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QUESTION: I’ve been using creatine and have seen some results but
nothing like the magazine ads say you will. Some guys tell me you can gain an inch on your arms in just a week on the stuff. What’s your take on creatine, Mr. Welch?

ANSWER: You have to keep in mind that supplement ads are written
to sell products! Some companies make you believe that you will gain an inch on your arms in seven days when you take creatine. Unfortunately, as good as creatine is, it’s not a magic pill. In fact, even the most powerful steroids in the world won’t make you gain one inch of pure muscle on your arms in seven days! But don’t get discouraged, because creatine is the most proven supplement in existence. Better than whey. Better than nitric oxide stimulators. Better than anything. When you ingest creatine, it’s held in the stomach for a while. Although the various stomach enzymes have little effect on creatine, the hydrochloric acid, which activates the enzymes, causes a minor chemical reaction. Some of the creatine is converted into the inactive metabolite creatinine. This is where buffered creatines such as Kre-Alkalyn® have gained popularity. If you can’t afford buffered creatine, one of the simplest ways to prevent creatine from turning into creatinine is to dilute the stomach acid by drinking some extra water with your creatine. I recommend drinking 16 ounces with your creatine. The next step is to lower the stomach acid (raise pH) by using an alkaline substance. The cheapest way to do this is to take sodium bicarbonate, such as that found in Alka-Seltzer. Taking this with your creatine raises the pH of the stomach, which speeds gastric emptying, which speeds up the time of absorption. For the first five days on creatine, bodybuilders should go through a “loading phase,” which requires you to take 20 grams per day. After that point, take 5 grams per day to maintain your stores.