[Overpaid Slacker]

Brian --
Yes, every day, even those that were "rest days" b/c much of the efficacy of creatine is in helping you rebuild the muscle you tear while you're working out. So it actually helps you more while you're resting than while you're working out (tho' I found I had more energy and could work out longer).

I work for a very large vitamin/nutritional supplement company and I've discussed creatine w/ our marketing and our nutrition depts. Evidently, it's efficacy is due to the fact that your muscle mass retains more water, so can transport fluids/oxygen in and toxins out better. I don't profess to know exactly how/why it works, but it works.

As far as the first week -- no. B/c I didn't add it to an extant gym regimen. I'd just started working out and was taking it "easy" so as not to overexert myself, so the first week or so I was easing into really strenuous workouts. But after the 2nd/3rd week there was a dramatic improvement every week.

Be very careful about anything aerobic while you're in a creatine cycle. If you're "on" creatine and doing anything aerobic or outside/prolonged (cycling, running, even sailing in the sun for long periods) drink as much water as your body will take. It's very easy to dehydrate during a creatine cycle ... it may have something to do w/ what I mentioned earlier about your muscles being supersaturated and not enough water left over for, say, suspending red corpuscles in your blood stream.

If you're getting into a "race" (which sounds aerobic) stop the creatine a week before the race.

I don't know what the dosage was, but on Monday, when I'm back in the office, I'll check the pkgs for you. Or you can google Riboforce HP and see what the dosages are.

Side effects? Well, I've got a pretty stone cold constitution and didn't suffer any serious/chronic side effects. However, many people have some GI discomfort (usually diarrhea) for the first few days of a creatine cycle.

Obviously you have an appreciation for the fact that no substance will make you Mr. Universe by virtue of your sitting on your ass watching TV. Creatine has (for me, anyway) a profound multiplier effect on the results of my exercise efforts. Try it, but as I said earlier, YMMV.

Good luck!

JP