Creatine- how/when to get it in

[Greg Davis]

Any suggestions on how I could get some creatine in around workouts if I don't do PWO shakes? It seems the standard recommendation is a little before a workout, a little after. But I don't typically consume anything right before or after a workout.

I use to put some in my water when I would go to BJJ training but I'm on a BJJ hiatus and so most of my workouts are just gym or outdoors stuff.

Still have a bunch just sitting here so I figure I might as well take it if I can figure something out. Think its that important to keep around workouts or would I benefit from just adding a little bit to the watered-down herbal tea I drink throughout the day?

[Garrett Smith]

I'd say just get it in, whenever you can manage.

[Mike ODonnell]

I would take it with some BCAAs pre-workout.....but really there is probably just a small advantage to that.

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Mike ODonnell

I would take it with some BCAAs pre-workout.....but really there is probably just a small advantage to that.

What Mike said.

Although in the end it probably won't really matter that much...

[Greg Davis]

I don't do BCAAs so I think I'll just try a tsp in any water/herbal tea I drink before/after workouts when I get a chance and see how that goes.

[Gavin Harrison]

Originally Posted by Greg Davis

I don't do BCAAs so I think I'll just try a tsp in any water/herbal tea I drink before/after workouts when I get a chance and see how that goes.

I believe it's generally best to drink it mixed in some sort of fruit juice.. simple sugars act as carries (I think?). Also, the stuff goes down easy when it's mixed in grapefruit or orange juice Just down it as quickly as possible immediately after you finish stirring... stuff doesn't actually dissolve in liquid as far as I can tell...

[Garrett Smith]

Gavin,
I have read before not to use citrus juice with creatine.

Grape juice appears to be preferable.

Micronized creatine (same stuff, only finer particles) stays mixed up quite a bit longer than the standardized creatine monohydrate.

[Timothy Scalise]

I read that the grape juice was the best choise also... I know some people use gatorade.

[Mike ODonnell]

Originally Posted by Timothy Scalise

I read that the grape juice was the best choise also... I know some people use gatorade.

That's assuming you want that insulin spike (why most do it pwo).....otherwise pre-workout will help delivery to the muscle with the increased blood flow during training (why combination with BCAAs may also help delivery into the muscle).

[Gavin Harrison]

Originally Posted by Garrett Smith

Gavin,
I have read before not to use citrus juice with creatine.

Grape juice appears to be preferable.

Micronized creatine (same stuff, only finer particles) stays mixed up quite a bit longer than the standardized creatine monohydrate.

Originally Posted by http://www.bla.net/opul/crfaq.htm

Don't mix creatine with citrus juice. Orange, grapefruit, cranberry, in fact, most fruit juices have been most recently found to neutralize the activity of creatine monohydrate. The reason is the waste product creatinine develops. A lot of you put creatine on your tongue and drink it down with grapefruit juice. If you have taken creatine this way in the past, stop it now! You are not getting creatine, you're getting waste product.

Do mix creatine monohydrate with warm water--in a glass. This is the only way to ensure you're getting the full benefits of creatine in its dry form. Creatine does not have to dissolve to be effective.

Thanks for the tip, fortunately I haven't used that much in that way. Warm water doesn't sound exactly wonderful, but one less thing I have to pay for to take the stuff...

They apparently also discourage the use of caffein while using creatine.

EDIT: Gatorade has citric acid in it too, so it should be out as well?