Creatine Information
CREATINE MONOHYDRATE from Labrada contains only pure pharmaceutical grade creatine monohydrate.

Research shows that oral administration of creatine, several times daily, increases muscle stores of creatine by as much as 50%, resulting in lean body mass gains.

Creatine supplementation may also increase muscle torque production, reduce plasma ammonia, and aid muscle fiber in maintaining a higher phosphocreatine level, resulting in the ability to sustain higher workout intensity levels for longer periods of time.**

LABRADA CREATINE MONOHYDRATE is 100% Lab-Tested Pure*

Contains 100% contaminant-free creatine monohydrate.

No dihydrotriazine

No dicyandiamide

* For a copy of a complete analysis, please send Labrada a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Supplement Facts

Serving Size: 1 scoop (5g)

Amount Per Serving % DV*

Creatine Monohydrate 5g

Daily value not established.


Recommended Use:
As a dietary supplement, take one scoop (approx. 5g), mixed into juice or water, 4 times daily for 5 days (loading dose). Thereafter, take one scoop one to two times daily (maintenance dose). Drink plenty of water each day when supplementing with creatine. Do not exceed the recommended daily dose. Always consult a physician before using any dietary supplement.

For individuals with bodyweights greater than 225 lbs, take one scoop 5 to 6 times daily for the loading dose and one scoop two times daily for the maintenance dose.

Q. What does creatine monohydrate do?

A. Creatine monohydrate is a tasteless, white crystalline powder. Creatine occurs naturally in many foods, with an especially high concentration in red meats. Creatine increases phosphocreatine levels in muscle, which in turn increases ATP. ATP is an energy bearing substrate that resides in muscle and is what enables your muscles to contract and generate power.




Q. How long will it take before I see results from creatine monohydrate?

A. Most people experience dramatic results within 7-10 days!! These results include gains in strength, muscular endurance, and lean body weight. Lean body mass gains of 5-10 lbs. are not uncommon. Results may vary among individuals. Creatine should be used in conjunction with a diet and exercise program.



Q. Will creatine monohydrate give me water retention?

A. No. Not water retention in the conventional sense. Water retention, as most people know it, is an undesirable and uncomfortable condition characterized by bloating, mostly in the tissues outside of the muscles. On the other hand, creatine hydrates muscle, resulting in a fuller, rounder muscle. Keep in mind that muscle is 75% water to begin with! This hydration sets the stage for protein synthesis.



Q. Should I cycle creatine?

A. It's not necessary to cycle creatine. Creatine is a natural body chemical excreted daily through kidney filtration. It produces no toxic side effects. With healthy kidneys, toxicity is unlikely, even at sustained dosages of 15-20 grams per day. It's important to drink 8-10 glasses of water per day when using creatine.



Q. What happens if I stop taking creatine?

A. As you might expect, the creatine content of muscle declines rapidly. However, even one month stopping creatine use, creatine content of muscle is still higher than before commencing supplementation with creatine.



Q. How much creatine should I take?

A. During the first week of use, we go through a loading phase. During this time you should take 5 grams (1 level teaspoon) four times a day. Following the loading phase, you can maintain maximum muscle creatine levels for months with as little as 5 grams (1 level teaspoon) per day. Taking more than 15-20 grams per day of creatine does not increase the positive benefits of creatine. Your muscle tissue is capable of holding only about 5 grams of creatine per kilo. The normal level of creatine in unsupplemented muscle is 3.5-4.0 grams per kilo. Using creatine consistently is the key in maxing out your muscle creatine level within one to two weeks. Also, remember to drink plenty of water... Drink at least 8 cups of water per day when using any creatine product.



Q. How should I take creatine monohydrate?

A. Creatine mixes easily into any liquid. Once mixed in liquid, creatine should be consumed within 10 minutes. The best time to take creatine is within two hours after working out.



Q. Is creatine monohydrate safe?Will it give me cramps?

A. Creatine monohydrate is a naturally occurring substance and is recognized as a safe dietary ingredient by the FDA. People who stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water, have not been reported to experience any cramps associated with creatine use. Drink at least 8 cups of water per day when using any creatine product.


Special Report: Creatine and Insulin Update
by Jim Meyer


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Anyone who has ever picked up a muscle magazine has seen the headlines...
Legal, Effective Steroid Replacers; Increase Your Benchpress by 50 lbs. After Only One Week of Using Supplement X, or even Use Our Supplement and Gain 10lbs. of Muscle in 10 days!!

Outlandish advertising claims like these, which promise instant glory to the reader and close the sale for the sports nutrition company who ran the ad, virtually never deliver what they promise. Why not? Because the truth is most supplements cannot approximate the effects of anabolic substances like testosterone or growth hormone.

Until recently, most claims like these were simply scams. In the last few years, however, one substance has surfaced that is rapidly becoming the most popular supplement since protein powder. This supplement approximates some effects of anabolic steroids, is safe, inexpensive, and is proven to work. Scientists know it as methyl guanidine-acetic acid. Bodybuilders and athletes have come to know it as creatine monohydrate.

Understanding the Benefits of Creatine Monohydrate

Creatine monohydrate is a tasteless, white crystalline powder. Creatine occurs naturally in many foods, with an especially high concentration in red meats. Creatine combines with phosphate in the body to form phosphocreatine. Phosphocreatine is the rate limiting factor in energy production in muscle tissue.

During the first ten seconds of an exercise using maximal loads (1-6 reps), muscles work in the phosphagenic range, that is, they use stored ATP and phosphocreatine for energy. ATP is an energy-bearing substrate residing in muscle. Phosphocreatine is a precursor to ATP. By increasing phosphocreatine through creatine monohydrate supplementation, athletes can increase their ATP, and thereby, the number of repetitions performed on any given exercise. In addition, creatine users typically experience dramatic results within only 7 days! Lean body mass gains of 5-10 pounds are not uncommon. This type of progress sounds like something from the mythical headlines of a supplement ad, but these claims can actually be validated.

Recent scientific studies are confirming that creatine monohydrate can increase a 1-rep maximum benchpress by 20 lb., improve sprint capacity, and can help pack on 5-10 lb. of lean muscle in less than 30 days.1,2,3

Not only will creatine increase strength, speed, and size, but it will also improve the appearance of muscles. Creatine monohydrate associates with water as it is absorbed into the muscle cells. As more creatine is stored, more water is brought into the muscle.4 This explains why creatine has a hydrating effect on musclewhich is made up of approximately 75% water. Bodybuilders take notice: a well hydrated muscle has the appearance of being fuller, rounder, and more pumped. 4 But, more importantly, creatine's desirable side-effects are bolstered by its proven safety.

Safety:

Creatine is a natural body chemical excreted daily through kidney filtration. Creatine has been found to be safe in numerous scientific studies even in large dosages. A recent study conducted by the University of Nottingham Medical School found that subjects consuming as much as 20 grams of creatine monohydrate daily for 5 days followed by 5 grams of creatine daily for 6 continuous weeks showed no adverse effects.5 The scientists concluded that acute creatine monohydrate supplementation poses no obvious health risk to healthy, young adults.

Creatine can be regarded as safe, as long as the supplement is pure and free from contaminants.

Varying grades of creatine are currently available on the market, but some are of very poor quality. Inferior grade creatine will not yield the same benefits as pure creatine monohydrate. In fact, if creatine is cut with cheap fillers or contaminated with impurities, the likelihood for illness is great. Creatine is a fine, white crystalline powder, with no taste. If your creatine has a bad smell or a yellowish color beware!

When purchasing creatine, stick with reputable companies who guarantee their quality. With the assurance of high quality creatine and with normally functioning kidneys, toxicity is highly unlikely, even at sustained dosages of 15-20 grams per day which is the common loading dosage.6

Dosage/loading:

Creatine monohydrate is taken by mixing 5 grams (1 level teaspoon) of creatine in a glass of water. During the first week of use, however, many athletes and bodybuilders go through a loading phase to saturate the muscles with creatine.

The loading phase consists of taking 5 grams (1 level teaspoon) of creatine four times per day for 5 days. Following the loading phase, the dosage can be reduced to 5 grams per day. Maximum muscle creatine levels can be maintained for months with as little as 5 grams per day.7 Taking more than 15-20 grams per day of creatine does not increase the positive benefits of creatine.8 Muscle tissue is capable of holding only about 5 grams of creatine per kilo of body weight. The normal level of creatine in unsupplemented muscle is 3.5-4.0 grams per kilo of body weight. Until just recently, this method of loading was the most common way to enjoy creatine's desired effects.

Creatine

*These statements about Creatine have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Creatine is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.