Creatine is one of the most researched supplements on the market and a lot of the registered dietitians I trust and respect had great things to say about it…so at this time last year, I finally decided to give it a try.
đź’ŞAlthough it may be best known for boosting athletic performance, I personally was most interested in the research indicating benefits of creatine on muscle recovery + cognitive function.
It’s officially been a full year since I started taking creatine…and I’m SO glad I stuck with it. This is not only my most affordable supplement, but also the one I feel like has made the most significant difference in my strength gains and recovery time. As someone who’s trying to build as much muscle as possible pre-menopause…this has been a GAME-CHANGER.
Here’s what I personally noticed during the last year:
âś…Improved recovery time after workouts
âś…Built lean muscle (specifically feel like it increased muscle definition in my upper body!)
âś…Made my workouts feel more explosive (or like I had more strength in my final reps)
âś…Reduced brain fog
âś…Feeling more rested after sleep/like I got better quality sleep
ABOUT THE BLOATING: I’ll be totally honest here — I think my biggest hesitation in taking it was one many women can relate to. I had heard that it can cause bloating – and it wasn’t something I wanted to deal with while filming a new program. Personally, I noticed minimal additional “water weight” or bloating for the first ~3 weeks on creatine; then things seemed to level out back to normal. The dietitians I talked to also recommended just talking 5 grams daily rather than following a “loading phase” protocol to minimize bloating and I think that worked well!
🤰🏼PREGNANCY/BREASTFEEDING: Another common question we’ve gotten is whether it’s safe to take during pregnancy/while breastfeeding — I personally wouldn’t! I just don’t think there’s enough research, but of course I recommend talking to your doctor about your personal situation.
👇I WANT TO KNOW: what other questions do you have about creatine?
Creatine | creatine review | creatine for women
