Alot of people had great results. I’m a Junior sprinter 17 yrs , and I have talked to the top guys in the 60m and 200m and they take Creatine and glutamine they say. I am thinking about taking it but…
Is it ethical ? Will it hurt in the long run ? I mean I know it is natural and all, but if U start then … maybe you will progress to the banned substances ?
intersting question.
I am 19 and i m thinking about the same.
Here are many topics about creatine, but maybe the guys who tried it xould give a short reference here…
I think for strength training, taking creatine is a no-brainer (of course, take it). Just be careful with it during competitions and max velocity training. It can instigate cramps in some users. I don’t think there was ever a study that showed a relationship between creatine and cause cramps but I’ve seen it anecdotally several times.
BTW, creatine has a TON more scientific support than glutamine. No study that I’m aware of has ever shown great strength or recovery benefits from taking glutamine (except in special cases- burn victims, those with awful diets, etc).
Another side note…according to all the nutrition research literature I can get my hands on, the 2 things that have been proven over and over to help performance are creatine and caffeine. Almost everything else has had mixed results (in studies). Vitamins/Minerals/Aminos can help if you are deficient in something but generally it’s creatine and caffeine.
Creatine works period, and so does caffiene. I’ve been in the gym business for over 10 years and have seen all the “New” and “Great” supplements come and go. I first used it about 10 years ago and still use it. Why? Because it works.
If you can’t find any literature on the stuff you’re not looking at all because it’s everywhere. University studies, not “Clinical Studies.”
You are a little young though. I personally don’t recommend it to kids unless they’ve worked out “Seriously” for years and are in their late teens. I’ve found kids will concentrate on it more than getting in the proper food in their bodies which is the MOST important thing you can do.
Go and buy “Speed Trap” its a wealth of info from the master.
Keep in mind that creatine use will differ for a sprinter versus a bodybuilder. Your goal is not to bulk up quickly or add 20lb to you bench press overnight. You will be using much smaller amounts (3-5 grams, not 20), which will facilitate improved recovery. This is a marginal benefit that will gradually accumulate over time. You’re not necessarily going to get a quick big boost in performance. Ask youself if your workouts and performance level at this time will really benefit from that marginal improvement in recovery.
Most of the discussion related to supplements (like weight training) is so dominated by the bodybuilding industry it requires a certain degree of “deprogramming” when you translate to other sports like track.