Re: FITNESS: Creatine monohydrate for lean mass gain?

Max More (maxmore@primenet.com)
Thu, 15 Aug 1996 19:14:30 -0700 (MST)

At 02:23 PM 8/15/96 -0700, Russell Whitaker wrote:
>I tend to be rather skeptical of dietary fads in bodybuilding,
>preferring a long-term strategy of a generally lowfat diet
>spread out in small meals over a day, and a protein intake
>of 1.2-1.5g/lb bodymass, but have recently heard from a number
>of people I respect, some trainers, of creatine monohydrate.
>Has anyone here in the extropian bodysculpting community
>heard of this? If so, have you any opinions?

Yes! It works! I'm also highly skeptical about these things, and have never
seen results from other substances, such as chromium picolinate. However, I
decided to try creatine after Dr. Ray Sahelian, who is coming out with a
short book on the stuff (see the forthcoming Extropy for a review), did some
research and said it looked promising.

After two months using it, I gained about 10 lbs. Usually I gain much more
slowly, having been stable at around 183 lbs for months. I'm now 193 lbs. I
don't think much, if any of it is fat. Possibly some may be extra fluid
retention, though I have no particular reason to think so. Certainly my
strength has increased considerably. E.g., I've gone from 580 lbs to 650 lbs
on the leg press, and from 80 lbs to 110 lbs (for 15 reps) on the barbell curl.

I'm happy with the results!

>I haven't tried it yet. I'm told by a friend:
>
>> ... Creatine Monohydrate is approximately 300 mg and costs $40.00;
>> the manufacturer is Sports Pharma, out of Concord.

You can get a kilo for $80, or 450 g for about $45. Ray's book gives
guidelines for dosing. I got my from Lindberg/Nutrition Express: 1-800-338-7979

Get a bigger body to go along with that bigger brain!