If you search the historical records of Power Athlete Radio and “Talk To Me Johnnie” you know I have been taking creatine a long time – daily since 1991, starting at age 15. Well before it became popular or understood owner of Marathon Nutrition, George Zangas, would provide us creatine monohydrate in unmarked bottles. Telling us it was like eating 40 pounds of steak. Back then, there were rampant misconceptions, many claiming hamstring pulls or other muscle issues but George scoffed it. Despite these myths, I’ve seen the benefits firsthand and have been recommending it for decades. While now it’s mainstream, especially in sports, the positive effects of creatine go far beyond muscle building, and recent studies are revealing it is essential to women’s health through all stages of life.

Historically, creatine research has focused on male athletes, leaving is in the dark with its specific impact on women. However, as recent studies show, creatine supplementation can be especially beneficial for women, who have around 70–80% lower endogenous creatine levels than men. Because hormone fluctuations affect creatine metabolism, supplementation can be a game-changer during key stages, like menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, by supporting muscle and bone health, mood, and cognitive function. Creatine isn’t just for athletes; it’s a wellness supplement that supports overall health for women at any age.

One of the well-documented benefits of creatine is its ability to enhance muscle performance and support body composition, particularly during pre-menopausal years. Many women have avoided creatine due to myths around weight gain; however, these concerns are largely unfounded. While creatine can cause slight, temporary water retention in muscles, this effect actually enhances hydration without adding fat or body mass. For those focused on being fit, creatine supplementation combined with resistance training significantly boosts strength, power, and muscle size.

Studies highlight that women who supplement with creatine while engaging in resistance training see better gains in lean muscle mass, strength, and performance compared to those who don’t supplement. Creatine’s role here is tied to its ability to regenerate adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s main energy source, enabling muscles to work harder and recover faster. This effect is particularly useful for activities that demand short bursts of high intensity, like sprinting, jumping, or lifting. Notably, the benefits extend beyond just exercise: maintaining strength and muscle function is crucial for daily activities, injury prevention, and long-term mobility.

For older women, especially post-menopausal women, creatine is emerging as a promising aid in countering age-related declines in muscle and bone health. Menopause brings a natural drop in estrogen, which is closely linked to loss of muscle mass, bone density, and strength. This combination can lead to decreased mobility and greater risk of fractures and osteoporosis. However, studies have shown that creatine, especially when combined with resistance training, can support muscle integrity, reduce inflammation, and even enhance bone health markers. Research suggests that post-menopausal women taking creatine see improvements in strength, muscle size, and function, with fewer declines in bone density.

To be transparent, not all studies show significant effects on bone density alone, most evidence indicates that creatine helps increase muscle mass and functional strength, which indirectly supports bone health when mixed with resistance training and movement. When used in conjunction with lifting, creatine appears to ramp up the benefits, helping older women maintain their independence and keep kicking ass. This effect is very important because increases in strength significantly reduce the risk of falls and if they do fall, they have the body armor to survive it. My mom is over 80 (don’t forward this to her or she won’t be happy I am telling you) and walks between 13-16k steps a day and creatine is helping her to be durable.

Beyond physical, creatine supports better mental health and cognitive function – a benefit especially relevant to women, who experience higher rates of depression than men. Hormonal changes, whether during puberty, postpartum, or menopause, can affect mood stability, and research suggests that creatine be lessen the effects. The brain’s energy demands are high, and creatine plays a big role in maintaining ATP levels, which supports brain energy. Studies show that women taking creatine alongside antidepressants experience faster and greater reductions in depressive symptoms than those taking meds alone.

This mood enhancing effect is likely due to creatine’s ability to sustain energy in the brain’s frontal cortex, the area that manages mood, cognition, and emotional regulation. Creatine has shown to improve mood and decrease depressive symptoms, especially during a extremely challenging phase of life. Women taking creatine report improved memory, attention, and mental endurance, which can be particularly beneficial for managing daily stress and multitasking. Given that women are often more susceptible to stress and sleep disturbances due to hormonal shifts and life demands, creatine offers a potential natural aid for maintaining mental resilience and cognitive sharpness.

Another area of interest is creatine’s potential role during pregnancy. Pregnancy puts significant energy demands on the body, especially as the fetus grows and the placenta develops. Research in animal models has shown that creatine supplementation during pregnancy can support brain and mitochondrial health in offspring, potentially reducing risks of brain injury related to low oxygen levels during labor. While studies are still in early, this research suggests that creatine could offer a safe, low-cost way to support maternal and fetal health by ensuring adequate energy. For women with a high physical demand during pregnancy, creatine may also help with muscle and reduce fatigue.

In addition to supporting mental health, creatine can offer sleep benefits, especially for women who experience hormonal or lifestyle-driven sleep disturbances. Creatine aids in stabilizing ATP levels in the brain, reducing mental fatigue and sustaining focus during cognitive tasks. Studies show creatine supplementation improves mental clarity and decreases the effects of sleep deprivation, an especially valuable benefit for women who may experience disrupted sleep due to pregnancy, postpartum demands, or menopause-related insomnia. Creatine’s support of cognitive function during sleep-deprivation could make it an essential tool for battling a busy life.

When it comes to dosing, women can follow similar protocols to men. For years, I was told a loading phase of 15-25 grams daily for five days can saturate muscle creatine stores, followed by a maintenance dose of 3-10 grams per day. For those primarily interested in cognitive or mental health benefits this dosage matches the research for optimizing brain creatine levels. During the menstrual cycle, when protein turnover is elevated, women can increase creatine dosage to offset any muscle loss.

Back in the early days of creatine, it was recommended to pair the dosage with a carb to increase absorption. The weapon of choice, was grape juice since the sugar can act as a transport for the creatine. Now a days, I focus on a consistent daily dosage where it fits in. This morning I took it with my protein shake rather than first thin in the AM with an LMNT pack.

For women, creatine is much more than a performance enhancer – it’s a supplement that covers everything from muscle strength to mood and mental clarity. Whether it’s supporting physical resilience through life, a mood booster, or enhancing cognitive performance, creatine is a part of a well define wellness routine. As research expands, we’re likely to see even more specific dosing strategies that address women’s unique physiology, making creatine a foundational supplement for women of all ages.

If you are ready to dial in your performance with creatine, don’t stop there. Nutrition is the foundations of everything we talk about. You can throw all the weights around, crush your training, and take every supplement under the sun, but without a solid nutrition plan, you’re missing the mark. You’re putting in the work, so let’s make sure you’ve got the fuel to match. Head over to our nutrition section and see how we can help you get everything you can out of your training.

For more information check out the following article from 2021 titled, “Creatine Supplementation in Women’s  Health: A Lifespan Perspective 

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