U got to do some research on the web buddy.

There is phase for u to load, maintain and deload (google it up)

and creatine is best taken with carbs. so take it post workout or with breakfast tat will be ideal.  DUN TAKE IT PRE WORKOUT- u will suffer from dehydration.

haha, i see.... btw, it seems that many articles about creatine state that if u stop taking creatine, u will suffer a loss in size and performance as well as endurance. Anyone care to justify?

so I guess its something u wanna take n not stop taking, otherwise it'll affect ur self-confidence

Unexplained side effects: Though Creatine supplement marketers claim creatine doesn’t have any side effects and in fact benefits the body if used over a period of time, some of the reports of users suggest about their suffering from increased aggressiveness, anxiety, acne, male breast formation (Gynecomastia), a reduction in penis size, hair loss (men) and body hair growth (women). Of these, increased aggressiveness, acne and hair loss are the most frequently reported. Gastrointestinal complications have also been commonly reported among users of creatine supplements. Moreover, scientific studies have proved that increase in body mass from creatine use can be attributed to water retention by muscle.

One long-term disadvantage is that there have been studies that have shown that Creatine supplements may cause kidney damage

Bullshit. You will notice that ANY form of act that causes jealously in other men(eg. bodybuilding) will have the standard 'DONT DO IT OR YOUR PENIS WILL BECOME SMALLER!!' quote to scare 90% of men out there so that the jealous few don't feel intimidated by us.

*this can be applied to so many other MYTHS, I'm sure you can relate to quite a few that says 'dont do it, your penis will become smaller'

As for the kidney failure, if you're taking 30g of creatine everyday for years, your organs will SURELY be overworked. Everything should be done in controlled moderation.

does creatine cause u to get acne? apart from that, what are the negative side effects?

But u need to stop using it after 2-3 months right

i did some research and found out that many people who consume creatine complain of problems such as kidney stones and enlarged heart.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of long-term Cr supplementation on blood parameters reflecting liver and kidney function. Twenty-three members of an NCAA Division II American football team (ages = 19-24 years) with at least 2 years of strength training experience were divided into a Cr monohydrate group (CrM, n = 10) in which they voluntarily and spontaneously ingested creatine, and a control group (n = 13) in which they took no supplements. Individuals in the CrM group averaged regular daily consumption of 5 to 20 g (mean SD = 13.9 5.8 g) for 0.25 to 5.6 years (2.9 1.8 years). Venous blood analysis for serum albumin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, bilirubin, urea, and creatinine produced no significant differences between groups. Creatinine clearance was estimated from serum creatinine and was not significantly different between groups. Within the CrM group, correlations between all blood parameters and either daily dosage or duration of supplementation were nonsignificant. Therefore, it appears that oral supplementation with CrM has no long-term detrimental effects on kidney or liver functions in highly trained college athletes in the absence of other nutritional supplements.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12500988

A group of 175 subjects received either 10 grams of creatine or placebo daily for an average period of 310 days. Diarrhea and nausea did cause three subjects to stop using creatine. But there were no other significant differences between the groups.

Researchers from Truman State University also report that long-term creatine use appears to be safe [7].

Twenty-three members of an NCAA Division II American football team were divided into a creatine group and a control group who took no supplements.

Subjects in the creatine group averaged 14 grams of creatine a day for three years. However, the researchers could find no detrimental effects on either kidney or liver function.

http://www.thefactsaboutfitness.com/resear...atinesafety.htm