creatine cycling question

[Delz]

I have read of a few different ways of cycling creatine. I was wondering what works best for some of you? Do you take it for a certain amount of time then take a week off and reload? Or just take it for a certain time and then do a reload without taking a break? Or something else? /forum/images/graemlins/confused.gif

[President Wilson]

I reccomend Eamonns suggestions

http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/creatineresearch2.php

He also has a paper which is in press and will be published next month in the Strength and Conditioning journal on this subject.

[yne055]

I have heard people say that you don't need to take any time off at all. I have even read that in various places. Personally, I think it's best to take at least a couple of weeks off after a completed cycle. I don't reccommend jumping right into the next cycle after one has just ended. I also do not reccommend non-cycling. You should definitely cycle on and off of creatine and take some time off between those cycles.

[williepumps]

That is one opinion. I have also read that it's okay to have a continous cycle. That why if you hit a platue you can load agian and that may give you just that little bit you need to get over the hump with your gains

[ryancostill]

[ QUOTE ]
I have heard people say that you don't need to take any time off at all. I have even read that in various places. Personally, I think it's best to take at least a couple of weeks off after a completed cycle. I don't reccommend jumping right into the next cycle after one has just ended. I also do not reccommend non-cycling. You should definitely cycle on and off of creatine and take some time off between those cycles.

[/ QUOTE ]

This is one area that is probably under researched in the realm of creatine supplementation. Most likely due to the fact that any prospective study would be quite long duration, and logistically difficult to control. The research suggests that there are no ill-effects from continuous creatine supplementation. But endogenous creatine production is inhibited by supplementation so I personally like to err on the side of caution and cycle. Give the body a some time (2-4 weeks) to begin internally synthesizing creatine before i load again.