creatine for women

booyainyoface

hello ladies... so i am thinking about a few cycles of creatine to help build lean mass and make my body more efficient at burning calories. my logic is if i eat around 1500 calories a day (net- yes i will eat back my exercise calories) and take creatine, the creatine will help me to lift heavier and bust out the last few reps so i can gain more muscle mass. when i stop taking creatine for a few weeks my body will purge the extra water brought to the muscles, so my muscles will be bigger but the water weight will go- plus the extra lean mass will help me burn calories more efficiently (repeat cycle)

so questions being: what are your experiences with creatine? will it "bloat" me so i will look puffy (i know i won't look like a man) with long term use? has it helped you maintain lean muscle mass while on a calorie deficit so you don't get thinner and flabbier too? What have you done for cycling? I currently do gym 4x a week (20m HIIT each day w/back/chest/legs/arms rotation)

i need some input! Thanks!

thefuzz1290

You don't have to cycle creatine. It will make you retain some water, but you shouldn't noticed any large amount of bloating....but everyone's body is different.

KPainter70

You don't have to cycle creatine. It will make you retain some water, but you shouldn't noticed any large amount of bloating....but everyone's body is different.

I've always understood creatine to lose it's effectiveness after about 10 weeks on and that about a two week break should be taken before restarting.

thefuzz1290

You don't have to cycle creatine. It will make you retain some water, but you shouldn't noticed any large amount of bloating....but everyone's body is different.

I've always understood creatine to lose it's effectiveness after about 10 weeks on and that about a two week break should be taken before restarting.

That used to be the belief, but most recent research (as in the last few years) has shown that you don't have to cycle it anymore. Would it hurt you to cycle? No, because that's how people used to do it, but if you don't have to, why lose the habit of taking it?

Becky_Boodle

I'm interested to know as well...

Lesa_Sass

I took it in my mid 20s. I was short tempered on it. Stopped taking it when Burger King messed up my order and instead of a grilled chicken sandwich, they gave me a fried fish sandwich, so I threw it at the manager. Typical me would have just screamed at them and demanded my money back.

Just my personal experience.

thefuzz1290

I took it in my mid 20s. I was short tempered on it. Stopped taking it when Burger King messed up my order and instead of a grilled chicken sandwich, they gave me a fried fish sandwich, so I threw it at the manager. Typical me would have just screamed at them and demanded my money back.

Just my personal experience.

Umm...something else triggered your mood swings, because all creatine does is (the quick version) help your muscles recover quicker. Or maybe you read a Muscletech ad that claimed its creatine had "steroid like" effects and you suffered from the placebo effect due to your subconscious believing you were taking steroids and you were having roid rage.

kirkemorgan

Doubt that was creatine, it no effect on the hormonal system, ATP only as far a they know.

Word of note: purchase only german (creapure) creatine, works so much better than the chear asian garbage which is almost all brands--GNC, vitamin world/shoppe, muscletech. Very few good brands, Allmax, and german/american technologies have creapure.

booyainyoface

so no one has personal experience with it? is my logic off that it will help me put on lean mass so my fat comes off faster? I am not worried about the creatine making me "crazy." I am aware it doesn't effect my hormone levels

thefuzz1290

I use it, but its not a wonder drug. It'll help you gain strength and muscle mass (if you eat a caloric excess), but it won't get you lean.

Lukazetta

Creatine Monohydrate tends to do the most bloating compared to mixed/other types from my personal experience (it's still a great for gaining strength).

billtonkin

Just take creatine monohydrate, 2-5g a day, every day. Done.

tanyamissy

So...I've been curious about the same things. I've got muscle, but like you said, you want more lean. Let me know what you find out, please.

booyainyoface

after my extensive online research, i think i am going to take it and eat at my maintenance calorie level for a month, then re-evaluate! probably stay on it and maybe try a caloric deficit for a few weeks then cut it completely for a week or two... I am going to vegas and need to look great in my bikini

Sp1nGoddess

I take creatine monohydrate.. I cycle 2 months on 1 month off but I dont' think that 's really necessary. I have noticed higher muscle gains and more energy while taking it . I take about 5 grams pre workout and 5 grams after. I have not noticed any water gain, I see more water weight swing with my period. Make sure you are getting pure creatine and not some proprietary mix which could be starch and other fillers.

Lesa_Sass

I took it in my mid 20s. I was short tempered on it. Stopped taking it when Burger King messed up my order and instead of a grilled chicken sandwich, they gave me a fried fish sandwich, so I threw it at the manager. Typical me would have just screamed at them and demanded my money back.

Just my personal experience.

Umm...something else triggered your mood swings, because all creatine does is (the quick version) help your muscles recover quicker. Or maybe you read a Muscletech ad that claimed its creatine had "steroid like" effects and you suffered from the placebo effect due to your subconscious believing you were taking steroids and you were having roid rage.

Gesus,WTF? No smartass, it was real enough, trust me. I was hungry, so that probably had a great deal to do with it but my rage went away after I stopped taking it. But who knows what the heck else was in that capsule. This was the early 90s when lots more things were legal and added to the supplements I was taking.

Smuterella

so, is there actually any point in taking Creatine?

ilovedeadlifts

You don't have to cycle creatine. It will make you retain some water, but you shouldn't noticed any large amount of bloating....but everyone's body is different.

this.
I've been taking creatine for probably a year straight now.

yes there are points to it. My recovery is better while taking it, and I do lift more weight while taking it. It affects your ATP stores which allows you to be more explosive while lifting IMO.

ilovedeadlifts

Gesus,WTF? No smartass, it was real enough, trust me. I was hungry, so that probably had a great deal to do with it but my rage went away after I stopped taking it. But who knows what the heck else was in that capsule. This was the early 90s when lots more things were legal and added to the supplements I was taking.

yeah if it was just creatine, you didn't have mood swings from it.
theres a difference between something making you moody, and just having poor self control.
a supplement doesn't change you and make you snap on someone making your food