So you’ve heard about creatine and all the amazing benefits it can have for your body and workout…
But then you research it and find that every website you stumble across is aimed primarily at men.
You just want to learn about creatine but you’re confronted with muscular male biceps and vascular male stomachs on every single webpage.
Maybe, you reason, this creatine stuff is just for men. Well, you would be wrong. Can women take creatine too? Yes. Should women take creatine? Yes! Double yes! Let’s find out all about creatine for women right now.
Why The Doubt?
First, let’s clear something up. Why is there doubt about whether creatine is for women? Well, creatine has been researched endlessly. It is actually one of the most researched fitness supplements out there.
As such, we know that it is safe and we know that it is effective. But the reason for the male-centric focus on creatine is due to much emphasis being put on creatine’s muscle volumizing effects.
But creatine is so much more than just a supplement that gives you bigger muscles. And its many positive effects are super beneficial for women too, even if you have no intention of bulking up.
What Is Creatine?
When we talk about creatine, we often refer to creatine monohydrate, which is actually just one type of many different kinds of creatine.
This is the type that has been studied the most. It’s also one of the most effective kinds of creatine. But what exactly is creatine?
Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid that is typically found in meat and fish and produced by our kidneys, pancreas, and liver. However, in order to really get the benefits of creatine, we need to supplement it because we won’t be able to get high enough doses just from food or by producing it ourselves.
What Are The Benefits Of Creatine For Women?
Women will benefit from supplementing with creatine in the same ways that men will benefit. Benefits of creatine include:
- Reduced fatigue
- Increased strength
- Improved recovery
- Increased endurance
- Increased explosive power
- (Check out our guide for a more detailed look at benefits)
I think you’ll agree, looking at those benefits, creatine can be a great supplement for women as well as men. It’s not just for pumping up your muscles. If you’re a long distance runner, creatine can help you.
If you’re a sprinter, creatine can help you. Athlete? Creatine will help your performance. Or perhaps you have a job and a family and after your workout commitments you are always super tired.
Well, creatine can help you again. Along with a decent protein powder, I believe that everyone should have a good creatine supplement in their home.
Creatine For Women & Scientific Studies
As one of the most studied fitness supplements on the face of the planet, there are plenty of scientific studies available that should how great creatine is for women. Here are just a few studies:
- One study showed that women who took creatine for 10 weeks hada greater 1-rep max than women that did not supplement with creatine (1).
- One study showed that female lacrosse players who supplemented with creatine for 5 weeks were able to greatly increase their bench press (2).
- One study showed that women who supplemented with creatine for 28 days improved their body composition by losing fat and increasing muscle mass (3).
What About Side Effects? Will Creatine Make Me Bloated?
If you research creatine for just a short amount of time, or look at creatine reviews, you are likely to see one common complaint: bloating and stomach cramps.
It’s true that many men won’t care much about bloating, particularly if they are using creatine to gain mass. However, a great majority of women do not want to take anything that will increase bloating.
If it increases endurance and strength and improves recovery that’s great. But putting up with bloating in order to access the benefits is something that many women (rightly) are not prepared to do. So does creatine cause bloating?
The short answer is: yes, creatine can cause bloating. However, if you choose your creatine source wisely, you can avoid that nasty bloating issue.
Bloating is often caused by the most common form of creatine available: creatine monohydrate. If you choose a micronized version of creatine, you can cut down the likelihood and severity of bloating.
However, if you go for Creatine Ethyl Esther (CEE), you are really unlikely to experience bloating or any side effects at all. It’s also way more effective than creatine monohydrate.
Bottom Line: Creatine can cause bloating but finding the right dosage and product for you can minimize this or eradicate it completely.
Recommendations for Avoiding Bloating
If you want to avoid bloating or other side effects, I recommend Bulk Supplements Creatine Ethyl Esther (CEE).
I believe that Bulk Supplements Creatine Ethyl Esther (CEE) is the best creatine for women precisely because it is unlikely to give you nasty side effects like bloating and is way more effective than many of the creatine supplements you’ll see in stores.
Another great option for a creatine that is unlikely to cause bloating or cramping is Bulk Supplements Pure Micronized Creatine Powder.
You should also remember that the likelihood of bloating and other side effects can be massively reduced by increasing your water intake. Make sure you are drinking enough water and drinking frequently, especially upon waking and around the time of your workout.
How Much Creatine Should Women Take?
The general recommendation is to take 3 to 5 gram of creatine a day. I personally like to split my creatine into two small doses, which helps reduce the chance of bloating or side effects.
I like to take 2.5g before working out and 2.5g after working out. On non-workout days, I’ll take 2g in the morning and 2g at night.
You might hear advice to take a loading dose of around 20g for a short while. You do not need to do this. In my opinion, this is just something supplement companies say so that you’ll run out of creatine sooner and will have to buy more.
You’ll also be more likely to get side effects when taking massive doses like this. Plus it isn’t scientifically proven to be any more effective than just taking around 5g a day.
My recommendation is to experiment and start off with the smallest effective dose. You could try starting off with 2g a day for instance and then working your way up and seeing how your body responds.
Is It Safe To Take Creatine During Pregnancy Or While Breastfeeding?
Studies would suggest that creatine is perfectly safe to take during pregnancy and could actually offer some benefits to the foetus, such as offering neuroprotective benefits (4) and protecting the brain against oxidative stress (5).
However, despite the findings that suggest creatine to be safe, I personally would not want my wife taking creatine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding my child. This is just my personal preference.
I wouldn’t want anything that is manufactured to be introduced to my baby while in the developmental stages, whether this is proven to be safe or not.
How Long Should Women Take Creatine?
I suggest you take it as long as it’s useful to you and you don’t have side effects. If you find it helpful, I would suggest cycling creatine for around 3-8 weeks, then taking a break of a couple of weeks. Remember to listen to your body, however, as everyone’s needs are different.
What Is The Best Creatine For Women?
As I stated above, I believe that the best creatine for women is also the best creatine for anyone interested in taking creatine. It is Bulk Supplements’ Creatine Ethyl Esther (CEE). You will get great strength, endurance, fat loss, and recovery results from taking this type of creatine. You also won’t have to suffer through horrible side effects.
Wrapping Up
Women can take creatine and many women should take creatine. If you need something that will help you meet the demands of a hectic fitness routine and improve the way your body looks and feels, creatine is one of the best supplements around.
Give it a go. Try my top rated creatine and let me know how you get on. I think you’ll be blown away by the results.
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