What are Creatine and Nitric Oxide for?

**LI GUY 1** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 3:47am

Creatine monohydrateis good stuff. You gain some water weight but the good stuff is increased ATP regeneration in between sets allowing you to lift harder/longer I think. I think that's it anyway. Also I read a study that said it reduced the risk/severity of concussion in NFL players as compared to those not taking creatine. That cn be because either the creatine directly helps or because taking creatine=more muscle=more shock absorption of hits.

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 7:00am

I'm buying a bottle of NO supplement pretty soon. As I get older (32 in a month) I definately notice increased recovery time and if I can cut that back even a tiny bit it would be helpful. I'm a born skeptic and almost never supplement so I'll report anything I notice. Going into it I expect nothing.

**Izra'il** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 7:53am

I don't understand the need for supplements. Then again I am young I suppose. At 20 years of age I beleive that supplements are just an unatural way to work out. I rather be all natural and not worry about side effects of such things...

Then again who am I to talk. I haven't really talked to my trainer about or my BJJ coach. I suppose if I get told that I should... I would...

**cyrijl** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 8:38am

Thanks for the responses. I told the kid the same but in a way not directly contradicting his father...

***WhiteShark*** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 8:47am

Originally Posted by Izra'il

I don't understand the need for supplements. Then again I am young I suppose. At 20 years of age I beleive that supplements are just an unatural way to work out. I rather be all natural and not worry about side effects of such things...

Then again who am I to talk. I haven't really talked to my trainer about or my BJJ coach. I suppose if I get told that I should... I would...

At 20 I was workingout super hard 5-days a week Muay Thai. I was able to get pass out drunk the night before and then show up and train hard. It takes about 3 days before I feel right if I try that crap 12 years later. So yeah it's because you're 20. :)

**Zyph** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 9:30am

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

At 20 I was workingout super hard 5-days a week Muay Thai. I was able to get pass out drunk the night before and then show up and train hard. It takes about 3 days before I feel right if I try that crap 12 years later. So yeah it's because you're 20. :)

I will be 32 in Aug and it is the same for me. When I was 20 I could drink all night, get up at 6am, go work all day, then train for 3+ hours at night and feel fine. Leave off the rest, if I get drunk, I feel like crap for two days.
Later,
Zyph

***Cassius*** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 5:50pm

Originally Posted by WhiteShark

I'm buying a bottle of NO supplement pretty soon. As I get older (32 in a month) I definately notice increased recovery time and if I can cut that back even a tiny bit it would be helpful. I'm a born skeptic and almost never supplement so I'll report anything I notice. Going into it I expect nothing.

PM me if/when you start taking it. I've been considering taking NO as of late, but I'm not sure on the dosing, which brand is generally considered highest quality, etc. I've searched around a little, but haven't found a whole lot.

**Teh El Macho** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 6:56pm

Regarding NO brands, I like Nitrix. 3 tablets 3 times a day for pple under 200lbs, and 4 tablets 3 times a day for pple over 200lbs. I take about 7, 2 x 3 and 1 before going to bed - I pop some many caps a day, BCAA, tribulus, multis, glutamine, ginseng, joint **** and saw palmetto, I can't take more pills.)

I works great if you follow the prescribed dossage as close as possible. I know people who buy NO supplements but then just take a fraction of it (to save $$$) that they don't see any benefits and give up (cheap-fu.)

If you invest in supplements, use them well and as directed, and with a good diet (and ideally glutamine.) Otherwise, it becomes a waste of money. I'd suggest to prioritize glutamine first and NO (and BCAAs) second.

Another thing I've observed with NO is that you get a "pump", a nice increase in energy when lifting, BUT after 3 weeks it kinda wears off, so I take it for 3 weeks and off for 2 weeks. That's my personal experience; other pple may not experience the same.

As for creatine, that **** rocks. It truly helps. Unfortunately, my stomach can't handle it (some people seem sensitive to it.) I have a friend who's a dedicated bodybuilder. She has said that using both creatine and NO is a waste of $$$ since both have a similar effect in energy and recovery. Either one or the other (again, that's her personal annecdote.)

**Zyph** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 8:08pm

[quote=Cassius]PM me if/when you start taking it. I've been considering taking NO as of late, but I'm not sure on the dosing, which brand is generally considered highest quality, etc. I've searched around a little, but haven't found a whole lot.[/quot]

I am a big fan of Biogenetix. They just have better chemistry involved. They have bound the molecules to a fatty acid to make them more permeable to the cell wall. They also have the D2T chemical that allows for better time release, and half life in the blood, and their coating gets it past the stomach and to the intestine where it absorbs better. It is 6 tabs once a day two hours before working out.

I can’t take creatine. It makes me a dick, I stay in a bad mood the whole time I am taking it, and my wife doesn’t like that. So I only took it for a month, in that month I did notice an increase in mass.

El Macho, mind if I ask how old you are, I am 31 going on 32? I take Nettle root for prostate health, and like it a bit better than I did the saw palmetto, it also has shown to promote an increase in testosterone productions.

I also pop multivitamins and Hydroxycut every day. Paramedicine, and a surgery I had year before last put some fat on I am struggling to get off.

The main reason I don’t use all of the biogenetix brand is because the **** is just too expensive.
Later,
Zyph

**Equipoise** · Posted On: 6/29/2007 10:26pm

Creatine and N02 would be fine for a 15 year old.

I can’t take creatine. It makes me a dick, I stay in a bad mood the whole time I am taking it, and my wife doesn’t like that. So I only took it for a month, in that month I did notice an increase in mass.

WTF...

There has never been a documented study showing Creatine having any sort of mood altering capacities meaning you're either an idiot or a liar.

Creatine Phosphate is a compound in the body that helps to replenish ATP stores when they are used and exhausted through high intensity activities. It gives the body another shot at completing those activities rather than just completely failing until ATP has completely regenerated. It's safe for a 15 year old. It occurs naturally in the body and in red meat.

NO2 is a Vaso as it's already been said. Also safe for a 15 year old. It's not going to have any sort of long term effects. The things to be noted however is that it does cause higher rates of inflammation as increased blood flow for the purpose of regenerating tissues is in itself is inflammation.

Speaking of inflammation. My arms and face are on fire from a use of force incident tonight that has left me with one less uniform as it looks like I rolled around in red paint. =-)