What is creatine and should you take it?

Creatine is (rightfully) having a moment lately. If you’re someone who spends time in a gym or consuming fitness content on social media, chances are you’ve heard of creatine by now. And you may have even wondered, “Should I be taking creatine?”

Admittedly, for a long time I thought that creatine fell into the performance-enhancing drug/steroid category and was reserved for gym-goers of the meathead bodybuilder variety. Definitely not for women who just want to look and feel strong, move well, and maintain their independence as they age. Sike! Not the case. Allow me to explain …

Creatine is a naturally-occurring substance that is made by the human body in the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. It is converted into creatine phosphate and stored in the muscles, where it is used for energy. Creatine is also found in small quantities in your diet from some protein sources like red meats and fish.

We already get small amounts of creatine from our own bodies and from food, but we can supplement with it (3-5 grams per day) to maximize its potential benefits. The supplement form of creatine is manufactured in a lab and is a tasteless, odorless white powder. The most common and most researched type of creatine is known as creatine monohydrate.

What exactly are the potential benefits?

Since creatine can be stored in our muscles and used for energy, supplementing with it essentially helps our muscles work harder and longer by replenishing the fuel (adenosine tri-phosphate or ATP) in our muscle cells. Our muscles contain a limited supply of ATP, so if you use up all of your ATP without replenishing it, you will fatigue more quickly, especially in activities that require shorts bursts of intense energy, like weightlifting and sprinting.

While most studies on creatine have been done on men (shocker), there have been a few studies on women that have shown greater strength increases in women taking a creatine supplement versus not. Greater strength increases can also mean building more muscle, so creatine supplementation may help improve overall body composition as well.

How much creatine should you take and when should you take it?

The general recommendation for men and women is 3-5 grams per day. It may take up to two months to notice the benefits of taking creatine, so it’s important to be consistent with taking it daily for a long period of time before you decide whether or not it’s working for you.

When you take creatine is a lot less important than making sure you’re taking it consistently every day. Taking it around your workout (before, during, or after) may be a good option, but since the effects of creatine aren’t immediate, the timing is less crucial.

You may have heard that creatine causes water retention and have avoided it for that reason. The truth is, water retention from taking creatine is actually more common in men than women, and it may only happen when you start taking it and then dissipate over time. If you do start supplementing with creatine, give your body ample time to adjust.

The data available to date shows that adequate creatine supplementation over a period longer than one month seems to have a beneficial effect on strength, body composition, and exercise performance in men and women.

Keep in mind, creatine is a supplement, meaning it should supplement a consistent training routine and balanced diet. Creatine alone will not do the work for you to work hard in the gym, build muscle, lose body fat, etc., but it can help.

Ultimately, it is your choice whether or not to use creatine as part of your supplement routine or not. Either way, I hope this post helped you understand it a little better!