Creatine and caffeine

4banger · 09-Dec-02, 12:23 AM

I read on a men's health magazin a few months ago that someone found that even small amounts of caffeine can "block" the benefits of creatine, I know that creatine is known to increase cell volume and caffeine can do the oposite, I cut all the caffeine on my diet and I didn't notice any difference. Creatine is a natural occuring substance that is necessary to produce energy in the muscle, so I don't think that it makes a lot of sence...
Has anyone read or heard similar things about mixing caffeine and creatine?

Steve · 09-Dec-02, 05:42 AM

I heard the same thing. I choose to ignore it. Can't live without coffee. Anyway, I think it's crap. Just drink your water.

Steve

4banger · 09-Dec-02, 05:33 PM

Cool, I'm going back to my Starbucks double shot expresso in the morning, that's the only thing that really wakes me up, it's as strong as Brazillian coffee...
I'm drinking about 3 quarts of water a day, do you think its enough? It makes me pee every 2~3 hours and my urinne is light yellow to almost clear...

heibrin · 09-Dec-02, 06:04 PM

BTW, espresso contains less caffeine than normal coffee...

bsenka · 09-Dec-02, 09:10 PM

I read that as well, both in Men's Health recently, and a while back in Muscle Media. Supposedly, the creatine is still shuttled into your muscle cells, and it's muscle-building effects are not hindered by caffiene. Where caffiene MAY interfer with creatine's effects, is for recovery from short burst sprints. Apparently caffiene delays or lengthens your 'relaxation time' between maximal output.

What I did at the time was cut out all caffiene for 4 weeks. I didn't notice any difference in creatine's effects (my interval sprints slowly progressed at about the same rate as before), but I did find it a lot harder to get going on my 5:30 A.M. workouts.

At the end of those 4 weeks, it was time for me to start a cutting cycle anyway, so I started with the ECA stack twice a day. Again, I noticed no decrease in creatine's effects (sprints continued to improve, and recovery time did not suffer), but I AM a lot more 'into' my morning workout when the ECA kicks in.

4banger · 10-Dec-02, 07:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by heibrin
BTW, espresso contains less caffeine than normal coffee...

Have you tried The Starbuck doppio expresso? I can drink a 24oz cup of "Dark Mountain Roast"from 7-11 and I can barelly feel the effects of the caffeine, when I drink the Starbuck's expresso I feel the kick really bad, sometimes worst than a xenadrine...
It may be because it doens't have a lot of water, I don't know...

bsenka · 10-Dec-02, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by heibrin
BTW, espresso contains less caffeine than normal coffee...

That's only because espresso usually comes in tiny 2 oz. cups. Per ounce, espresso contains quite a bit more caffeine than regular coffee.

Caffeine content of various coffees and teas.

Steve · 10-Dec-02, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 4banger
I'm drinking about 3 quarts of water a day, do you think its enough? It makes me pee every 2~3 hours and my urinne is light yellow to almost clear...

If it's dark, you're not drinking enough. Seems you're doing OK.

I bet you miss CAJUBA!

Steve

4banger · 11-Dec-02, 11:59 PM

I do, but I really miss Melitta à vacuo, that coffe is da bomb!!!