Protein is essential. Without protein, your body withers away to nothing. So make sure you include protein foods that build muscle such as chicken, lean beef, eggs, fish (don\’t like fresh fish? Try canned tuna ?it\’s perfect), and cheese.

Figuring out how much protein you should be eating can be tricky. Too much protein is bad for your health, and puts a strain on your system. But you need to eat a lot of protein and not much else for that to happen. Ask at your gym as to your daily protein requirement. It depends on your weight, and on your lean mass weight (basically the weight of all your bones and organs, minus all body fat).

Carbohydrates, in moderation, are also essential when finding foods that build muscle. Do not eat too much, though, unless you choose high fiber carbohydrates (which are the healthiest ones anyway), and then you can indulge in much larger amounts. Good high fiber carbs include rice, potatoes (yes, potatoes ? just do not add butter!), oatmeal and bananas.

Fats need to be reduced when you are consider what foods build muscle mass. Fat can never be eliminated completely (and nor should you try to do this), but reducing fat can have a healthy effect on your attempts to build muscle mass. Most foods that contain protein also contains fat, so when choosing your proteins, providing you opt for the ones that are low in fat, you will be on the right track.

When eating to build muscle, make sure you drink water. Liquid is important for hydration, and a dehydrated body is sluggish, and can even make you sick. This is not a recipe for obtaining the healthy, fit physique you are striving for.

Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water a day (even 12 glasses) is absolutely essential to allow your body to properly digest all the good food you are eating. For those who just cannot stomach the taste (or lack of taste) of so much water, other types of liquid although not quite as good are still acceptable as water substitutes ? fruit juice and even soft drinks can suffice as long as you (preferably) drink some of your liquid intake in water form.

Regular bodybuilding workouts are also essential to maximise the effects of good bodybuilding diets. It is all very well knowing what to eat to build muscle, but if you do not combine this great new diet by building muscle mass with weight lifting exercises or other bodybuilding routines, you will not be able to build muscle fast. So do both ? eat foods that build muscle, and undertake bodybuilding workouts, and you will end up with a body you will be proud of.

By: villenoire

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Build Strength

Many people are searching for the best ways to build muscle fast. But, one problem people encounter is that they discover there are so many ways to approach muscle building that they get confused and overwhelmed, not sure of the best and fastest ways to build muscle so they can use their time most effectively. Ironically, because of this, some people never even get started.

One of the best ways to build muscle fast is by lifting heavy weights, starting out with as much as you can and pushing past that to stress the muscles, and then allow the marvelous mechanisms in your body to take over and build new muscle for you. You also should structure your workout routine to ensure you give each muscle group adequate rest between sessions. When you train with weights you cause microscopic tears to the muscle tissue. If you do not allow time between workouts for your muscles to repair the damage and grow, then you over train and can completely tear or rupture the muscle. You also can learn some more advices on how to build muscle mass fast by heavy lifting.

It is also helpful in this endeavor if you do your best to give your body proper nutrition and enough rest so that it can do its job for you. However, proper nutrition is one of the most overlooked ways to build muscle fast. Considering the amount of conflicting information available, especially for people who are looking for the fastest ways to build muscle, it is no wonder that we often miss the target on nutrition.

Having a quality nutrition plan in place is undoubtedly one of the fastest ways to build muscle. You need to be taking in the right nutrients, and the right number of calories before you can expect your bodybuilding work to succeed. It is a very common error amongst newcomers to bodybuilding to over concentrate on protein. Protein is absolutely necessary, but it needs to be combined with an adequate amount of carbohydrate, or else the muscles will not have the fuel they need to use the protein and grow.

The correct and healthy way to feed your body for maximum muscle growth is to eat less more often and to eat foods that are high in protein and low in saturated fats and sugars. Carbohydrates are ok as long as they are consumed in moderation and you burn them up with exercise.

Eating less more often means instead of eating 3 big meals a day, you eat 6 smaller meals at closer intervals and drink plenty of water.

By doing this you will keep your metabolism higher which will give you more energy and you will provide constant nutrition to your body and importantly, your muscles.

The danger with people who ask “what is the best way to build muscle fast” is that they are looking for a quick fix or immediate results and don’t realize that building real, long-lasting muscle takes more than just a few weeks of effort. It requires dedication and the right attitude to keep pushing yourself.

If you want to build muscle fast and develop a body you are proud of then make sure you have the right attitude and you are dedicated to achieving this goal!



By: vinced08

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Build Strength

What exactly is creatine and what does it do?

Creatine is a substance that is found naturally within the muscle cells of the body. 95% of this amino acid-based compound is found in around the skeletal muscles with the other 5% stored elsewhere in the body. This metabolite consists mainly of three key amino acids; methionine, arginine and glycene and although it can appear in many forms, the most commonly used formula is creatine monohydrate which is primarily used by athletes.

Creatine stores energy from existing amino acids that are already present in the body and also from foods that are consumed. Foods rich with creatine are fish and red meats, which is why vegetarians may benefit from taking a supplement and initially respond better than one who eats a lot of meat products.

How does creatine monohydrate work?

Creatine monohydrate is a dietary supplement used by athletes as well as bodybuilders to increase strength, increase body mass as well as to improve overall performance and muscle quality. Creatine is stored in the body as a compound called phosphocreatine which stores and provides energy for muscle contractions and also increases the body’s entire energy levels as well.

What are the benefits of creatine monohydrate?

Taking creatine monohydrate has been shown to greatly improve performance, strength and muscle capacity along with helping the muscles to recover more quickly after a workout. It is useful for an increase in energy and it helps to promote lean muscle mass and improve one’s endurance. It also has been used in the treatment of post-op patients whose muscles are in danger of atrophying as well as in heart patients to increase their ability to exercise for a faster recovery.

What is the usual or recommended dosage?

There are a variety of different factors and conditions which will affect dosage amounts. However, the typical, average dose for a normal man would be in the range of 10-30 grams per day. Some of the factors that can change that amount are the type of creatine monohydrate product you are taking, your body weight and your percentage of body fat. Other important aspects to take into consideration are what your individual fitness goals are and what are the type and intensities of your workouts.

Creatine monohydrate is often taken in three different phases; the loading phase, the maintenance phase and the wash out phase. The loading phase generally is 20-30 grams per day and should be taken in three to four daily dosages for at least five days. This is to saturate your muscles with creatine and help them to retain the energy-building substance better.

Next is the maintenance period where two to five grams are taken per day to maintain the level of creatine in the muscles. Most health care professionals recommend that this phase last no longer than a month, and lastly is the wash out phase which also usually lasts for one month. Of course, as is with any product or supplement, it is always recommended to follow the directions and the dosage instructions.

Are there any side effects?

Clinical research studies have shown that creatine monohydrate has proved to be safe for consumption and does not cause any serious side effects. There are rare instances of slight digestive issues or some cases of stomach discomfort like gas or bloating in the first few weeks of use. These effects may be minimized or eradicated by lowering the dosage.



By: Warren Kuhl

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Build Muscle

One of the biggest concerns when starting a new supplement is what are the side effects? People worry about hair loss, acne, rage, and even ******** shrinkage. Luckily creatine is not a steroid, so you do not have to worry about any harmful or adverse side effects. In this post I will outline some of the negative (if any) and positive side effects or using creatine to help boost your energy and build muscle mass.

Negative Creatine Side Effects

No serious side effects from creatine have ever been recorded in research. A common misconception is that creatine is an abusive steroid-like substance that can kill you. With a little education, most people can realize the falsity of their claims.

The most common ‘negative’ side effect is an increase in water weight. An increase in water weight can make you appear to be bloated. It will look like you just got done eating Christmas dinner. And because your muscle will retain more water, they might feel softer to the touch. Your muscles will still be hard and impressive to a normal person, but after you rest for a few hours and try to flex, your muscles might not be as rock hard. There are possibly other unknown negative side effects associated with creatine, but due to a lack of research there isn’t much available.

Another negative side effect of creatine is when you get off the cycle. If you take creatine for 4 months and then stop taking it, you will notice a sharp decrease in your energy level and appearance. Your body might ‘deflate’ slightly as you lose the excess water weight.

Positive Creatine Side Effects

Now onto the good stuff. Do you ever feel fatigued or tired? Do you wake up and decide you don’t want to work out because you’re too tired to lift weights or go run? Well, if you answered yes to any of these questions then creatine is for you. Creatine is an energy booster. It’s not like drinking coffee or an energy drink, by taking daily creatine supplements your body will get used to having more energy throughout the day, leaving you enough energy to wake up, hit the gym, and provide that boost you need to lift an additional rep.

Another positive side effect of creatine is how it will make you look bigger. I am assuming that is a look you want if you are reading this blog. When you take creatine your body retains more water, making you look fuller. It will make your chest and arms appear to be bigger because of the water in the muscles.

By taking creatine you will be able to work out longer and lift more reps than usual. This is a very positive benefit of taking the supplement. You will gain weight (some water weight but most muscle weight). If you are a skinny person now and are looking to bulk up, then it is highly recommended that you take creatine along with other supplements to help speed along the process. Not only will you increase your weight rapidly, but you will gain more confidence as you watch your body bulk up.

If you take creatine and begin experiencing any serious negative side effects (I’m talking about chest pains or something), I recommend that you stop taking it immediately and consult a physician. Overall creatine can be a very safe and productive supplement. It is one of the few out there that have little to no negative side effects.



By: Terry Bytheway

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Weight Training

The fitness community has largely ignored kre-alkalyn creatine as a suitable supplement. In part due to the reason that there has been much controversy surrounding creatine supplements to the point that trying new creatine products could be intimidating. Most people are doubtful when they are faced with the benefits that kre alkalyn creatine can provide for weight or strength training. Others have just grown tired of every new bodybuilding supplement claiming outrageous things about the product. Kre-alkalyn creatine is a very beneficial product and its days of being ignored are coming to a close.

Kre alkalyn creatine has a remarkably high PH level that is highly meaningful in bodybuilding circles. In order to understand the full potential of kre-alkalyn creatine it is necessary to understand the importance of the PH levels. The reason this is so important is because one of the main issues with creatine-based supplements is the issue of solubility. Creatine deteriorates to creatinine because it is unstable in this form and renders creatine useless. The PH level in kre alkalyn creatine was discovered to not only slow the deterioration process down but actually stopped the process when the PH level remained at 12. This is the critical part of using kre-alkalyn creatine because it remains stable in the body instead of breaking down into useless creatinine. Kre-alkalyn creatine creates the right environment for the substance being transported to the muscles. The nutrients travel to the muscles and are able to be absorbed at full strength as they are delivered instead of potentially being delivered in a partially deteriorated state.

Kre-alkalyn creatine is a very effective muscle-building supplement because of the ability to hold creatine at full strength. That has a major advantage over other creatine supplements because despite how strong or potent they might be, the fact remains that creatine become unstable within the body and similarly in liquid. It is in this same vein of information that the dosage of kre alkalyn creatine is much smaller in comparison to powdered creatine supplements.

Using any creatine supplement will ultimately give the same results as using kre alkalyn creatine. It may just take a little longer due to the instability of creatine. Kre-alkalyn creatine has an advantage of time as it can deliver the goods to the muscles every time, in full strength. There are also very few side effects or uncomfortable bloating episodes in part due to the small dosage and because it is easy for the GI system to digest in this form.

Kre alkalyn creatine is generally sold in a small, encapsulated form for convenience and ease of swallowing. The usual dose is one or two capsules a day because it is highly potent there is no need for taking it excessively. Kre alkalyn creatine has the potential to become one of the best strength training supplements available today. Grab the bull by the horns and give kre-alkalyn creatine a try today. Discover the difference that full strength creatine delivered to your muscles can make in achieving your personal goals!



By: Troy Degarnham

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Weight Training

Creatine is found naturally in red meat, so creatine is natural. Creatine is useful for the bodybuilder or infact for anyone looking to put on muscle or increase strength, as it increases the short energy bursts of power needed to lift weights. It assists with muscle building as it aids recovery between sets by replenishing ATP stores (muscle energy) quicker. This results in a greater overloading of the muscle and results in better gains, meaning you can train more intensively and productively when taking creatine.

Many users of standard creatine (creatine monohydrate) reported stomach cramps and/or bloating. This was due to poor absorption of creatine in to the muscles and the creatine product would end up just lining the stomach drawing water into it – leading to the bloating.

However several “next generation” creatine supplements are available on the market now including Kre Aklyn, CEE, Di Creatine Malate, and micronised. All of these contain creatine but have been designed to increase creatine absorption, get more creatine to the bodys muscle and reduce bloating; resulting in a need to take in less creatine, this makes creatine supplementation more convenient to take in capsule or tablet form.

Many Supplement manafacturers have combined next generation creatine supplements with other nutritional supplements such as l-glutamine, caffeine, nitric oxide (arginine), taurine or whey protein. Although more costly it is more convenient for the consumer and can assist with better results. These supplements are availble in tablet form or a powdered drink mix. Dependant on your precise goals choose; Glutamine & Creatine for better post workout recovery (BSN CellMass, Xyience NOX-CG3) for increase strength choose taurine and creatine (SAN V12 Turbo)for better recovery between sets and muscle pumps choose nitric oxide and creatine (Controlled Labs White Blood, BSN Nitrix) or for increased energy and drive choose caffeine and creatine (BSN NO-Xplode)



By: Russell Davies

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Resistance Training

Creatine supplements are very popular among athletes. Creatine supplies energy to muscle and nerve cells, making this very beneficial to athletes who use bursts of energy to compete. Creatine is not very beneficial to endurance athletes because they use a constant flow of energy instead of short bursts. Athletes who compete in weight lifting, sprinting, rowing, or any other similar sport benefit most from a creatine supplement. Before the supplement is explained further, it’s important to know how creatine functions in the body.

Creatine is an organic acid found in amino acids in the body. It is synthesized by the liver, pancreas, and kidneys and converted into phosphocreatine and stored in skeletal muscles for later use. The amino acids that creatine is synthesized from are arginine, glycine, and methionine. Once the phosphocreatine is stored in skeletal muscles, it remains temporarily until used. Once used, more is synthesized, but there can be a lag in energy supply while more is being synthesized. This is why many athletes supplement their diet with creatine, because it creates more of a store of energy for use.

Creatine increases muscle strength by stimulating cell growth and will delay fatigue because of the added stores of energy. Creatine ingested can increase phosphocreatine levels by up to 20%. Taking creatine can lead to dehydration due to the amount of water needed for the synthesizing process, so staying hydrated is very important. People with kidney problems should not take creatine supplements.

Athletes sometimes take creatine in order to gain weight; however, the weight gain is most likely a result of the water retention in the muscles and not because of additional muscle mass. Many companies that market creatine will boast weight gain, but there are better supplements to take than creatine for gaining weight.

Ever since creatine supplementation was brought into the spotlight at the Barcelona Olympics in 1992, many sports organizations called for a ban on the substance. It has not been banned in the United States, but recently the NCAA ruled that colleges could not supply creatine to their athletes, but the athletes are allowed to use creatine on their own. In some countries, the use of creatine has been banned because it is viewed as “doping”.

Creatine use has been studied heavily, and short-term use of creatine is safe for virtually any age, weight, and fitness level. Long-term use has not been studied, but due to the kidney, liver, and pancreas use, only short-term doses are recommended. Most athletes will take a higher dose for a week and then low “maintenance” doses until their event. This has not shown any adverse effects to the body.

Creatine is a simple organic acid with complex ways of creation. Its benefits are simple – increased muscle strength and delayed fatigue. These two benefits are needed by any athlete that uses short burst of energy to compete. Creatine supplements will improve and enhance performance while giving you added benefits that have recently been discovered of improved mental performance and reduced mental fatigue so you can achieve your peak performance both physically and mentally!



By: Michael Greeves

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Get Ripped

od that helps build muscle will ensure that you are not wasting all that hard work you are doing in the gym.

Lifting weights forces your muscles to work hard, and can also cause minor injury to muscles. Although those injuries can heal very quickly, eating the right foods that build muscle can really speed up the process. Food supplies fuel that the body needs, and the right food can do wonders.

When looking into the types of food that helps build muscle, you probably immediately think of eating a low fat diet. That is great, but probably the most important type of foods that build muscle are foods containing high levels of protein. Foods like meat, fish, chicken, eggs, cheese and other milk products. Nuts are also a great protetin source.

Finding out how much protein to eat when you are interested in building muscle fast is actually not difficult. First, you will need to find out your lean body mass weight in kilos, and then you simply multiply that figure by 2.75 to determine your daily protein requirement. Calculating your lean body mass uses some complex formulae, so ask a professional at the gym if you do not already have this figure.

Carbohydrates, in moderation, are also essential when finding foods that build muscle. Do not eat too much, though, unless you choose high fiber carbohydrates (which are the healthiest ones anyway), and then you can indulge in much larger amounts. Good high fiber carbs include rice, potatoes (yes, potatoes ? just do not add butter!), oatmeal and bananas.

Fats need to be reduced when you are consider what foods build muscle mass. Fat can never be eliminated completely (and nor should you try to do this), but reducing fat can have a healthy effect on your attempts to build muscle mass. Most foods that contain protein also contains fat, so when choosing your proteins, providing you opt for the ones that are low in fat, you will be on the right track.

You may argue that drinking has no effect on what to eat to build muscle. But you would be wrong. Hydration is critical to general health and wellbeing. Even more so when you are working to build muscle mass.

Two litres of water a day is what most experts recommend to maintain optimal health. To drink that amount, you need to drink up to 12 glasses of water a day, which is quite a lot. So start early in the day, and space your water consumption out throughout the day.

Foods that build muscle are one of the two essential components to having the body of your dreams. The other component is your weight training program or other type of bodybuilding workouts that you engage in regularly. Just because you have found foods that build muscle does not mean you can start to slack off with your weight training.

By: villenoire

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Build Muscle