January 2003

The question-of-the-month for January comes from Mike in New Jersey who wants to know if his muscles will decrease in size after he stops taking creatine.  His question is: 

Dear Mike:

I have been taking creatine monohydrate.  Is it true that after I stop taking it, my muscles will decrease in size?  If so, what can I do to prevent this? 

Dear Mike:

First I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!  Mike, thanks for your great question.  Creatine has received a lot of press recently, so it has become a very popular supplement.  If used correctly, creatine can be quite beneficial to an athlete/bodybuilder.

You may notice a weight decrease while cycling off the creatine, however, if you are training intensely and properly, you shouldn't notice more than a 5% drop in strength.

Having said that, it is very important to cycle off creatine in order for it to work optimally.  You should take creatine as directed on the label for six (6) weeks and then stop taking it for four (4) weeks and repeat.  This ensures that your body will not get used to the creatine and will continue to respond.

For more valuable information on creatine, I highly recommend that you visit my Supplement News section.

Thanks again for your question, Mike, 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.