May 28, 2019
Women’s Health: The Ultimate Guide to Creatine Supplementation
Have you ever come across the term “Creatine”? Probably you might have come across someone at the gym who is consuming a drink pre-workout. Have you ever wondered what it is? You have probably heard your trainer or fitness enthusiasts say this term next to you in the gym. Should you be consuming it? Is creatine good? These might be some of the questions running through your mind when you came across this term. Before we get into the details, as an Elizabeth City, NC Chiropractor and fitness enthusiast I have been taking creatine daily for years.
What Is Creatine?
Take note that creatine is not a steroid. This is a misconception, which most people use to single it out from their fitness routine. Creatine as a compound is not linked to hormones. This compound was discovered in the 1800s to be primarily found in mammals. The liver naturally produces it through the following amino acids: methionine, glycine, and arginine. However, unlike other amino acids, creatine is not viewed as a protein. This is because of the metabolism process that it goes through, which excludes the removal of nitrogen through the kidneys and out of the body.
Commonly Asked Questions about Creatine - How exactly does creatine work?
When you ingest certain before your workout, it will help the muscles in your body to work longer and harder. This means that as your muscles cells use the body’s energy levels to work, the creatine comes in to help sustain this energy by replenishing the fuel in the cells. Scientifically, the muscle cells have an energy unit known as ATP, which stands for adenosine triphosphate. This is the energy unit that creatine works to replenish through combining with a phosphate (Pi) molecule in the boy to form a phosphocreatine compound (PCr). This compound aids in muscle cells energy metabolism especially when it comes to activities that require shorter outbursts of energy such as sprinting.
Expend your ATP to allow your muscles to contract when you perform high energy level activities such as lifting weights. The expended ATP forms two products, which produce energy. They are the phosphate molecule and the adenoside di-phosphate compound (ADP). This helps the body muscles work longer and harder thus enabling you to burn fat and build more muscle without getting tired easily.
As a woman, how can you increase your chances of becoming a creatine responder?
Yes, there are a number of ways that you can apply to your daily routine to increase your chances of becoming a creatine supplementation responder.
Consistency and patience. We have seen many of the Elizabeth City, NC area women become impatient and discontinue the use of creatine supplements even before the supplements had enough time to accumulate and work. It might take about two months of consistent use for it to have any effect.
Ingest enough creatine. The creatine level in the female form is higher than that in the male form. This means that women have to consume more creatine supplements than males. It is advised that a woman take about 0.1 kilograms of a kilogram of their weight in a day. In addition to this, the first week should have a higher dosage, which is estimated to be about 0.3 kilograms per body kg in a day.
Consume creatine alongside a healthy dose of quick-digesting simple carbohydrate. Sources of this include dairy products such as yoghurt and milk, juice, and even fruit, among others. They boost the insulin levels that increase the movement of substances present in the blood to the muscle cells for storage and use. If creatine is present in high amounts in the body then insulin is more likely to support its accumulation in the muscle tissue, this is why you should take it with a quick-digesting simple carbohydrate. Alternatively, you could use it with a meal or post-workout shake.