Why Are So Many Women Taking Creatine?

Social media is abuzz with posts from non-bodybuilder women singing the praises of this supplement. See what science says about this popular compound.

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Until recently, the only thing I knew about creatine was that my high school guy friends took it to bulk up for football season. Fast-forward 27 years, and I’m suddenly seeing posts on social media about creatine’s benefits for women, especially perimenopausal women. Better mood, less brain fog, and more lean muscle mass are just a few of the provocative claims.

Now, if you did the math based on how long ago I graduated high school, you already know I’m in the perimenopausal neighborhood (which can be eight to 10 years before menopause), so it piqued my interest.

As a journalist and all-around skeptic, I’m not one to take a social media post at face value, so I did a little digging to see what science has to say about creatine for women. There are over 3,000 entries for creatine and women on PubMed, a database of peer-reviewed research maintained by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), so I already knew it’s been well-studied, which isn’t the case with many supplements. It’s been examined ad nauseam for strength and endurance (dating back to 1912) with tons of proof, but more recently, there’s research about creatine’s cognitive, sleep, and mood benefits in women.

After a deep dive into some of the research, I felt comfortable adding creatine to my diet. Here’s the most compelling research for women. Plus, my experience so far.

First, What is Creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound made from three amino acids. It’s in our muscles and in our brains. It’s used for energy, playing a role in adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, an energy source for your cells. The liver, pancreas, and kidneys produce creatine, making about 1 gram a day. We also get it through seafood, red meat, chicken, and creatine monohydrate supplements. Women typically have lower creatine stores in the body than men (70 to 80% less), which means they may respond better to supplementation.

We Know It Can Increase Lean Body Mass

We start to lose muscle mass at age 30, and women can lose it more rapidly during menopause due to a drop in estrogen. Creatine supplementation has been shown to improve total body lean muscle in women. A study in Strength and Conditioning Journal gave previously untrained women creatine for 10 weeks. Lean muscle mass was significantly increased in the women taking the supplement at the 5-week mark and again at 10 weeks.

A meta-analysis in the Journal of Sports Medicine also showed that women taking the supplement combined with strength training gained an average of three pounds more muscle than those taking a placebo but doing the same workout.

It Can Improve Cognitive Function

Creatine boosts strength and muscle, but research has shown that it can also boost brain function, including memory and focus. A study in Neuroscience Biobehavior Review showed that it can help with mental fatigue in healthy adults. This wasn’t a female-specific study, but mental fatigue and brain fog are common during perimenopause, so creatine may bring some relief.

A 2021 review published in Sports Medicine says women have lower creatine stores than men in our frontal lobe. The same review says creatine can help boost cognitive brain function after short-term sleep deprivation. Researchers point out that women have sleep disturbances when estrogen levels dip.

It Can Keep Things in Balance

Hormonal fluctuations, especially estrogen and progesterone, affect a woman’s creatine levels. Consistently taking creatine can help balance levels during hormonal shifts that occur during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, perimenopause, and postmenopause.

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I’ve been taking 2.5-3 grams a day since January. The first thing I noticed was more energy. I felt more productive early in the day than I had. I haven’t noticed any significant changes in strength or endurance while working out, but my side-by-side photos (see below) taken 8 weeks apart show more muscle definition in my upper body and abs. I didn’t change my diet or exercise routine during that time.

I haven’t noticed any adverse side effects. It’s been rumored to cause weight gain and bloating, but I haven’t experienced it, and researchers say that claim is unfounded. I have a friend who stopped taking it due to bloating, but I haven’t experienced any.

I take Thorne Creatine, which is NSF Certified for Sport. I take half a 5-gram scoop every morning in my coffee. It doesn’t change the color or texture of the coffee.

As more women jump on the creatine bandwagon, I suspect we’ll see more studies related to perimenopause. In other words, watch this space!

My 8-week, non-scientific trial. More ab definition. More delt definition. And so much more energy. I’m sold!