Misconceptions about creatine are often associated with muscular men, but couldn’t women benefit from it too? Although creatine is a popular performance-enhancing supplement, many believe that its benefits only apply to men.
However, creatine also has many potential benefits for women – especially for those looking to improve their workouts and overall health. Read on to see how this amino acid can provide the extra high you’re looking for.
What is creatine?
Creatine is an amino acid found in common food sources such as meat and fish and stored in muscle. It is a popular workout supplement proven to increase performance and muscle building.
Some of the creatine in the body comes from food and some from the kidneys and liver. Because a normal diet only provides small amounts of creatine each day, it may be perfect to supplement before or after a workout to increase creatine levels in the body and muscles for maximum results.
How it works ?
Creatine works by helping the body use the energy stored in the muscles when you do high-intensity exercise (lifting, sprinting, jumping, etc.) . This means you can train harder, lift more, and feel less fatigued during your workout.
In addition to increasing performance and muscle mass (long term), creatine has other beneficial effects. Taking creatine can help muscles recover faster after a workout by helping to restore optimal levels of stored creatine, regulating your body temperature and preventing injury.
The benefits of creatine for women
Although women often have the same exercise goals as men (increased strength, power and performance), some people may be concerned that using creatine will make them look too thick or swollen. However, creatine may be just as beneficial for achieving training goals for women as it is for men.
One study showed that female athletes who took a creatine supplement not only had greater upper body strength, but also a significant reduction in body fat percentage after five weeks of supplementation.
Another study also showed a significant increase in lower body strength in women taking creatine without a significant increase in body weight (no bulking effect). The impact of creatine on women’s performance during high-intensity exercise (such as cycling) has the same benefits for men and women.
Vegetarian and vegan women who take creatine supplements could have an even greater impact on their energy levels and performance, as many food sources of creatine are animal-based.
Along with exercise-related benefits, creatine also has other health effects: it may help slow the progression of neurological diseases and possibly protect the heart muscle during heart attacks.
Other promising potential uses for creatine show benefits throughout the aging process, related to building muscle mass (which typically declines with age) and improving bone health, which is crucially important for women.
Women have less bone mass than men and are more prone to osteoporosis (which weakens the bones) as they age. One study even showed that supplementing with creatine could slow bone loss in women.
Why should women take creatine?
Women should take creatine for all of its proven benefits – increasing high intensity exercise capacity, lean body mass, muscle strength, bone mass, and rapid recovery.
The use of creatine in exercise and sports has been extensively studied and has been shown time and time again to be effective in improving athletic performance.
As mentioned earlier, creatine for women can help build muscle and reduce body fat, leading to a long-term change in body composition. This can lead to weight loss in two ways – short-term fat loss resulting from better workouts. , and adding lean muscle – which burns more calories overall.
Regular supplementation is key to maintaining beneficial levels of creatine in muscle, so taking creatine regularly is recommended.
Creatine Safety and Concerns for Women
Creatine is one of the most well-researched supplements that consistently shows beneficial effects without any safety concerns. Extensive study on the use of creatine has shown no health risks and many potential health benefits for healthy people who use it regularly as a supplement.
- Following the recommended doses (outlined below) will help minimize possible side effects. What dosage is best
When deciding which dose of creatine is best for you, it’s important to consider how long you’ll be using a creatine supplement and how long you plan to continue using creatine. This is because it takes a larger dose initially for the body to maximize creatine stores, and then smaller, more frequent doses to maintain creatine at the optimal level in the muscles.
A study that showed a reduction in gastrointestinal adverse effects with creatine supplementation recommends taking two lower doses (usually 3–5 grams) of creatine per day instead of one larger dose (6–10 g ) . Dosage also depends on your body size, as well as your diet – vegetarians and vegans may need higher doses to maximize muscle stores.
- Does creatine cause bloating?
More than men, women in particular might worry about the risk of bloating from taking creatine. Creatine plays a role in increasing intracellular fluid (water between cells) which can give muscles a more defined appearance ‐ some people worry that this will cause fluid retention overall, but that’s not the case.
Continued supplementation can lead to an increase in the total amount of water in the body (meaning optimal hydration), but taking the recommended dose twice daily has been shown to minimize gastrointestinal discomfort and gastric bloating. , it could be something else in your diet, or the amount of salt you eat.
- Can you take creatine during pregnancy?
Since creatine is considered a safe supplement for most individuals, some female athletes may already be taking creatine regularly when they become pregnant. Due to the beneficial and protective effects of creatine on the body, supplementing creatine during pregnancy may be beneficial.
Women’s bodies and their nutritional needs change (and increase) during pregnancy, especially in pregnant athletes. However, the impact of supplementation on fetal development is not well known. There isn’t much research on creatine during pregnancy, so it’s best to talk to your doctor before taking any supplements if you think you might be pregnant.
Take home message
Creatine is a popular performance-enhancing supplement that benefits both male and female athletes. No need to worry about getting too bulky or bloated, as these myths have been debunked.
Creatine can help you increase your workout performance, muscle tone, and even help you lose weight. There’s no reason women shouldn’t consider adding this powerful amino acid to their pre- and post-workout routine.