February 2003

The question-of-the-month for February comes from Callum in Texas, a 17 year old who has a follow-up question regarding creatine cycling that was addressed in a prior Q&A.  His question is: 

Dear Mike:

I just wanted to ask about what seemed to be conflicting recommendations for creatine cycling.  In your reply to January's Question-of-the-Month you said a cycle should be 6 on, 4 off.  But on your main page (Supplement News) you recommend 4 on, 1 off.  Could you please clarify?

Dear Callum:

Thank you for your e-mail.  Your e-mail wasn't the only one I received requesting clarification on creatine cycling.  Creatine is a very popular supplement, so I thought it would be a good idea to address this subject.

As with most supplements, there are many ways to cycle their use, and creatine is no exception.  It can be used in a variety of ways, therefore both methods discussed are valid.  The main point to keep in mind is that you must cycle on and off creatine to allow your body to utilize it effectively.    

As I mentioned last month, I highly recommend that you visit my Supplement News section for more valuable information on creatine.

Thanks again for your question, Callum, and good luck with your training.

As always, don't forget to visit the Past Qs & As and my Training Tips section for more great tips and training info.

Until next month, train hard and stay healthy.

Mike Francois

Do you have a training question for Mike?  If so, visit our Ask Mike section and submit your question.

Note: Before embarking on any nutrition, supplementation, and/or training program, consult with your physician or other licensed health-care professional.