Is my creatine working?

[jessie104]

Hey I have used various brands of creatine over the last five years.  on and off .  i always gain water weight when im taking creatine but does it held with muscle growth ?  sure the pumps are beter as well but is it really helping with growth .

[Bluto]

creatine makes you somewhat stronger which means you can lift more and then you can grow more. but there's not more magical about it than that

[blaster]

Hey I have used various brands of creatine over the last five years.  on and off .  i always gain water weight when im taking creatine but does it held with muscle growth ?  sure the pumps are beter as well but is it really helping with growth .

This is easy to answer.

Do you weigh any more than when you started? Do you look any better? If yes, then it's working.

[kicker]

You should notice an effect after about a week of using it.  You should feel a little stronger (i.e banging out a couple of extra reps in each set).  Your muscles will look fuller.  Although that is really from the effects of water retention rather than actual muscle accrual, in the long run you should put on a few quality pounds of muscle if you continue to make strength gains and the nutrition is good

[Tigerman]

I had some good gains with creatine. I think it is a good supplement especially for beginners if you drink a LOT of water, you cycle it correctly, and don't allow your body to get used to it. As some people said, it is more useful to build some strength rather than to create mass (this comes as an indirect effect).
However, in the last two years I stopped using it. Now I get the same cell volumization results without that disturbing water retention by using glutamine and L-Arginine.

[sgtslahter]

Are you supposed to take 5 grams everyday, even on off days?