Creatine Loading

If you're doing the exact same workout, with the exact same weights, then it would make sense to conclude it's the creatine.

 

I was thinking its "everything" . Creatine induced increased intensity of workouts, increased systemic recovery response, higher bp,hr,metabolism, all disrupting ability to relax/ sleep.
I can get all these responses intentionally from a single workout by doing much more than what the body is used to. Probably not a good thing to do.

 

On the other hand most everything I have read about creatine eludes to it helping relieve muscle recovery and soreness. The same articles state that muscle cramping is possible, even likely, if you don't stay properly hydrated and since creatine soaks up the water you should be drinking more H2O than normal while using creatine.

 

It's good to have a possible explanation, but I'd still be a bit concerned about such chronic and intense soreness; I wouldn't just dismiss it. You've used creatine in the past, and I gather you probably didn't experience such soreness then, otherwise you'd probably have remembered the experience. So why would it be different now? If you're taking other stuff presently that you weren't taking the last time, then you may wish to look into the possibility of interactions.

I tried creatine in the late '90s and was planning to give it another go less than a year ago, but I decided against it at the last moment (after I bought and opened the jar!).

 

That's called getting old

Still taking Carnivor ?
How much are you taking ?
Loading it or just normal consumption?

From my experience from using creatine off and on since 1995, it has always helped me with recovery and seems to reduce lactic acid build up when using it. When I'm not taking it I definitely feel more sore and recover slower from muscle fatigue.

The only negative issue I have ever had was kidney stones caused by taking too much and being Dehydrated. And that was many years ago. Once I realized I was exceeding the dosage for my body weight I have never had stones again.

 

Abs are made in the kitchen, not in the weight room

Depending on your bone structure you will probably need to cut more fat to get where they show. Also not sure what exercises you are doing but an ab wheel is very beneficial for sculpting the mid section. Just remember all the exercise in the world won't show if you don't get lean first. Are you taking any cutting supplements ? If you can handle caffeine I like Cellucor P6 ripped.

 

Yes that one. I like it for the low fat , cholesterol protein angle and the 2.5 g of creatine per serving

 

I agree about the kitchen, but not about the ab wheel. I tried that thing a few times. You don't need it to get good abs, since most exercises, especially compounds work the area. That's not to say that a couple of ab exercises would hurt, but why the wheel from hell?

On the matter of caffeine, and since this is a creatine thread, I read that caffeine may reduce the effectiveness of creatine.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-creatine/art-20347591