i’ve used creatine (~5mg daily) on and off for years and my training logs demonstrate it consistently gets me an extra rep on my 10 rep max. That’s pretty impressive for a cheap, legal and benign supplement. It also adds ~2kg to my weight which I definitely don’t appreciate but c’est la vie
The Strength Benefits of Ceatine
Creatine is one of the most researched supplement on the market. It provide a variety of heath benefits.
As Luke noted, it also for most (not me) increases body weight and strength.
Non-Responder
Some individual, like myself, are Non-Responder. Creatine isn't effective.
With that in mind, let's break some of this down by starting with...
Dehydration
As you go about your intense training sessions, one thing you are very likely looking at is your pre and post training meals. You want to make sure that you’re giving your body precisely what it needs to recover and come back stronger than ever at the next session that you do. But, are you...
gognarly.com
As we know, dehydration decrease sports performance, especially strength...
"When around 3% of total body weight in dehydration occurs, this can result in strength losses of up to 5%, showing a greater magnitude than the dehydration itself."
"Therefore, this is going to be very problematic for those who are participating in power or weight lifting activities."
Superhydration
Well hydrated athletes perform better.
Anecdotal data has demonstrated that Superhydrate Muscles are stronger and fire more effectively.
That is one of reasons and benefits to Creatine...
Creatine's "Cell Voluminizing" Effect
For responsive individual, like Luke, an increase in water weight in the body and muscle cells occurs.
As Luke noted, "it consistently gets me an extra rep on my 10 rep max".
Anabolic Cell Voluminizing
One of the reasons is that certain anabolics (dianabol and anadrol) increase strength is due to the essentially Cell Voluminizing Effect they share with Creatine. However, as Luke noted, you're not going to get busted for Creatine.
Carbohydrate Loading
Ironically, in trying to cut weight for a Powerlifting Meet, I went on a Low Carbohydrate Diet years ago.
With a coupe of weeks to go until the meet, I was in no man's land. I was either about 8 pound too heavy for the lighter weight class or around 8 pound to light for the next weight class up.
My strength was dropping through the floor and I was tired of dieting.
I decided to gain back what weight I could. To do this I went on a High Carbohydrate Junk Food Diet.
In doing so, I came close to gaining 8 pounds; most of it was water weight, essentially "Cell Volumizing".
I had one of my best meets.
Cyclical Ketogenic Diet
I and a couple of lifting buddies and I did this diet, years ago.
As I have posted, research by Dr Jacob Wilson (University of Tampa Human Performance Center) determined the Cyclical Ketogenic Diet tends to minimize muscle gain while increasing body fat. It has some other issues, as well.
The Three Amigos Anecdotal Study
This is what all three of us experience with the Cyclical Ketogenic Diet...
1) 5 Days On Ketogentic Diet
A drastic drop in body weight due to water weight loss. Essentially, we were dehydrating our muscle.
During that 5 days of dehydration, training was difficult, strength decreased.
I'd lose around 6 lbs of body weight during those 5 days. My two lifting buddies were larger than I was. They lose around 10 lb of body weight.
2) 2 Day Carb Loading
During our 2 Day Carb Load, I'd gain back my 6 lbs of body weight, they gained back their 10 lbs of body weight.
Workouts were easier with the weight feeling light; we cranked out more weight for more repetitions.
All of this due to the Superhydration/Cell Voluminizing Effect.
Strength Training and Superhydration/Cell Voluminizing
Superhyhdration/Cell Voluminzing increases Strength.
To reiterate, that is one of the underlying reason that why Creatine works for many individual.
Car Tire Analogy
Dehydration and Superhydration/Cell Voluminzing are somewhat similar to car tires.
1) Under Inflated Tried = Dehydration
You miles per gallon decreases.
Your reps per set with a weight decreases; metaphorically speaking, "Your Rep Mileage drops".
2) Over Inflated Tires = Superhydrate/Cell Voluminzing
Your miles per gallon increases.
Your reps per set with a weight increases; metaphorically speaking, "Your Rep Mileage increases".
A great example of this is...
Mitsubishi High Car Mileage
They were fined by the federal government for stating their car got more mile per gallon of gas they they actually did, years ago.
Actually, Mitsubishi wasn't lying. They just decide to leave out information.
The Mitsubishi Car's car tire were over inflated beyond the recommended levels.
Over inflation of the tires was great for increasing car mileage but not for wear on the tires.
Bodybuilder and Creatine
Creatine works well for them.
However, prior to their contest, they cut it use.
Grapes and Raisins
A raisin is essentially a dehydrate grape.
At a contest, Bodybuilder want to look more like a raisin; where you can see every muscle they have; rather than a puffy, water logged grape.