Unlocking Endurance: The Surprising Benefits of Creatine for Female Athletes

MY GOAL:  To help women understand the benefits of creatine on endurance performance.  It should be noted that creatine is beneficial not just from a performance standpoint on race day, but all around.  It has proven benefits for brain health, sleep quality, power production, strength, and recovery – all of which play a role in your abilities as an athlete. 

MY WHY: It’s easy to take for granted the information I’ve gathered over the years.  Sometimes I assume everyone knows and understands the things I’ve learned and implemented to make myself more educated, stronger, faster, happier, more organized, etc.  I am a 41-year-old female who has incorporated creatine in my training program on and off for the past 10-plus years. I’m completely comfortable with the supplement and the benefits it provides.  I trust that creatine is safe for women, but I also understand that this comfort level is not the norm for everyone. Read on to scratch the surface of why, as a female endurance athlete, you may want to consider creatine use as a safe supplement.

Understanding Creatine 

A common question exists: Is creatine safe for women? Creatine is one of the most widely studied and used ergogenic aids available for safe use among men and women. It is a naturally occurring compound that’s synthesized in the body and plays a crucial role in the production of energy during high-intensity, short-duration activities.  Approximately 1-2 grams of creatine are naturally made in the body, and you can obtain creatine from food sources like beef, pork, tuna, salmon, and poultry.  

Your muscles store about 95% of your creatine.  Increased creatine in your muscles can lead to an increase in ATP production, providing extra energy before fatigue sets in.  However, it is very hard (or impossible) to top off our creatine stores through diet alone. 

Animal products are the main source of creatine, with red meat being one of the richest sources. Other food products do contain small amounts. Here are some examples:

• Red Meat: Beef, particularly cuts like steak, contains high levels of creatine.
• Pork: Pork contains creatine slightly lower amounts compared to beef.
• Fish: Certain types of fish, such as salmon and tuna, contain moderate levels of creatine.
• Poultry: Chicken and turkey also contain some creatine, though in lesser amounts compared to red meat.
• Other Animal Products: Creatine can be found in smaller quantities in products like eggs and dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt).
• Game Meat: Wild game meats like venison, elk, and bison also contain creatine.

It’s important to note that while plant-based foods generally don’t contain significant amounts of creatine, some research suggests that small amounts may be present in foods like:

• Certain Vegetables: Spinach and beets have been reported to contain trace amounts of creatine.
• Whole Grains: Small amounts of creatine may also be found in whole grains like rice and wheat.

On average, women tend to consume significantly lower amounts of dietary creatine compared to our male counterparts.  This makes it even more relevant that we supplement with creatine if we are looking to benefit from all this compound has to offer.  

Enter supplementation.

In the past, people viewed creatine as a supplement for bodybuilding (predominantly used by men), but the research supports many reasons why women of all ages should consider the safe use of creatine.

Possible benefits include:

• Increased muscle stores of phosphocreatine (PCr), resulting in increased production of ATP (energy)
• Possible improvement in aerobic capacity via greater shuttling of ATP from mitochondria
• Enhanced training performance, tolerance, and work capacity
• Enhanced glycogen synthesis
• Increased muscle mass and strength adaptations
• Improved recovery and glucose reuptake
• Improved cognitive functioning
• Assistance with bone health and slowing the rate of sarcopenia
• Increased single and repetitive sprint performance

Addressing common misconceptions about creatine use in women

Despite all the research around creatine supplementation, some women still have reservations around incorporating it into their nutritional program.  While I’m fully aware that supplements are not for everyone, I’d like to dispel some of the common misconceptions around its use.

1. Creatine is for bodybuilders or those wanting to gain muscle mass.  An old way of thinking was that unless you were planning to bulk up, creatine was not for you.  This turned many women off or had them assuming creatine was off limits. It is now common knowledge that increasing muscle mass is extremely important and beneficial for women. Additionally, creatine can enhance performance, increase strength (different from hypertrophy – an increase in muscle size), and aid in recovery, making it valuable for all athletes.    

2. Creatine causes weight gain.  While creatine may lead to initial water retention, it is not fat gain. This water weight is temporary and can contribute to improved hydration status – that’s also a good thing! Long-term use is not associated with continuous weight gain.  If you are not following a loading phase, the water retention should be minimal, if any. 

3. Creatine negatively impacts hormonal balance, particularly in women. Research suggests that creatine supplementation does not adversely affect hormonal levels in women. When you use creatine within the recommended dosage guidelines, it is considered safe.  As always, if you are starting a new supplement and are concerned with its side effects, it’s always best to consult with your physician.

4. Creatine is not suitable for endurance athletes. Endurance athletes can benefit from creatine by improving overall performance, reducing muscle fatigue, and aiding in recovery. 

5. Creatine can cause kidney damage. Numerous studies indicate that creatine, when used within recommended dosages, does not pose a risk to kidney health in healthy individuals. Individuals with pre-existing kidney conditions should consult a healthcare professional before supplementing.

6. Creatine supplementation is not necessary for women as they naturally have lower muscle mass. What?! While women typically have lower muscle mass than men, creatine will still benefit us by enhancing exercise performance, regardless of muscle mass. Plus, creatine has so many other benefits beyond this.  And if your goal is to increase muscle mass or strength, does it really matter who had less muscle to start?  This misconception is a bit silly.   

7. Creatine is only effective for short, high-intensity activities and not for endurance sports. Wrong again! Research supports creatine’s efficacy in improving performance across various activities, including endurance sports like triathlon. It can contribute to enhanced endurance, reduced fatigue, and quicker recovery.  All great reasons to give it a try. 

Putting it all together

Creatine enhances the production of ATP, allowing you to work harder longer. In turn, with the proper training program, you are able to increase strength and power. At the same time, this compound may reduce muscle cell damage and inflammation, potentially speeding up your recovery process after hard training sessions. Creatine will also support your high-intensity training sessions, which translates to you becoming a stronger endurance athlete.

As a triathlete, you might link a lower body mass with enhanced performance when it comes to weight-bearing exercises, like running and cycling.  But keep in mind, creatine supplementation’s purported benefits may counter the gains in body mass and have a positive impact on your performance and recovery.  

Creatine is well known for its use with strength-based and high intensity sports involving explosive movements, but a key thing to remember is endurance exercise performance is multifactorial. Endurance races are rarely performed at a steady pace and often multiple surges are performed at maximal or supramaximal intensities. Consider the intensity changes that take place during a triathlon.  

You begin the race with a surge at the swim start, then settle into your pace.  You run out of the water to T1 and start shifting gears for the bike.  Again, you power onto the bike course before settling into your pace and target power output.  While you’re out there, the terrain changes and you push with varying bouts of intensity, whether you are climbing or working to pass another athlete.  Onto the run, perhaps you work to maintain a steady pace for the duration.  Then for the final push, you dig deep and kick with everything you have left. 

These different situations along the course require the utilization of anaerobic reserves. You likely designate training sessions that focus on this, as well. These sessions will absolutely benefit from topped-off stores of creatine.

Increases in muscle mass translate to your ability to generate greater power. So if “muscle weighs more than fat” is a quip you’re repeating, the increase in muscle should not be a major concern (within reason). I’m not suggesting you put on a large amount of muscle – trust me it’s harder than you might think, and supplementing with creatine will not make you bulk up, as mentioned earlier. But you cannot deny that increased muscles supporting your joints plays a role in reducing your risk of injury. It is far more beneficial to be a stronger, powerful, more agile athlete as opposed to being light weight with minimal muscle mass.  

Additionally, recovery as an athlete should not be overlooked.  Whether you are recovering from a hard training session or after a race, your ability to adapt to the training or bounce back after a race is paramount. 

What Dosage is Right for You?

Since creatine is such a widely researched supplement, you will find very consistent information when it comes to dosages.  Of course, every person responds to compounds differently.  Some individuals may be more sensitive, experiencing digestive discomfort with higher dosages. For example, my body feels fine with 5 grams/day, but my sister does better with 3 grams a day.  Do what works best for you. 

When it comes to dosing creatine for endurance athletes, a safe guideline is 3-5g per day.  While some athletes may choose a loading phase (for example, 20g/day for 5 days) it is not necessary if you are utilizing this as an ongoing part of your training supplementation.  Research suggests that you will obtain the same benefit with a gradual approach over an extended period of time (typically taking about 3-4 weeks to effectively increase creatine stores).  This will also help you avoid any unwanted side effects, if that is a concern (mainly the feeling of water retention/weight gain).

Timing your supplementation: Creatine can take 1-2 hours to reach peak concentration in the blood with dosages between 5-10 grams, and may remain elevated for up to four hours. It would make sense to take this into consideration on the days that you are training at high intensities, as well as long duration training sessions that incorporate bouts of high intensity training.  Additionally, ingesting creatine with carbohydrates is shown to enhance creatine uptake in the muscles. Consider consuming fruit with your creatine 30-60 minutes before you train. On non-training days or lower-intensity sessions, timing is not completely relevant and becomes a personal preference.

Final Thoughts

Your choices on supplementation are just as individual as your choices on the foods you eat and the training program you follow. I believe that there many ways to get from point A to point B in your training. You need to do what feels best for you, what agrees with your body, your goals, and your timeline. My hope is that you are equipped with the tools to make educated decisions and get the most out of your training, nutrition, and racing.

If you’d like to learn more about my approach to coaching athletes, I’d love to connect! As always, it’s your journey, your pace, and all my support.

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7871530/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7998865/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10132248/

.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8228369/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10132248/#cit0017

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11710402/