Vegan Bodybuilding & Fitness

hey all i'm training for a bodybuilding men's physique show and am wondering should i add creatine back in?i stopped taking it a while ago because i didn't want my kidneys all messed up and wanted to be more natural.so whats your thoughts?add it back or vegans can still add alot of muscle without it.examples of vegans with alot of muscle without the use of creatine would be awesome as well.



my show is june 1 i will enter if my body is on point and bodyfat is low.

pics were taken on monday

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I dont think vegans need it anymore than omnis. My trainer took me off of it. He is an omni and always wins his shows and he got me a win too. I would definitely not use it close to your contest due to the water retaining properties.

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very true i think i will be just cycling it.only thing i'm worried about is dropping my bodyfat quick enough without losing mass.

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It's so cheap that I think it's worth using. I don't think it's a must though, but every little bit helps.

I would suggest really tracking your diet macros closely. They matter a whole lot. You have some nice muscle mass, but may have a hard time leaning out in time for a June comp. Good luck! Keep us updated.

Personally, I wouldn't trust body building forums/sites for any info on training/diet - they are usually filled with brainwash, groupthink and dogma.

But here's an article I'd recommend for info about creatine. It seems like legit info to me.

I tried creatine in January for the first time. Am off now as I'm not sure if it effects your own bodies ability to create it naturally.. (something I read once). But I will probably try cycling too since I did feel like it improved my performance - tho I guess I will never know for sure, since I won't know how I would have performed without it?? From my research, it at least doesn't hurt to take it.

Probably a good idea to drink extra water when you are on it.. and that is just me talking based on reading about possible kidney/liver side-effects.

I agree with jif - due to water retention, you'll definitely want to get off it closer to your competition date.

GL

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I haven't transitioned into veganism yet, so I don't know how much this will be worth. However from personal experience I can - with a pretty clear conscience- say that it hasn't helped me one bit. I find that hard-headedness goes a long way. Also if you're wanting to drop your bodyfat, how about incorporating a little more cardio in to your programme? It doesn't have to be a half marathon worth of spurting you add to the programme, but instead of for example warming up with a 20 minute run, warm up with 35 minute run at medium intensity and do that every day. Or there's the traditional approach of 45-60 mins morning cardio followed by many hours rest and then push weights in the evening. Just find that model somewhat inconvenient (or maybe I'm too lazy).

I've been using creatine for a while. I take 5 g PWO or 5g in the morning if I'm not working out. I've seen improvements in my lifts and strengths. Recovery time for me decreases and DOMS declines as well. Expect to gain 5 pounds of water weight, which I have dropped before in the past fairly quickly.

good info i should of put that i've taken it before haha i've been off of it for a good 6 months.theres alot of studies out and research it comes down to what you think.i'm give it one more go round.the water retention is false by most resreach i've done.will be up dating you guys on my progress i start 100s and dropsets monday!

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i already do a 20 min warm up and 30 mins on stairmaster after workout.my diet will make the lbs fly off.

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It can increase memory and IQ too so not just good for muscles.

Every body consititution is different and will have varying reactions to supplements. There is no such thing as "one size fits all". I've used creatine off and on in the past and it did, in fact, assist with my training sessions by enhancing my endurance with more rapid strength gains. That being said, I also always felt bloated irrespective of my diet and how much I ramped up my cardio. Thus, I no longer include it in my regimen. If I competed, I might try it again but cycle off well in advance of any competition.

I would give it a run for a month or two to see how it "feels" to you and what, if any gains you make. I would also suggest that you pre-load with about 10 grams daily for a couple of weeks before tapering off to 3 or 5 grams a day. Use a good quality form and take with some simple carbs, i.e. fruit juice or a piece of fruit. I used to down capsules first thing every AM with amino acids and eat a piece of fruit right afterwards. Drink plenty of water while using it. Good luck and keep us apprised of your progress.

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I am about to start taking creatine, so I will post my updates ( if any ) as they come. I have been working out for 3 and a half months, 6 days a week and have seen a lot of gains. I am interested to see how it will affect my body weight / performance / recovery.

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here's some march progress pics

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Noticeable improvement . . . you're getting there. Keep up the hard work! How's the creatine going?

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Vegans respond well usually to creatine because veg ans normally have much lower levels in their bodies as its mostly found in meats. Because we are lower than meat eaters, suplimenting helps raise the levels quite a bit. Esp if you are dieting. For the price I use it, one of the few sups I actually believe in.

They say approx 20% of users do not respond to it. You dont need to cycle, thats old broscience. Just take 3-5g daily (does not matter when) with some carbs and after a few weeks you will be saturated. I dont think you need to cycle on and off if you keep your daily dose 5g or less.

It helps me on my heavy lifts. Oh and forget about all the new made up types, the best is still plain old creatine mono esp the german creapure brand.