Creatine Monhydrate Cycle for Weightlifting/Cycle choice

[Chad Lammert]

Greg-

Do you have any recommendations on how to cycle on and off a creatine monohydrate supplement for while following some of your weightlifting programs. Having not taken creatine before, not sure exactly how cycling works and its effects on training when coming off of it. I wouldn't want to cycle off when I'm approaching a max lift week.

I don't know if it makes a difference, but I'm currently on the classic/position cycle and contemplating following up with the Burgener strength cycle from your book or the 3-phase cycle from your site. (as a side note, if you have a recommendation for which cycle to follow up with, I'd love a recommendation there as well).

Thanks Greg! I appreciate it and hope all is well.

Chad

[Greg Everett]

I would just not take it during any back-off/rest weeks. More than likely, it won't make that dramatic of a difference between on/off, but no reason to not time it as effectively as possible if you can.

[Chad Lammert]

Good deal, thank you for the prompt follow up!

[Donald Lee]

There isn't really a good reason to cycle off creatine, unless you're dieting and just trying to maintain strength. Even then, creatine may be beneficial in helping you to maintain strength. Creatine uptake doesn't decrease with usage, so it's not like taking a stimulant.

You don't need to follow a loading protocol when starting either. You can just take 5g per day and allow the saturation to occur over the course of about a month. Common loading protocols you see are 20g per day for 5 days or 10g per day for 2 weeks, but what's the hurry? And, you may experience diahrrea from the loading protocols.

You usually want to take creatine on off days as well, as the artifically high exogenous intake of creatine downregulates the body's own production of creatine.

[Greg Everett]

Originally Posted by Donald Lee

There isn't really a good reason to cycle off creatine, unless you're dieting and just trying to maintain strength. Even then, creatine may be beneficial in helping you to maintain strength. Creatine uptake doesn't decrease with usage, so it's not like taking a stimulant.

there has been some research that has suggested a rebound back to lower retention after reaching a saturation point. i don't think it's going to make much of a difference either way.