Q:  I am 16 years old and have been working out for over a year, but I’m not seeing the results I would like. I was thinking about trying creatine. Do you think I’m old enough to use it? Also, do you have any other supplement suggestions?

There is no reason for a healthy, active 16-year-old boy or girl not to take creatine for improved athletic performance and greater muscular gains. After all, creatine, an amino-acid like compound, is found naturally in the body and has been proven safe in numerous studies. Although creatine has an exemplary safety record, discuss with your parents before using.

With that said, here’s how I would use creatine in your case, along with some suggestions for other supplements.

Creatine: No need to cycle creatine. Take 5 g before training and 5 g after training. Some supplement companies include creatine in their protein products, but just make sure to get at least 5 g per day.

Protein: Consume a full gram of protein per pound of body weight every day. Use supplemental protein products like shakes to bridge the gap if you’re not getting enough dietary protein from whole-food sources. Likewise, high-protein bars are a convenient, portable solution for those times when your schedule prevents adequate meal frequency.

Nutrition timing: Timing is as important as the overall amount of protein consumed. Have a protein shake pre-workout (20 g) and post-workout (20– 40 g), and try to eat five small meals daily.

Amino acids: To optimize muscle growth and recovery, I recommend the amino acids glutamine and arginine. Take 1–2 g of arginine, plus 2–5 g of glutamine in the morning on an empty stomach. If that doesn’t agree with you, take them with your protein shake before or after training.    

Here’s The Story, Morning Glory

Q:  To avoid the crowds at the local facility and keep my workouts short and intense, I try to get my weightlifting done in the morning before I go to work. I go back for cardio later in the afternoon. What kinds of supplements or protein would be most beneficial before and after my morning workout?

If you’re training a half hour after waking up, that doesn’t leave you much time to eat beforehand. If you can stomach a smoothie prior to training, I recommend blending a fast protein source (such as whey protein isolates) with a moderate-to-high glycemic index fruit such as frozen berries and a banana (peel the banana before you freeze it). After a period of fasting, this rapidly digested and absorbed meal will help prevent protein catabolism while providing your working muscles with an additional fuel source.

Your post-workout meal is actually more important than your pre-workout meal. Protein breakdown remains elevated for several hours following exercise. A positive nitrogen balance, which is a prerequisite for muscle development and recovery, is achieved only if amino-acid availability is increased. It’s crucial to down protein within an hour after training.

The best post-workout meal contains fast proteins like whey for rapid assimilation. The quicker a protein source can access your muscle tissue, the better it is at both preventing muscle breakdown and encouraging new protein synthesis.

Research demonstrates that a post-exercise meal with a ratio of 4-to-1 of carbs to protein increases the insulin response to the meal and may augment glycogen replenishment. There are several recovery drinks formulated to meet these criteria.

Afraid Of Wearing Shorts

Q:  I wasn’t blessed when it comes to my lower legs. My calves are so thin that I find it embarrassing to go to the beach — or just walk around in public — wearing a pair of shorts. What are the best exercises for promoting calf growth?

It’s not uncommon to see people, men especially, who have well-developed upper bodies and tiny legs. A balanced physique is a much more appealing physique, and that includes building the calves.

The gastrocnemius and the soleus muscles comprise the bulk of your calves. Both muscles work to “plantar flex” the foot, the motion you make when pushing up onto your toes. You have to target each muscle in specific ways. Here are my tips for maximizing the growth of your calves.

Because the gastrocnemius are relatively lax when your knees are bent, seated calf extensions are inefficient for eliciting maximum responses to resistance. That’s why I recommend doing straight-legged exercises such as calf raises, donkey calf raises or leg-press calf extensions to target the gastrocs.

To ensure that you are stimulating both the lateral and medial heads of the gastroc muscle complex, frequently alter your stance by intermittently pointing your toes inward, outward and straight ahead during each movement.

Because studies show that the gastrocs are composed of roughly the same concentration of slow-twitch (endurance-type) and fast-twitch (power-type) muscle fibers, I recommend incorporating both high (20–30) and low (6–10) repetition sets to stimulate both fiber types.

Because the soleus does not cross the knee joint, you can stimulate them from a bent-knee position with exercises like seated calf extensions.

Unlike the gastrocs, the soleus is made up of a higher percentage of slow-twitch (endurance-type) fibers. Hence, in order to maximize soleus development and really bring out the calves, focus mainly on high-repetition (20–30) sets.

E-mail your questions for Dr. Lydon to: doctorsin@physicalmag.com.