Creatine for women: What it does, whether it's safe and if you should take it

When reading up about health and fitness online, it can sometimes be hard to discern the fads from the fixes, something made all the harder these days by the deluge of quickly distributed information via TikTok or Reels. You may have heard about things in passing, only to find them now going viral on your feed, and it’s natural to ask, well, why now?

Creatine is one of the supplements that falls into this category, where it’s been a feature of fitness industry conversations for years – usually among men – but is now really having its moment in the spotlight. For women just starting their fitness journey, they may have recently heard about it at the gym or seen it at the pharmacy and never really understood what it was, but given the way it's currently being marketed to women, it’s a great time to look at why.

So, what is creatine, what does creatine do for women, what's the impact it has on body weight and body composition, and why might it be right (or wrong) for your health journey?

What is creatine?

While often confused with amino acids and anabolic steroids, creatine is actually a unique and naturally occurring compound produced by the liver, pancreas and kidneys, and found in protein-rich foods such as meat, fish and even human milk, which supplies energy to your muscles [2].

Made of arginine, glycine and methionine, creatine is not just naturally occurring in the body, but it can be taken as a supplement, and studies have found taking it as one may have a range of health benefits across your life stages, from enhancing athletic performance and allowing for more intense exercise, to combating sleep deprivation, supporting cognitive health and more [1].

What does creatine do in the body?

Put simply, creatine helps your body to produce energy.

Working inside your muscle cells, creatine is basically there to recycle, helping your body to re-use adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is the main type of energy that you use during exercise. As a result, a healthy amount of creatine helps to support greater exercise capacity and improve athletic performance, which leads to a stronger and healthier you [8].

What are the benefits of creatine for women?

The benefits of creatine for women is still a fairly new area of research compared to the benefits of creatine for men, and that’s ultimately because women have lower creatine stores than men do as they have lower skeletal muscle mass.

That said, recent studies have shown that creatine supplementation may offer numerous health benefits to women, particularly during menses, pregnancy, post-partum, and during and post-menopause, as the body’s natural creatine synthesis is impacted significantly by hormonal shifts, particularly fluctuating estrogen and progesterone levels [4].

In particular, creatine has been found to support strength building and exercise performance in pre-menopausal women, while post-menopausal women have been found to experience not just that, but also positive results in skeletal muscle size. This is a significant benefit for many women as bone density loss is a major factor of post-menopausal women’s health.

On top of that, recent studies have indicated that creatine supplementation may have a positive impact on mood and cognition, particularly as we age, and may even reduce major depressive disorders [7].

Muscle strength and exercise performance

If you’ve spent any time in gym locker rooms or in fitness hashtags on social media, you’ve probably heard that creatine is often linked to enhanced muscle growth and athletic performance, and a lot of research has indicated that these links are real.

Creatine contributes to energy production, and some studies have shown that it may really help to enhance power or speed during short periods of anaerobic activity. This seems to be because creatine supplementation can increase glycogen storage in your muscles, and glycogen is the key to unlocking the door to your body’s glucose supply, a major source of energy. In other words, it fills your tank to keep you working out harder and for longer, building muscle strength and supporting your overall health.

Some studies have also found that creatine supplements, when paired with a healthy calorie and protein intake, can help in muscle recovery after periods of intense workouts too. This is a result of those added glycogen levels as well, as glucose-derived energy is a vital ingredient when it comes to the healing process.

All that said, creatine supplementation alone won’t build muscle strength or help with weight loss, but it can support your body during exercise in a way that does [1].

Brain health and cognition

While the link between creatine and exercise performance is the most known and understood cause-and-effect, recent research has explored other health benefits in a way that suggests promising results. In particular, many of these studies have now shown that beyond the gym and muscle health, this compound may also help to support cognitive function and combat the effects of fatigue [3].

One recent area of research has been into creatine monohydrates effect on people with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and dementia, with the results indicating an improvement in cognition, brain function and memory [6], while another has suggested that increasing creatine concentration in the brain may also support in reducing symptoms of depression and traumatic brain injury [4].

Energy levels

The link between creatine and energy has been a particularly interesting one, as current research suggests that a high single dose of creatine monohydrate can partially reverse metabolic alterations and fatigue-related cognitive deterioration. In other words, it might just help to combat sleep deprivation in a way that helps with your cognitive performance and metabolic responses.

For women experiencing mental fatigue as a result of a lack of sleep as a result of shift work, a new baby, menopausal insomnia, or generally disordered sleep patterns, creatine supplementation might be particularly beneficial to helping you pick up and get moving to the best of your body’s ability [5].

Bone health and menopause

During and after menopause, women experience significant bone density loss which can lead to a decrease in muscle mass, strength and functionality that in turn can cause an increased likelihood of falls, fractures, physical disability and even death.

While there are a range of supplements on offer to help women in preserving muscle mass and supporting their bone health post-menopause, the main path of preventative treatment is generally regular strength and resistance training during exercise.

Given creatine supplementation has been found to increase energy stores and functionality during exercise and improve muscle recovery, older women may find creatine particularly supportive during workouts in a way that helps them to improve their bone health.

On top of that, one recent study found that taking creatine supplements paired with exercise over a year also decreased the rate of bone mineral loss in postmenopausal women's hips compared to women on the same exercise plan on a placebo. This suggests that it may have a beneficial effect on bone health for menopausal women on top of just muscle performance and greater energy for workouts, although more research still needs to be conducted [4].

Should women take creatine?

While there has been significantly less research into how creatine benefits women than there has on men, recent studies have explored the link between creatine synthesis and women’s hormone cycles, and indicated that creatine supplementation could be particularly valuable for women while their estrogen and progesterone levels are fluctuating or decreasing, namely menstruating women, pregnant women and women who've experienced menopause.

This includes positive effects on mental clarity, mood and cognitive function, energy levels (particularly for the sleep deprived), improved muscular performance preventing muscle loss, aging muscle and bone density. These impacts seem to be more significant for post-menopausal women especially, and as a result, creatine, when paired with regular exercise and resistance training, could be a really beneficial therapeutic intervention for women [4].

Are there any risks or side effects of creatine for women?

Generally speaking, if you’re taking the recommended dose of a creatine supplement – which is 3 to 5 grams per day of either a capsule or a creatine monohydrate powder – there shouldn’t be any risks or significant side effects for women. This isn’t an anabolic steroid, it’s a naturally occurring compound in your body (and one you likely already consume daily through fish or meat), and your body responds to it as such.

That said, if you have over the recommended supplementation, it can put stress on your kidneys, particularly if you have an underlying kidney condition [1]. As a result, if you have a kidney disease or a family history of kidney disease, you should speak with your doctor prior to taking it.

That said, some people may experience mild side effects, in particular some have reported increased water retention that appears as weight gain, and occasional headaches in the first few weeks of taking it. If headaches persist beyond four weeks, you should speak to a medical professional [8].

When should women take creatine?

While there’s no harm in taking creatine, you may experience the most benefit from it during your menstrual cycle, pregnancy or during or after menopause.

Take the guesswork out your health with Juniper 

The Juniper Programme combines weight loss medication with dietitian-led health coaching and tracking, so you can lose weight and reach your goals for good.

Kickstart your weight loss journey with Wegovy or Mounjaro, two groundbreaking weight loss medications that mimic the GLP-1 and GIP hormones, respectively, to help control cravings, delay stomach emptying, and keep you feeling fuller for longer. These clinically backed treatments help members experience up to 23% body weight loss.

Plus, we have a team of expert dietitians and health coaches you can consult with to help you work through any challenges you're experiencing during your weight management journey. This approach sets you up for sustained weight loss, rather than a quick-fix solution.

This means you can continue to enjoy the things you love in moderation without ever feeling deprived.

Ready to see if Juniper is right for you? You can check your eligibility here.

Image credit: Pexels