No, it’s not just for boys and bodybuilders. This versatile compound can have powerful health and athletic benefits for women of all ages!
There may be no sports supplement with more of a “male” reputation than creatine monohydrate. It’s right up there with “brotein” shakes for its loyalty among young men chasing gains!
Or at least it used to be this way. A new generation of creatine research – and creatine researchers – has shown that creatine can have immense benefits for overall health… and not just for the bros! Even calling it a “sports supplement” anymore feels like it’s not giving creatine full credit.
Creatine is a health supplement – and one that can have huge benefits for women in particular. Here’s what you need to know.
Women’s Creatine Levels are Different than Men’s
Men and women may be built similarly in some ways, but natural creatine production isn’t one of them. A 2021 study titled Creatine Supplementation in Women’s Health: A Lifespan Perspective dove deep into the literature on this topic, and here’s what the researchers found:
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Women have 70-80% lower natural creatine levels than men
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Women tend to consume significantly less dietary creatine than men
The upshot for you: Women need creatine MORE than men, and might benefit from higher dosages. That’s true if women want to experience the athletic benefits of creatine, like greater strength and improved workout recovery. And it also extends to the health benefits of creatine.
Creatine for Menstrual Health
The hormonal changes that happen in a woman over the course of menstrual cycle can affect a wide range of bodily processes and health markers, and creatine production definitely is one of them. The body’s creatine levels fluctuate wildly alongside levels of estrogen and progesterone, and researchers have shown this can put women at risk of muscle loss. Creatine can help limit the risk of a woman’s body breaking down muscle tissue and using it as fuel.
But that’s not the only benefit this tasteless white powder brings. Recent research has also shown that taking creatine consistently can help pre-menopausal women have more regular periods, and lower their risk of a number of other reproductive issues.
Creatine for Mood and Brain Health
Depression is twice as common among women as among men. And researchers think that women’s naturally lower levels of creatine might have something to do with it. In particular, women have lower levels of creatine in the frontal lobe, the part of the brain that controls mood, emotion, memory, and cognition. And studies have shown that populations who consume less dietary creatine (vegetarians, for example) are far more prone to depression.
Research is ongoing in this area, and the “how” isn’t quite clear. But here’s the “what:” creatine has been shown to improve overall mental performance and reduce mental fatigue for adults struggling with stressful mental tasks. This has helped creatine skyrocket in popularity as a go-to nutrient for overall brain health and mental preservation.
Creatine for Dealing with Sleep Deprivation
One of the major ways that creatine works is by acting as an energy source for the brain. And while that might be a little hard to picture, it’s not hard to imagine what it feels like to have to accomplish a lot of things on not enough sleep. We’ve all been there – mothers in particular! And there’s even research showing that women experience stronger symptoms of sleep deprivation than men! It’s just not fair.
Now here’s the good news: Creatine has been shown to help improve cognition and memory for people who are sleep-deprived.
But there’s a catch: You can’t take it after the fact. You need to take it daily to see these benefits!
Creatine Dosing for Women
It’s tempting to think that women might need less creatine, especially if they’re smaller than men. But due women’s naturally lower levels and dietary intake, researchers recommend the exact same dose that a large man would take: 5g daily, every day.
How do you get yours? It’s easy. Either pop four 1.25g SteelFit Creapure® Creatine Monohydrate gummies, or dump one 5g scoop of SteelFit Creapure® Creatine Monohydrate powder into water or any other beverage. Creapure® is the form of creatine that has been used and tested the most in research, and is backed by over 50 clinical studies. When it comes to a nutrient that touches on so many aspects of your health, quality matters!
