# Dopers on Creatine? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-on-creatine/194763 "2003-08-12T23:08:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![d12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/71c47a/32.png) [@d12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d12)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-on-creatine/194763/1 "2003-08-12T23:08:26Z")
I just bought four whooping pounds of grape-flavoured-but-tastes-more-like-used-toilet-paper Creatine. I used it today and nearly threw up because I’m not used to powdery water. That aside I was just wondering if any dopers take creatine and can really tell me if it works. ---
**Author:** ![Shaolinrabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Shaolinrabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shaolinrabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-on-creatine/194763/2 "2003-08-12T23:13:36Z")
I’ve taken it before, and it seems to work, but it’s hard to tell. I was taking everything imaginable simultaneously, so who knows? Sorry, that was pointless advice. I know quite a few people who recommend it however, because it worked for them. ---
**Author:** ![Jaade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dfb087/32.png) [@Jaade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaade)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-on-creatine/194763/3 "2003-08-12T23:14:04Z")
It works, as hard as you do. If you are taking it and not working out, it won’t do a thing for you. ~J ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-on-creatine/194763/4 "2003-08-13T00:02:29Z")
I mix an unflavored powder with my orange juice in the morning, barely notice it is there. Seems to help with recovery time, but it could be my imagination. It does draw water to your muscles, so be sure to keep well hydrated (good advice in general). ---
**Author:** ![Tree\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9dc877/32.png) [@Tree\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tree_Boy)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-on-creatine/194763/5 "2003-08-13T00:05:23Z")
I used it for a few weeks in college until I started blacking out when hitting a strenuous point during a lift. The nuerologist said the Creatine might be causing occipital nueritis so I stopped using it and low and behold the black outs ceased. ---
**Author:** ![flood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@flood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flood)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dopers-on-creatine/194763/6 "2003-08-13T00:46:35Z")
Depends on what you want it to “work” for. If you want to bulk up and get stronger, I’d suggest whey protein and a very good diet. To bulk up, you should be eating 20-30 calories(?) per pound of body weight (I’m not sure about this number, but I’ll get back to you). Getting stronger is a result of the muscles tearing and reforming (that’s what makes you look bigger). The more protein that you take in, the more muscle you can build. I took whey protein for a while, and I can swear by it (I gained 20 lbs. went from 135-155) and was able to increase my bench from 135 to 200. Of course, I worked out everyday and ate well. Then it started getting really expensive. I’m not really familiar with what creatine does, but my dad told me that I should stay away from it (my dad is also a trainer at the gym that I frequent). Again, it just depends on what you want to do.