Creatine and Women

As a very skinny girl, I am considering taking creatine to help...I am wondering if it is safe for females. I don't want to end up looking like a man. (from Vicki)

Rest assured that supplementing with creatine won't make you look like a man. Your concerns probably arise from the fact that much of the public consider creatine to be very similar to anabolic steroids. This is an incorrect viewpoint.

Anabolic steroid use by women can cause masculization side effects. Creatine, as an amino acid, will not produce such side effects.

Studies have shown that creatine's ability to help build lean muscle tissue in women is not as great as it is for men. Additionally, women seem to be more irritated by the water weight gain (bloating) caused by creatine supplementation. These are factors to consider when deciding whether or not you want to give creatine a try.

More Information on Creatine

Also, the Bodybuilding Supplement Guide at the site has been updated.

JP Clifford

Sleep and Muscle Building

...I think some of my problems (with bulking up) may be that I don't get enough sleep. I get 4-5 hours a night on average. I rarely sleep more then 2 hours at a time. I wake up and can't get back to sleep. Could this be a reason for my low weight? (from Deems)

Yes, a lack of sleep can definitely hamper weight gain. Your resting time is when the body actually goes about the business of building muscle. Rest time should be considered even more important to the muscle building process than workout time.

There are also studies showing that a lack of sleep effects hormone levels and your body's tendency to store fat - http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/13d2f2.htm.

Some people have a need for more sleep than others. A variety of factors come into play here, everything from genetics to age. Eight hours is a general time and may be too much for some and too little for others. The important thing is to try and get enough sleep to where you are no longer tired.

Sleep problems are common and experienced by at least half of the population. It can be caused by a variety of factors including everything from stress to the types of food you consume before bedtime.

Check here for some advice on sleeping better.

Another thought is trying ZMA. This is a bodybuilding supplement, a mineral formula, that has been shown to help some with testosterone production. Taken before bedtime, one of its most pleasant side effects experienced by many (including me) is that it makes you sleep very peacefully.

More about ZMA and other vitamins and minerals.

JP Clifford

One Hour Workouts

...I have been trying to keep my workouts under an hour but now I leave the gym and don't feel like I did anything...(from Fizz)

Well, did you do anything? Part of the deal that makes brief workouts effective is that you work very intense while in the gym. This means you don't have time to check out the ladies or chat about the previous day's soccer match. Use your one hour to train and train hard.

That being said, if you are used to working out for hours and leaving the gym only with the assist of a wheel-chair, a one hour intense workout may not feel like much in comparison. Likely, the reason you are shortening your workouts is because you weren't making progress with your marathon workouts.

Remember, muscles don't grow because you torture them, they grow when you provide them a need and then the opportunity. A short intense workout is enough to provide the "need" and nutrition and rest will give them the "opportunity."

Get rid of the mindset that the more you do, the bigger you will get. Instead, judge the effectiveness of your workout by the results it gives you.

More on Workout Time Factors




JP Clifford