Water and creatine?

[Jamo2]

Ive always wondered......
Why exactly do you have to drink lots of water whilst taking creatine.

[CosmicFish]

AFAIK, it's because it's a cell volumiser. It draws water into the muscle cells.

[Prophet]

I think its due to the fact that creatine attracts water, or water is attracted to it. It tends to super-saturate muscle cells with water. When it enters the cell, it enters as creatine+water.

This is a good thing. More hydration = more anabolic.

People often notice 3-5lbs of gain in a week or two when 1st starting creatine. Also, its cool, because you also notice your muscles are much harder.

[Incredible Bulk]

here's a better description

What creatine does is helps muscle produce ATP. ATP is a form of energy for your muscles used in short, powerful bursts such as weightlifting or sprinting. The body uses water when it burns ATP. Since creatine produces more ATP, the body needs more water and will take it from other parts of your body, leaving you dehydrated. This is one reason why you must drink plenty of water.

When a person supplements with creatine, they usually add about an additional 5 grams a day with their supplement. Every person is different on how much creatine their muscles can hold. Some can hold more than others. An issue is what happens to the people who can't hold as much as others? What happens to the excess creatine? Well, that is one of the reasons creatine users should drink TONS of water. It flushes it out of the system.

[Prophet]

here's a better description

Not quite acctually, those were taken from THIS.
(http://www.nutritionalsupplements.com/creatineR114.html)If you read on, youll see the mistakes in that post.


(http://www.nutritionalsupplements.com/creatineR114.html)

[Incredible Bulk]

yeah i read that, but the amount of technical talk is not quite easy for the newb.

in simple terms it is correct, creatine does make you retain more water but the reason you need more water is for the amount of creatine your taking in.

sure ATP is not burnt but how else dso you easily describe the chemical reaction?

[Jamo2]

yeah i read that, but the amount of technical talk is not quite easy for the newb.

in simple terms it is correct, creatine does make you retain more water but the reason you need more water is for the amount of creatine your taking in.

sure ATP is not burnt but how else dso you easily describe the chemical reaction?

Who you calling a newb....newb ;)

[Prophet]

yeah i read that, but the amount of technical talk is not quite easy for the newb.

in simple terms it is correct, creatine does make you retain more water but the reason you need more water is for the amount of creatine your taking in.

sure ATP is not burnt but how else dso you easily describe the chemical reaction?

The chemical reaction is not in need of an explanation. The reaction has nothing to do with what he was asking haha. But if you must have a simple explination, creatine is ingested to up the levels of phosphocreatine in muscle. The phosphorus thats attached to it, is readily availible for donation to ADP making it ATP. ATP provides energy.

Which is why suplementing with a highly bio-availible form of phosphorus (inositol is what I use) stacked with creatine is extremely effective (especially for ectomorphs)