Obviously, creatine is one of the best supplements to hit the market since its release around 1990. If you want to read more about the science of creatine, be sure to check this page out.
My personal recommendation is to use a simple, cheap creapure or micronized creatine monohydrate. A brand like Prolab will cost around $20 on the internet for 1kg, which is very inexpensive when it comes to sports supplementation. While creatine loading is a debatable topic, it does have some merit and I do recommend it. Additionally, I prefer to cycle creatine as well since there is some scientific justification for this practice.
The basic run-down: Load creatine for 5 days. Take 5g four times throughout the day. Next, take a maintenance dose of 3-5g per day. If you weigh over 200 pounds take 5g, but if you are closer to 140lbs 3g should be plenty. Of course, if you are around 175lbs a dose of 4g should also be plenty. The scientific literature has pointed us towards lower doses of creatine so products that offer 10g of creatine per serving really just end up wasting precious product.
As far as when to take creatine, this is another important topic. Evidence shows that creatine levels peak at around 1 hour after ingestion. Therefore, on days you will be working out, take your creatine product 1 hour before you begin. On the other hand, on non-workout days, it is ideal to take your creatine dose as soon as you awake from the night's rest. There are two prominant reasons for this. First, when you awake after sleeping your body is in a fasted state and thus starving for nutrition. With that in mind, it may help the uptake of creatine. The other main reason is convenience and sticking to a set schedule. First thing in the morning you probably have only a few things that have to get done (shower, dress, eat breakfast). Going with this idea, you're probably not going to forget to take your creatine due to a busy schedule.
Beta-Alanine
2-6 grams each day to increase muscular endurance and help add muscle.
Fish Oil (capsules or liquid)
Aim for 1,000mg to 1,500mg of DHA per day. Spread the capsules into 2-4 servings throughout the day. The brand doesn't really matter nor does the source (cod liver oil, salmon, etc). Fish oil is great for general health and fat loss. Read more about fish oil and fat loss here.
Vitamin C
3g per day in a time-release formula.
**** This page will be developed more fully in the future! ****
