Creatine can work for women

     By Kim Springer
     View columnist
      Creatine has been a popular supplement for athletes, weight lifters, and body builders for years. Now, women are looking towards this supplement for muscle-building benefits.
      Creatine is manufactured in the liver and may also be produced in the pancreas and kidneys. It is transported in the blood and taken up by muscle cells, where it is converted to creatine phosphate.
      The average person metabolizes about two grams of creatine per day, and the body normally synthesizes that same amount; thus, you generally maintain a creatine balance.
      The richest source of creatine in food is in animal muscle, such as meats and fish. To increase athletic performance and boost lean muscle mass, creatine must be taken in concentrations, which are not reasonably obtained, from a whole-food diet.
      You would have to consume 10 pounds of raw steak a day for five days to load your body with creatine.
      Creatine seems to work as it delays the onset of fatigue during anaerobic exercise (strength training). The more creatine stored in your muscles, the faster you can replenish ATP.
      The benefits of creatine supplementing do not come without side effects. Muscle cramping, nausea, diarrhea and dehydration are some of the reported side effects from users.
      Why should women use this predominately male-dominated supplement? For the same reason men do: to gain muscle strength and help increase the amount of lean muscle tissue.
      A resent study put 19 novice women on a 10-week weight-training program. The women who took creatine increased their strength on the leg press by 46 percent, compared with 25 percent for the control group. The creatine group also gained about 6.6 pounds of fat-free mass, twice as much as the control group.
      Weight gain is a general concern for women considering taking creatine. In the past, many users noticed an immediate gain in size and weight due to water retention.
      Weight gain is definitely a side effect that most women will avoid at all cost even if it means that they got stronger or leaner. The good news is that research shows that women might only need two grams of creatine a day in order to reap the rewards of this product and this smaller dosage might cut down on the weight-gain side effect. Men are usually recommended to take five grams a day.
      As with any "wonder supplement," there is a downside. Some of the side effects have already been mentioned but there is simply not enough research completed to describe the effects caused by long term use.
      Creatine Monohydrate is the most common form of creatine found on the market. Most creatine comes in a powder form and is best mixed with water or fruit juice. Liquid creatine has been advertised lately as an easily ingested and absorbable form of creatine but there is no research yet to prove or disprove its effectiveness.
      Women are already at a disadvantage for gaining and retaining lean muscle tissue due to low amounts of testosterone. Creatine might be just the supplement needed to help you get lean.
      Of course, creatine does not take the work out of getting in shape. Strength training and a balanced diet are also key components; without these steps, taking creatine alone would be a waste of your money.
     
     Kim Springer and her husband, Mike, are certified by ACE, NASM and ACSM as personal trainers. They can be reached at 233-9442, by fax at 233-9446 or by e-mail at springtrain@netscape.net.