Creatine is the #1 most researched supplement on the market. However, until recently all the studies were done on men. It has also almost exclusively been marketed towards men. I know many women, myself included, have been skeptical of creatine use because of the “bro-like” atmosphere surrounding it. Thankfully things are changing and more and more research is looking at the effects of creatine on the health of women. And not just young women, but women throughout the lifespan.

What is creatine?

Creatine is a naturally occurring compound that is stored in muscles. A small quantity of creatine is also stored in the brain. Creatine helps synthesize adenosine triphosphate, or ATP, which is commonly referred to as the “powerhouse molecule” in your cells. ATP is critical for muscle function and growth, brain function, and for many of the body processes.

Creatine is produced in the liver and pancreas but much of the creatine in our body comes from our diet. Creatine can be found in red meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products. In order to consume the recommended amount of daily creatine solely from food, you would need to eat multiple pounds of meat daily. This is not happening for the vast majority of us, so creatine supplementation is highly recommended.

Research shows that women have 70-80% less creatine stores than men and tend to consume less creatine through their diets. This makes women ideal candidates for creatine supplementation.

What are the benefits of creatine for women?

Increases Energy

Creatine is literally involved in producing energy in the form of ATP in our cells. Creatine helps to improve work capacity and performance of your muscles and will help to give you that extra boost of energy to run faster, lift heavier, and have better mental acuity.

Improves Cognitive Function

Creatine has been proven in research to improve tasks utilizing the frontal cortex of the brain, such as learning, memory, and attention and contributes to creating a “pro-energetic” environment in the brain. There are many vitamins and supplements on the market that claim to improve memory, but creatine is unique in the fact that it holds up to these claims when thoroughly researched. A recent Grade A study proved that individuals supplementing with creatine had significantly improved memory as compared to a placebo. These effects were even greater in healthy, older adults (66-76 years old).

Because of these findings, current research is looking into using creatine supplementation as part of a treatment program for neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, PTSD, depression, and anxiety.

Improves Lean Body Mass

Many women have been reluctant to use creatine due to the fear of weight gain. This is a largely unfounded belief, especially for women. There may be a slight increase in weight initially due to an increase in cellular hydration but this is largely found in men and not women.

A recent study showed a significant increase in strength and decrease in body fat percentage using skinfold testing in women who utilized creatine supplementation in addition to a strength training program vs. women who did the same strength training program without creatine supplementation. So if you want to become a lean, mean, fighting machine and decrease your body fat percentage, creatine can help you get there.

Enhances Muscle Recovery

There appears to be a positive correlation between creatine supplementation and muscle recovery. However, more research is needed to determine the exact relationship between creatine and recovery.

Improves Homeostasis During Times of Hormone Fluctuation

Creatine synthesis is influenced by hormone levels. Unlike men, women regularly experience hormone fluctuation. When our sex hormones are low, creatine synthesis is also low. Having creatine supplementation on board can just help to off-set the times when natural creatine is low.

How does creatine specifically impact women throughout the lifespan?

Throughout a woman’s lifespan, naturally occurring creatine is highest during the menstrual years and lowest during pregnancy and menopause. It is worth considering creatine supplementation especially when pregnant or when entering menopause and throughout the aging process in order to combat those low periods of naturally occurring creatine.

For women experiencing a menstrual cycle, naturally occuring creatine concentration is highest during the ovulation phase when estrogen and progesterone are at their peak levels, and lowest during menses. Using a form of creatine supplementation can be helpful to mitigate those times when natural creatine is low so that you can still continue to feel energized, mentally sharp, and ready to exercise.

Are there any negative side effects?

No! This is amazing news. There is very little evidence to suggest any negative side effects for men or women to use creatine supplementation at any point in their lives. Both healthy and unhealthy populations can safely incorporate creatine into their routine. If you have any concerns, however, please speak with a health professional to get specific recommendations.

The 2020 study entitled Risk of Adverse Outcomes in Females Taking Oral Creatine Monohydrate: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis clearly outlined the lack of adverse effect of creatine supplementation on the gastrointestinal, renal, hepatic, or cardiovascular systems among women supplementing with creatine.

How much creatine should women take?

There are two approaches when it comes to introducing creatine into your routine. If you are looking for a fast way to see changes, you may want to take the “loading approach”. This is ideal for women that are training for a specific event in a limited time period.The loading approach is based on increasing creatine by 19% which typically works out to 15-20 grams a day for 3-7 days and then is followed by a consistent routine of 5-10 grams per day.

If you are not concerned with a fast turn-around, the most common recommendation for creatine supplementation is 5 grams a day. This approach will take 3-4 weeks in order to see an increase in muscle creatine stores.

Creatine absorption can be influenced by insulin availability. If you have issues with insulin metabolization, consult a professional on how much creatine you should add into your routine.

Closing Remarks

To recap, creatine has long been marketed towards men as the secret muscle building molecule and women had largely been left out of the conversation around creatine. Recent research proves that there are so many wonderful benefits and really no negative side effects and creatine supplementation can be safely implemented in almost all people. Women have less naturally occurring creatine stores than men which makes them even more ideal candidates for supplementation. Come on ladies, let’s reap all the benefits that creatine can give us!

Shannon Hall, PT, DPT

Resources:

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

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/a44716483/creatine-for-women/

https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/abstract/2000/05000/the_effect_of_creatine_supplementation_during.15.aspx