One Vitacost.com customer wrote in to ask our Mrs. Fitness blogger, Southern States Championships top contender Melissa Transou, “Should women take creatine?”
Mrs. Fitness answers:
Many women think creatine is for men, or bodybuilders. But women can also benefit from supplementing with creatine. Creatine is made from amino acids, and its job is to fuel muscles with more energy. So instead of fatiguing out after a set, you can push through and work harder and longer, burning more calories and fat. Creatine can help how muscles function, supporting the growth of lean muscle and enabling you to lift more.
Creatine comes in many forms. The best and most popular is creatine monohydrate. I like AST Sports Science Creatine Monohydrate powder or Vitol Sublingual Creatine Monohydrate liquid. There’s also All American EFX Kre-a-Fem, which combines creatine with CoQ10, calcium, magnesium and iron in capsule form.
You can take creatine every day, or just on training days. It’s best to take it with a meal containing protein and carbohydrates, as these nutrients raise insulin levels and help push more creatine into your muscles. If taking creatine pre or post workout, a good dose is three grams a day. To start, try adding some creatine to a post-workout shake.
Southern States Championships top contender Melissa Transou, a figure competitor, wife and mother, blogs about the unique sports nutrition needs of female athletes exclusively for Vitacost.com.