i tend to gain muscle pretty slowly...compared to other people...
i did gain 15 pounds past year from working out but i don't look much bigger than before..right now I'm about 146lbs..5'9"
i was just wondering if taking creatine supplements will help me get bigger faster..
or should i just stick to protein alone?

 

not really, creatine doesn't do anything for making new muscle.

it does help with "burst energy" so you can lift just a bit more than typical.

I can't remember much, but basically when the body uses it's atp reserves, the body uses it's natural creatine reserves to regenerate a bit of usable atp.

supplementing creatine gives you more creatine to convert adp? back to atp. hence more burst energy


(I haven't done research on this stuff in many many years, so forgive me if I'm incorrect)

 

Creatine makes your body hold more water. WHile you are on it you will look bigger because you cells hold more water, and there is a theory that you will be able to work out longer and harder because the cells stay hydrated. Other than that it does not do much.

I used it for a while and you will look a little thicker if you maintain your routine, but I don't feel it helped me gain anything than temporary water weight. Once you stop taking it your body sheds the added hydration over the course of a week or so.

I think if you are going to take anything I would guess that it is probably one of the safer things to take but I consider it a cosmetic. You are paying money to look a little bigger while you are on it, just like spending money to put on lipstick.

I just really don't find supplements (outside of perhaps whey protien or something) to be worth it. You never know whats in them, some are dangerous and they are not generally regulated by the FDA. Some people have died, or suffered siezures (Tom Gugliotta) from over the counter supplements.

Its not worth the money or the risk IMHO. Work out hard and eat right. High protein, low fat and carb.

You sound genetically skinny. I have worked out fairly regularly for the last 20 years and I go in spurts of really working out hard sometimes. I have put on 15 pounds since high school to get to 5'6" and 155. I still have the 28-29 inch waist but was able to put on weight where I wanted too, but if you are just genetically a skinny body type you are never going to get huge anyway. I got MUCH stronger, but the weight never really came. Thats 20 years of hard workout for 15 pounds. Whoopie. That also included certain periods where I tried creatine, all kinds of weight gainer shakes, and unfortunately androstendione which was billed as a "safe" supplement. They tasted horrible so I never finished the bottle.

I also ate like a pig. You sound thinner than me. Ten pounds is about all I would realistically guess you can shoot for for lean muscle mass, although you do have a taller frame.

Now I want to go the other direction. I am going to hit 40 and am in decent shape but have a pound of chubble on my gut. My goal is to be able to have a washboard on my 40th birthday. My problem? Peanut butter, bacon, burgers and fries, and ice cream.

 

^he said it perfectly. it pretty much just hold water, in turn, making yourself look bigger. not really worth it because if you quit taking it you will deflate like a balloon.

if you want to get bigger. take protein, i recommend Optimum nutrition. it tastes great and you can get it from vitamin shoppe. it is a bit expensive but you will notice it helps wiht your gains.

but you need to eat at least 2600 calories a day, to help with the gaining. i would recommend going on a workout program. like the 5x5 program or the p90x. but hte p90x is expensive. i like the 5x5 program you will increase your stregnth like crazy over time. you just keep adding and adding at the end of the week. checkout bodybuilding forums and it will have articles.

bodybuilding.com it helped me out a lot and everyones nice if you ask questions. check it out.

 

Do you run or do anything else in addition to working out?

I'm a bit taller than you but similar weight/height. Whenever I run regularly, I have trouble putting on any weight, but I can gain muscle fairly rapidly when I only work out (ie weights, etc).

 

Here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creatine

Has all the info you need.

 

To add muscle you need tons of protein in your system or weightlifting isn't going to do much, as your body will end up eating the muscle your trying to build. The easiest way is supplemental whey protein that you take before and after a workout, as well as in the morning and before bed - you basically flood your system with available protein for muscle building. Your body can only take in around 20g at a time, so try and maintain a high level without using too much or you'll just be wasting the stuff.

GNC sells protein supplements that will fit the bill. Look for good doses of protein and be mindful of fat and calories, but if you are seriously lifting, like 5 days/week with cardio, you'll be burning pretty much everything you consume.

 

whey protein is all you need.

 

whey protein after workouts
caseine at night before u sleep
eat clean and up your calories to about 3500-4000 calories a day

and you will grow
if that doesn't work well...
check out the docu bigger faster stronger

 

if you wanna get big fast, trenx.

i dunno if you want to touch that stuff though.

but also another key thing is just eating. eating a lot!
alot of protein.

specially after workouts.