It’s no secret that creatine is more popular among men than women, making men more apt to enjoy its benefits, such as greater workout performance and enhanced muscle growth. And if you’re a woman, you might wonder if creatine supplementation will work the same way for you — and if it poses any risks for your gender.
Fortunately, creatine monohydrate, the most tested and effective form of creatine, is one of the most extensively studied and research-backed supplements on the market, explains Marie Spano, RD, CSCS, CSSD, a certified specialist in sports dietetics and consulting major league sports dietitian.
Here, we answer whether creatine is safe for women and how to take it for optimal results.
How Does Creatine Work?
Creatine helps provide fuel for high-intensity efforts like weightlifting and sprinting, and during the first 10 or so seconds of exercise. This type of activity is governed by the phosphagen system, one of three distinct “metabolic pathways” that also includes the glycolytic and oxidative systems.
Each of these energy systems relies on a different fuel source and is emphasized in different situations. By bulking up your body’s creatine stores, you’re supplying your phosphagen system with more of this key fuel source, which can help increase output and delay fatigue during short, intense activity.
Will Creatine Make Women Gain Weight?
Creatine is an “osmotically active substance,” which means it causes cells to draw in more water. That’s why supplementing with creatine can result in a small but temporary increase in water weight. Although this might be noticeable (and slightly disconcerting) when you step on the scale, it likely won’t make it more difficult to button your pants.
What Are the Primary Benefits of Taking a Creatine Supplement?
Here’s how creatine may be able to help supplement your workouts and get you better results.
1. Better workout performance
As mentioned previously, creatine supplementation can help enhance energy production and delay fatigue during high-intensity efforts. That, in turn, can result in greater workout performance. According to one Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research review, creatine helps lifters perform 14 percent more reps at a given weight.
2. Increased muscle growth
By helping you perform more high-quality reps, creatine can help you safely increase your training volume, which can have a positive effect on strength and muscle gains.
According to a Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition review, heavy lifting combined with creatine supplementation can result in larger increases in muscle mass compared with lifting alone.
Are There Any Reasons I Shouldn’t Take a Creatine Supplement?
“Creatine is generally safe for healthy individuals,” Spano says. Nevertheless, always check with your physician prior to taking a new supplement.
How Much Creatine Should Women Take?
Research suggests that taking five grams of creatine a day is both safe and healthy for most people. At that level, it will take about a month of supplementation for it to build up to sufficient levels in your cells for you to notice a difference in your workouts.
You can knock up to three weeks off that timeline through a practice called “loading,” which is a brief period of taking a higher initial amount of creatine before switching to the five-gram maintenance serving.
When Should I Take Creatine?
Creatine isn’t like caffeine — its effects aren’t fast-acting. It takes a while for creatine to build up to sufficient levels in your system. As a result, it doesn’t matter when you take creatine each day as long as you take it.