Clearing Up Creatine Confusion

Did you know that creatine monohydrate supports strength, recovery, and brain health, especially for women over 35? Maybe it's time to consider adding creatine?

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What Is Creatine?

Creatine is a non-essential amino acid that our body produces, it's made from arginine, methionine and glycine [amino acids].

Creatine is mainly found in our muscle cells, but it's also strored in our brain.

Why Should I Include Creatine?

Our body utilizes creatine to make ATP, the main energy source that fuels our cells, especially while exercising. We need ATP to support muscle growth and recovery.

How Does My Body Make Creatine?

Every day, our body produces about 1 gram of creatine in the liver, pancreas, and liver. We also can "eat" creatine by consuming meat, seafood, and poultry.

Unfortunately, for every pound of protein we consume, our body realizes about 1-2 grams.

Should I Supplement?

Yes! it's far easier to get the recommended 3-5 grams daily through supplementation.

But, Isn't Creatine For Just Men Who Work Out All The Time?

That's just not true, studies show that supplementing creatine monohydrate is good for many people- women included.

Whether we are sedentary, a rigorous exerciser, wanting to improve our daily movement habits , and especially into our older years - creatine can be a great addition to our health practices.

Why?

As our body uses ATP for bursts of energy, it depletes rapidly causing our muscles to fatigue and loose their ability to contract. The stored creatine in our cells act as an available energy reserve thus providing better energy, exercise performance, strength, and endurance.

Creatine supplementation enables us to exercise more efficiently for longer periods of time.

Women, Aging & Creatine.

New research has shown that creatine improves cognition in women, and in post-menopausal women it can improve body composition and bone density when combined with strength training.

Women produce about 75% less creatine compared to men, which means our creatine stores are much lower.

Women also tend to eat less protein [less creatine] which impacts reproductive health.

Estrogen does influence creatine levels during a women's menstrual cycle which might be the reason many women complain of brain fog and fatigue right before their cycle begins and during perimenopause.

Since women have lower creatine stores it seems that supplementing could be even more beneficial.

As women age, they loose 10% of their muscle mass and strength with each decade.

It makes good sense along with strength training to support muscles, bone health and energy building with creatine supplements to positively impact women's overall health.

Benefits To Consider

• Improves strength, endurance, and muscle recovery.

• Increases lean body mass.

• Enhances cognition and memory.

• Reduces injury and recovery time.

• Improves mood, reduces fatigue.

• Preserves muscle with age.

• Hydrates muscle cells.

  
  

Cautions.

• Kidney disease or stress.

• Liver disease or stress.

• Bipolar disorder.

• Pregnant/breastfeeding.

• Taking NSAID's, or diuretics

• Prone to dehydration [creatine moves fluid into muscles]

• Children/adolescents

How Much Creatine Should I Take?

The recommended dose for men & women is 3-5 grams per day. It will take about 4 weeks for muscle cells to become fully saturated, so stay consistent.

For women, begin with 3 grams of creatine daily because at this dose any negative symptoms such as bloating, water retention or digestive issues are unlikely. For some, splitting up the dose initially by taking it both in the morning and evening and reducing the amount initially to see if any symptoms occur. Then build up to the 3-5 grams dosage.

What Type Of Creatine Should I Take?

Creatine Monohydrate is the gold standard and the most researched. It has a proven track record of effectiveness and safety. You can also use micronized creatine monohydrate which is broken down into a smaller particle size which will improve absorption and reduce any digestive issues.

Creatine is flavorless and mixes easily into water so you can take daily even when not exercising. Remember, consistency is the key to build up creatine stores and stay well-hydrated because creatine pulls water into muscle cells and becoming dehydrated reduces the benefits.

Taking creatine with a carb source like fruit may improve uptake by increasing insulin response.

Almost anyone who desires better energy, strength, muscle growth, cognitive function, or recovery will benefit from taking creatine, even if you're not an athlete.

My encouragement is focused on women who generally eat less protein than they need, limit food groups, use coffee for energy and put everyone's needs ahead of their own.

It's time to realize a vital truth:

Our body is always working for us and in spite of what we aren't doing to support our health, we must begin making changes that will carry us into our older years with energy and vigor.

Creatine has real benefits, when used correctly. You will see improvements if you use the correct form [creatine monohydrate], the correct dose, and consider your unique health situation.

I'm here to help navigate the confusion and support you in finding a lifestyle that brings you increased joy for your journey ahead.

You can find me here:

https://www.janlindquistntp.com

Thanks for reading,

Jan