Creatine & Women
Creatine is well-known for enhancing strength, increasing muscle mass, and improving exercise performance, yet women are either afraid to take it or don’t know enough about it to try. It is a common concept that women think creatine is only for men, or that it won’t help them get the body they want because it will get them too many gains, water retention, bloating, etc. Women believe that since creatine is marketed as a muscle-building supplement it’s not something they need.
Women are often too scared to gain weight, even though it may be good weight. Remember not all weight is to be treated equal. As a result, they’re attracted to supplements advertised to help them stay small or losing weight i.e. Flat Belly Tea, but remember the goal is to shift your body composition and not really lose massive amounts of weight, unless you have a lot more fat to lose. Muscle is dense and muscle weight looks much different than fat weight so remember it is not about losing weight rather shifting body composition and having the right type of weight. The key is to gain muscle and lose body fat. Not only will you be harder, fuller and tighter but your metabolism will be super speedy at all times. The more muscle you have, the faster that metabolism!!
Creatine can be for men and women but of course in different dosages. First off, creatine is not a illegal and can be found at your local nutrition store! Creatine is actually an organic compound found naturally in your diet, primarily in red meats and fish. Of course, if you are a vegetarian you will get less creatine in your diet therefore your stores will be lower than a meat eater! The supplemental form of creatine is a tasteless and odorless white powder that’s moderately soluble in water. It does not mix well in water so it is suggested you stir for a long period or use a juice based liquid however not necessary or Gina recommended. No need to add those extra sugars! Creatine is also made in your body, primarily in the liver, from the precursor amino acids arginine, glycine, and methionine at a rate of about 1-2 grams per day. Since your body has the ability to produce creatine, it’s not considered an essential dietary nutrient, but it is something that you can consider adding to your diet, if you’re looking to build muscle and are a hard gainer!
Creatine is sent to your muscles so it can help you work harder. It plays an important role in energy metabolism (ATP) within the muscle cell, especially in activities that require short bursts of intense energy, like weight lifting and sprinting. Isn’t that we do a lot of?
My suggestion is to try creatine, in less amounts than a male, of course and see how your body responds. Everyone is different, just like everything else, everyone will respond differently. Try it for a few weeks and see how you respond. How is your energy and strength during your workouts? How is your water retention and overall how do you feel. Men usually take 5g/day so it is suggested that women don’t take more than 3g/day. You may want to even tapper on so start with 1-2 and move up to 3 g, after you see how your body responds.
You could also just eat more foods naturally rich in creatine, such as beef, salmon, herring, or pork. But it does take an awful lot of meat to equal one serving of creatine… just fyi!
Keep in mind, everyone is different so you need to keep track of your progress and how your body responds to creatine. Someone may have great strength and gains while someone else may not. Some people hold water while others get dryer. It really just all depends on YOU! It is also important to keep in mind that everyone has natural level of creatine in their muscles so for someone who doesn’t eat as much meat, they have lower creatine levels and someone who only eats meat will have higher amounts. The individual with less saturation of creatine may have better gains and results than someone whose stores are fuller. People also have different muscle fibers and genetics, go figure….
If you want to try supplementing with creatine, I suggest you take 1-3 grams post workout with your shake and post workout carb. Make sure to take it on a full and not empty stomach!
One thing to remember too is if you are in a contest prep or prepping for that beach body, it is important to eliminate your creatine, at least 3 weeks out to avoid any excess and unnecessary water retention.
My suggestion is to try it and see how YOU do and then you will know whether it is something that works for you or not!
G-Tip:
#1 May be something you try during the winter months vs summer months when you are beach bound!
#2. Remember if you do try it, keep everything else the same so you aren’t adjusting too many variables. You want to know what is working…
Hope that helps!